Phil Mickelson admitted he could not have ended a difficult 2009 season on a better note after winning the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai on Sunday. The world number two edged out Ernie Els by one shot to win the tournament for the second time in his career, adding to his success in 2007.It was the ideal way for the American to sign off as he revealed the tournament would be his last of 2009.
In a year which saw both his wife and his mother diagnosed with breast cancer, Mickelson acknowledged it had given him a real boost to emerge victorious and insisted he was now hugely excited about his prospects in 2010, claiming he was now playing the best golf of his entire career.
"I'm excited about 2010 because I'm starting to play the best golf of my career," stated the 37-year-old."Everything is starting to come together as far as my driving is concerned. Since working with Butch Harmon my ball-striking has been much better.
"My short game is better than it's ever been and going into 2010, not only am I excited about it, but I have very high expectations."This was my last event of the year. I won't play again until the end of January in the United States and so to finish the year with a victory was wonderful.
Of his wife Amy, he continued: "She's doing well. She was able to watch at home in the States and she said she was so nervous that she was cleaning out cupboards and stuff, which caught me off guard!"It's been a fun way to end the year and she is doing much better. We are looking forward to this time off where we can spend some time together, and we have a few family trips lined up."
Mickelson's victory was made even more satisfying by the fact it came over a field that included great rival Tiger Woods.
In a year which saw both his wife and his mother diagnosed with breast cancer, Mickelson acknowledged it had given him a real boost to emerge victorious and insisted he was now hugely excited about his prospects in 2010, claiming he was now playing the best golf of his entire career.
"I'm excited about 2010 because I'm starting to play the best golf of my career," stated the 37-year-old."Everything is starting to come together as far as my driving is concerned. Since working with Butch Harmon my ball-striking has been much better.
"My short game is better than it's ever been and going into 2010, not only am I excited about it, but I have very high expectations."This was my last event of the year. I won't play again until the end of January in the United States and so to finish the year with a victory was wonderful.
Of his wife Amy, he continued: "She's doing well. She was able to watch at home in the States and she said she was so nervous that she was cleaning out cupboards and stuff, which caught me off guard!"It's been a fun way to end the year and she is doing much better. We are looking forward to this time off where we can spend some time together, and we have a few family trips lined up."
Mickelson's victory was made even more satisfying by the fact it came over a field that included great rival Tiger Woods.
