Mickelson getting his game in order

It’s been a discussion for as long as the PGA Tour has wanted – and that’s a very long time: Is the Players a major championship?

Phil Mickelson is sure.

“Now that I won, it’s a major, absolutely,” he said today at Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla..

Mickelson was only joking, not about the part that he’s won it, but the part where the Players is a major. Of course, this isn’t the first time it’s come up, but to review, there are Three Stooges, 12 days of Christmas, Seven Dwarfs and four major championships.

What this week’s $9-million Players really is should not be understated. No, Tiger Woods isn’t around, but every other player who has won a tournament since the start of 2007 is teeing it up at Sawgrass.

And Mickelson is the only one of them who shows up as the defending champion.

As it turns out, it’s a big week for the second-ranked Mickelson, his chance to shine and to win a huge (not major) tournament when he doesn’t have to worry about standing in Woods’ shadow.

Mickelson said there’s no question the PGA Tour misses Woods, though.

“Am I wrong in that? Is there any possible way that I could be wrong on that? I’ve been wrong about a lot of stuff, but I do believe that the Tour is better off with Tiger,” he said.

As for Mickelson, he’s busy trying to get his putting straightened out and to continue his preparations for the U.S. Open, which is just five weeks away. Much was made last year at Sawgrass of his association with swing coach Butch Harmon, who was on hand to see Mickelson win.

Mickelson said he’s seen progress in his game with Harmon’s influence.

“I thought it would be progressing about how it has,” he said. “My driving of the golf ball has been totally different. My misses have been much smaller than I had been used to, and my sight lines have been moved in tighter inside the fairway lines.

“I think in the effort to improve my long game, my short game has suffered a bit.”

Mickelson’s results so far include a victory at Riviera, a playoff loss at Phoenix and a tie for fifth at the Masters. Last week at the Wachovia, Mickelson slumped in the second round with a two-over 74 and wound up tied for 12th.

Although his scoring average of 69.56 is about where he finished last year and his distance off the tee is nearly the same, Mickelson’s putting reflects a problem on the greens. He’s ranked 63rd in putting after he ended last year ranked 13th.

Mickelson said he’s optimistic.

“Last week, my putting was so much better. Every putt started on-line, good speed. I expect to have a great week this week because it’s getting better as time goes on.”

Mickelson has two more tournaments – the Colonial and the Memorial – before the Open at Torrey Pines. Mickelson said he played the course a couple of weeks ago.

“It’s very tough. It is a very tough golf course. Primarily the biggest difference is off the fairways and around the greens, it’s thicker rough. And as that kikuyu grows, it’s very challenging to get the club through it. It was grabbing a lot of shots.”

thomas.bonk@latimes.com