Tiger Advised to Forget Nicklaus, Start Worrying About Mickelson

Tiger Woods better get onto the PGA Tour soon before Phil Mickelson sets some youthful standards that are mighty difficult to beat.

Woods, the 20-year-old Stanford sophomore, might be playing his first tournament as a professional on Aug. 29 when the Greater Milwaukee Open starts. He’s accepted a sponsor’s exemption, but he’s not saying whether he’ll be playing as a pro or an amateur.

Milwaukee comes a week after the U.S. Amateur where Woods is trying to win for an unprecedented third consecutive time. Most golf insiders expect Woods to turn pro after the amateur.

It will be the most awaited debut since Jack Nicklaus. But it could be overshadowed by the dawn of the Mickelson Era.

Tiger’s biggest burden when he goes pro will be the expectation that he be great right away. That burden gets a little heavier with each tournament Mickelson wins.

Mickelson’s victory at the GTE Byron Nelson Classic last weekend was his third of the year and eighth on the PGA Tour. And he doesn’t turn 26 until June 16.

Jack Nicklaus won 17 times before he was 26 and Sam Snead equaled Mickelson with eight.

Greg Norman, Nick Faldo and Seve Ballesteros all had won more than eight times before they were 26, playing on the European and Asian tours.

That’s pretty good company for Mickelson, all of whom are also multiple winners of major championships--the next goal for Mickelson.

“I need to improve my toughness and focus for every event,” Mickelson said at Doral earlier this year. “I need to play less and build up for certain tournaments.”

He’s building nicely. Mickelson finished third in the Masters this year and seventh last year, when he also was fourth in the U.S. Open.

“I had two opportunities last year to win on Sunday, being a shot back at both the Masters and the U.S. Open,” Mickelson said. “I haven’t been as consistent as I’d like.”

Mickelson, who shows considerable composure both on and off the golf course, also has a sixth and a third in the PGA Championship and has used his experience to build his maturity.

“If I can keep putting myself in position the odds are I’ll break through sometime,’ Mickelson said after the Masters.

Mickelson also shows considerable composure when asked if he is emerging as the best American player.

“That’s not really a question for me to answer,” Mickelson said. “I don’t like rating myself. There are a lot of good young players right now, there really are. There are a lot of young players who have the game to compete with the top players.”

Nicklaus has no doubt who he thinks is the best young player on the horizon.

“You can probably take Arnold’s Masters (4) and my Masters (6), add them together, and this kid should win more than that,” Nicklaus said about Woods at the Masters. “This kid is absolutely the most fundamentally sound golfer that I’ve seen at almost any age.”

And Jack didn’t stop there.

“I don’t know whether he’s ready to win yet or not, but he will probably be the favorite over the next 20 years,” Nicklaus said. “If he isn’t, there’s something wrong.”

Woods will certainly be reminded of Nicklaus’ words, especially if it takes him a while to get his first tour victory. And especially since Nicklaus is the only measuring stick Woods uses for his game.

Part of the Tiger legend is that he had a list of Nicklaus’ accomplishments at various ages taped to his bedroom wall. So far, Woods has beaten every one, needing to capture the NCAA individual title later this month to stay on course.

Mickelson is a little less obvious in his pursuit of greatness.

“Comparing me to Jack is a compliment,” Mickelson said after winning the Byron Nelson, adding quickly, “There is only one Jack Nicklaus. And there will never be another one.”

Yes, there may be a Tiger on tour very soon and he is a player of awesome ability. But he could be coming on the scene just as the Mickelson is hitting his peak.

Mickelson has eliminated one flaw--winning only west of the Rockies--by taking the tournament in Texas.

“I’m creeping a little bit east,” he said with a grin. “I’m about ready to make that jump over the Mississippi.”

And he could be ready to make the jump to winning a major championship. And that could mean that Tiger Woods just might have to tape a list of Phil Mickelson’s accomplishments on his bedroom wall and shoot for them.