Expert Picks: RBC Canadian Open

Phil Mickelson created history at the 2021 PGA Championship, becoming the oldest major winner ever amid an unforgettable scene on the 72nd hole. The 50-year-old’s equipment set up at Kiawah Island included a new Callaway Epic Speed Triple Diamond driver with just 5.5 degrees of loft, but it was far from smooth sailing for Mickelson’s equipment throughout the week. He had not one, but two, clubs crack at Kiawah Island, including one that became unplayable as he was preparing for his final-round tee time. “You can’t swing it as hard as I hit it and not expect them to crack,” Mickelson joked in Sunday’s post-victory press conference. “It happens. In fact, if it doesn’t happen, you start to question the manufacturer, hey, aren’t we making this as hot as we can?” The first club to go was Mickelson’s 11.5-degree TaylorMade Original One “Mini Driver,” which he uses as a 2-wood. It caved in during the third round. “Little things happen, but (Saturday), I hit a couple of squirrelly shots on 12 and 13 and the face on my 2-wood flattened,” Mickelson said. “Fortunately, I had a backup head and swapped it out and hit it great today.” Mickelson’s 2-iron was the next club to go, but it was not as easy of a fix. And it happened minutes before his final-round tee time. He had his Callaway X Forged UT 2-iron in the bag all week until the clubface cracked during Sunday’s warm-up session, necessitating a change to Mickelson’s equipment setup. Tim Mickelson, Phil’s brother and caddie, noticed the crack after Phil put the club back in the bag. In lieu of the 2-iron, Phil decided to swap in a Callaway Mavrik Sub Zero 4-wood with 16.5 degrees of lost. Mickelson hadn’t practiced with the 4-wood since Tuesday, but he used it off the tee several times Sunday, including his tee shots on Nos. 3 and 4 “Fortunately I had a 4-wood that’s a very comparable club to that 1-iron distance-wise and I was able to use that club effectively,” Mickelson said. “I hit that club very well. It’s just one of those things that happens and you just have to be prepared for it, which is why I bring backup clubs out here.” Needless to say, the preparation paid off as Mickelson was the man holding the 27-pound Wanamaker Trophy at day’s end.

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Stars shining during FedEx Cup playoffs

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