A significant anniversary in Phil Mickelson's career passed the other day, one that highlights his early greatness while also reminding us of his longevity.
It has been 30 years since Mickelson won his first PGA Tour event, doing so as a 20-year-old amateur while playing college golf at Arizona State.
The feat occurred so long ago that the PGA Tour had yet to open its season with a two-tournament Hawaii swing. And it happened at a tournament that long ago went away.
Mickelson won the Northern Telecom Open in Tucson, Arizona, overcoming a triple-bogey 8 on the back nine and winning with an 8-foot birdie putt on the final hole to defeat Tom Purtzer and Bob Tway.