Ever since his outburst two years ago in the post-Ryder Cup news conference at Gleneagles, Phil Mickelson has taken a lot of hits.
Some were deserved. Some were not.
But in the wake of the United States’ 17-11 thumping of Europe at Hazeltine, two things have to be said about Mickelson: He put himself on the firing line with his mouth and then he backed up everything he had said with his game.
“He’s our papa bear,” Zach Johnson said, months before the American victory. “He’s very protective of all of us.