ROLE MODEL

How I raised Phil Mickelson

Phil Mickelson Sr. explains how his kid hit the big time

"We didn't set out to raise the world's greatest golfer, though judging from Phil's birth announcement, which showed him as the fourth in a foursome of golfers, you might have thought that was our aim. Golf was never designed or intended to be the only thing in his life. He played many other sports and was engaged in many activities. The simple truth was that I got a tremendous amount of enjoyment from golf and I hoped that he would too. I saw it as a way our family could spend extended time together. Of course, he wound up loving it. I don't remember ever having to say to him, 'Phil, don't you think you should head out and practice?' He just did."

Phil Mickelson won a record 12 times on the AJGA Tour. He attended Arizona State University, where he won three NCAA individual titles.