Phil Mickelson may not have had a single top-10 this year after his tied-second finish in Abu Dhabi in his first event of the season, but the American still believes he has improved as a player.
Mickelson promised to remain patient as he tries to defend his Open Championship crown this week at Royal Liverpool.
Last year, Mickelson played a sensational final round at Muirfield to win his first Open title, a week after he had won the Scottish Open.
It marked a major turnaround in his career, having previously struggled to get his act together on links courses.
It’s been a downward curve after the magnificent evening last July.
Since then he has slipped to No13 in the world, and has missed the cut at The Masters and Players Championship this year.
Mickelson may be lacking in results, but that has not dented his optimism.
Speaking at Royal Liverpool, the 44-year-old American said: “Well, it obviously hasn’t been a good year. Normally I would be discouraged or frustrated, but I’m just not.
“I feel like I’ve had some good breakthroughs. I haven’t had the results and I know I haven’t played well, but the parts feel a lot better than the whole right now.
"I don’t know when it will all click together. I don’t know if it will be this week, three weeks or a month, but it should be soon.
“I feel like it’s really close to being good. And rather than trying to force it or press the issue, I’m going to be patient.
“I’m driving the ball with more confidence and better than I ever have. I don’t know if the stats show it or not, but I know that I am. But this has not been a good putting year. I think that’s where the results haven’t been but I had a good breakthrough these last couple of weeks since the US Open. With (putting coach Dave) Stockton, I have the direction that I want, and I feel much better with the putter.”
Even though he has had a couple of back issues, and his arthritis diagnosis, Mickelson insisted he is feeling much younger than his age.
“I actually feel better than I have in years,” said the five-time major champion.
“I’ve had to work a little bit harder. Every day I have to start my day on a physio ball or on a TRX band and strengthen the back and core and legs to make sure that I’m able to withstand the practice sessions that I’m about to have.
“The other area that I’ve struggled with is my short irons, which has always been a strength. Last week they started to come back and I saw glimpses of my normal short iron play. I believe that the next five years are going to be some of the best in my career.”
Mickelson also revealed that as he has always done, there would be a change in the clubs he employs this week.
“I have two clubs that are specific to this tournament; it’s a 2-iron and a 64 degree wedge that has very little bounce,” he said.
“Those two clubs I basically put away after this event and I bring them back out in July again. They’ve been very important in my success here, 2- or 3-iron. This week it will be a 2-iron.”
