Nelson: That First Masters Victory Is Invaluable

Byron Nelson, who picked Phil Mickelson to win the Masters before the tournament started, said Mickelson’s victory on Sunday reminded him of something -- his own victory at Augusta National in 1937.

Nelson made up six shots on Ralph Guldahl over two holes on the final day, with a birdie on the 12th and an eagle on the 13th, to win his first Masters. He won again in 1942, but he said his comeback in the 1937 tournament helped him in years to come, and he predicted the same for Mickelson.

“When I look back at it even now, I know it did a lot for me, more than anything in my entire career,” Nelson said Wednesday.

“I think for Phil, he’s going to play well all the time, major tournaments especially. He has the confidence to do it. And I think he liked the way he played. Not just because he won, sure he liked that, but he played so strong, especially the last nine holes.”

Nelson, 92, won five major titles, but the 1937 Masters was the first. He said he wasn’t surprised that Mickelson scored his first major triumph at the Masters.

“I’ll tell you, I know Phil real well. His attitude has changed,” Nelson said.

“He doesn’t really try to kill the drive and knows it’s better to play out of the fairway. I was convinced he was going to win. I wasn’t surprised. I was surprised at his great play the last seven holes. You shoot 31 on the back side on Sunday at Augusta National, that’s something.

“It’s the best Masters tournament I’ve ever seen.”

And he’s seen nearly every one. He played every year since it began in 1935 through 1966 and missed only a couple after that.

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Jay Leno had Mickelson as a guest on his show Tuesday night, but Mickelson was already fodder for Leno on Monday night, the day after Mickelson’s victory at the Masters on Easter Sunday.

Said Leno: “This past weekend, America did celebrate a miracle -- Phil Mickelson winning the Masters.”

In his monologue Tuesday night, Leno congratulated Mickelson for winning.

Said Leno: “He won his first major on his 43rd attempt. One out of 43, or as we call that in L.A., the Clippers. He’s a very nice guy, Phil. I just hope he doesn’t get cocky and think he’s going to win every 43rd time.”

At Mickelson’s news conference Monday at La Jolla Country Club, he was asked what he would serve for next year’s Champions dinner.

Said Mickelson: “One of my dishes I love is a little lobster ravioli with creamy tomato sauce, garlic bread and Caesar salad, but who’s thinking about it.”

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It may not make Ernie Els feel any better about shooting 67 on Sunday and still losing to Mickelson by a shot, but the $702,000 he made for second place pushed him over the $20-million mark in his career, a plateau previously reached by only Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Davis Love III and Mickelson.