Many in professional golf circles call Phil Mickelson a complicated character, but there’s a different side to the six-time major winner. This alternate side comes to light once more as a professional golfer narrates a story of how the person who went toe-to-toe with Tiger Woods in his pomp helped him prepare for the second stage of the PGA Tour Q School.
Mark Baldwin, a golfer who one day aspires to play on the PGA Tour, was earlier this week preparing for the second stage of the tour’s annual qualifying tournament. Nearly a decade ago, the golfer played an “unforgettable money match” against Mickelson. Never then had he expected that the champion golfer would aid him in his preparation to play on the Tour. That, however, is exactly what happened, and for Baldwin, it was a surreal experience despite the fact that it eventually went down the drain!
Mark Baldwin’s PGA Tour Q-school path is a bittersweet one
A look at the second stage scorecard would reveal that Baldwin failed to qualify for the tour’s school. In fact, he fared badly, finishing 58th with an 8 over par. In all four rounds, he shot over 70, with a majorly disappointing 79 on the last day. Despite training with Phil Mickelson, why did the pro fail?
Well, it may just be thanks to the one big technical flaw in Baldwin’s game—his driving—that even Lefty pointed out. “Your distance control is fu****g pathetic,” the golf great had told Baldwin, as per his written testament on Mondayq.com. Despite the setback, however, he had quite a few positive takeaways from his stint with Mickelson.
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There were many things the LIV Golf star liked about Baldwin’s game too, as per what he told him when they trained, such as his ability to strike the ball. “Listen, you strike the ball as well as anyone I’ve ever seen,” Mickelson had said. He explained that almost every shot from the PGA Tour aspirant came off the sweet spot.
The golf legend even went so far as to say that if striking the ball alone was the pathway to success at the top level, Baldwin could have been contesting for major honors.
Baldwin was in awe of Phil Mickelson
Baldwin had come to train with Mickelson through a friend who stated that although the golfer had a reputation of being a “complicated guy,” he often took budding players under his wing and prepped them for the Tour School. He even helped some out financially. And Baldwin witnessed that heartwarming side of the golf legend firsthand.
Phil Mickelson was warm, and there was a personal touch to the way he did things. He was inquisitive and wanted to know the thought process of his ward. What stuck for Baldwin, though, was the way Mickelson’s focus and concentration level changed once he was on the course. Good shots from his fellow golfer were encouraged. “He (Mickelson) makes a 10-footer for birdie… When I follow with a birdie of my own on 3, I get an enthusiastic fist bump.”
While it may seem that all their efforts were wasted, that certainly wasn’t the case. Baldwin left the training with a bag full of lessons and memories. And as they bid adieu, Mickelson told Baldwin that he would be available to answer any questions, and perhaps after his failure on Friday this week, he may just take up the LIV star on that offer to perhaps learn more!
