‘Lefty’ does it: Why winning Pebble Beach means so much to Mickelson

Phil Mickelson’s 5th Pebble Beach title holds a lot of history for the golfing legend, going back all the way to 1919.

Monday’s win at Pebble Beach ends Phil Mickelson’s seven-year draught on U.S. soil, giving him his 50th golfing title overall. The last American competition he won was back in 2012, The Northern Trust. The Pebble Beach Pro-Am title is his second PGA victory since winning the WGC-Mexico Championship last year. But the win in California has a lot of poignancy for the 48 year-old.

Pebble Beach is where Mickelson began his professional golfing career in 1992, at the U.S. Open, ironically the only major Mickelson’s never won. The scenic golf course has been more forgiving to the legend when he’s played the Pro-Am, with his fifth win coming in on a dramatic Monday, due to a hail storm that delayed play on Sunday.

The San Diego native knows the course well. It’s the special place that started the family on the sport that’s made Mickelson so famous. His grandfather, Al Santos, caddied there a century ago. In previous wins, Mickelson would take the flag stick and send it to him.

Santos passed away at age 97, in 2004, just a few months shy of Mickelson’s first major win at The Masters.

“Enough of these tour wins, enough of these,” Mickelson’s grandfather said, according to an interview in chron.com. “I want a major.”

Mickelson noted that Santos also predicted it the year he passed away.

“Just before he passed away — over Christmas — he said that this was going to be the year,” Mickelson said. “I can’t help but think that he may have had a little something to do with it.”

It is Santos’ 1900 Morgan Head silver dollar that Mickelson carries around in his pocket for good luck at all his tournaments. That is, he uses a replica of it so he won’t lose it. Except at Pebble Beach, where he carries the real thing.

“It’s been a very special week,” said Mickelson to CBS’ Peter Costas after the win.

“This is a special place for me. My grandfather, in 1919, was one of the first caddies, here at Pebble Beach, and every time I get here, I have such feelings of gratitude for all that this place has done for my family, starting with my grandfather. To have my professional career start here, to have this victory, means a lot.”

With his 44th PGA win on Monday, Mickelson is now fourth on the list of most years between his first and last PGA wins, at 28. After changing up his fitness and diet regimens, as well as his golfing coach, the American golfer is moving better than he’s done in years. The only major missing from his list of impressive accomplishments is the U.S. Open, where he’s come in second a heartbreaking six times.

Mickelson is one of a handful of older sports stars continuing to defy age and remain one of the contenders for majors this year. With a U.S. Open win at Pebble Beach in June, the celebrated golfer will complete the Career Slam, only adding to his incredible legend in the game.

His grandfather would certainly be proud.