Phil Mickelson leads the 2014 U.S. Ryder Cup team in major titles and, with Tiger Woods across the Atlantic in Florida nursing his surgically repaired back and the matches with Europe about to unfold, the winner of five grand slam events is not shy about boasting of his accomplishments.
With Tiger Woods absent, Phil Mickelson’s 5 major titles earn bragging rights at Gleneagles
Tiger Woods won’t be walking through the U.S. Ryder Cup team room doors and that gives Phil Mickelson bragging rights when it comes to which American playing this week owns the most major hardware.
Sam Greenwood
So says Woods’ 2013 Presidents Cup partner, Matt Kuchar, whose lame gags the injured 14-time major winner said last week were at the top of his list of things he would not miss about sitting out this week’s festivities at Gleneagles.
“Listening to Kuchar’s jokes,” Woods, out of action until his Hero World Challenge in December, told reporters with a chuckle. “All the practical jokes that Kuchar will play on everybody, namely me.”
Kuchar, the author of the “Fresh Prince” handshake he and Woods revived during their 3-1-0 run in last year’s team event, would not divulge any of the pranks to which Woods referred.
Instead, the seven-time PGA Tour victor offered a bit of Phil-ology.
“I think [Tiger’s] a guy that likes to stick it to people, and most people have a tough time kind of giving it back,” Kuchar observed during a Tuesday press conference ahead of Friday’s kickoff to the biennial competition. “The greatest thing I witnessed is when Phil Mickelson throws down the ultimate gauntlet when he doesn’t have a comeback to whatever you’ve said. He just says, ‘Well, I’ve won so many majors. Suck on that.’”
Kooch did add an all-important caveat to his story.
“[Phil] can only say that if Tiger’s not around,” he noted. “He kind of has to look over both shoulders and make sure because then Tiger gives him his number.”
