Like him or loathe him, anyone who follows golf knows about Phil Mickelson, both the good and the bad. He is probably the most popular and polarizing golfer this side of Tiger Woods and this biography is one that should be read by all golf fans. Here is my review of "Phil"
Title/Author: “Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized) Biography of Golf’s Most
Colorful Superstar” written and narrated by Alan Shipnick
Rating: 5 of
5 stars (excellent)
Review: Phil Mickelson is one of the most popular golfers in the game’s
long history. He drew many fans that
would follow him at every tournament he entered, and his success has nearly
equaled his popularity. He has won 45 tournaments, including 6 majors after a
wildly successful college career at Arizona State. His complete story, including his recent
entry into the new LIV tour, is told in this book by award-winning golf writer
Alan Shipnick, who also narrates the audio version.
If a reader wants personal stories, especially from friends and
family, they are present. There are not
a lot of them after Mickelson turned pro, but they are present throughout the
book. The best ones and most entertaining are those about his time at Arizona
State, especially from his teammates.
When listening to them, they seemed a lot like the Phil Mickelson a fan
sees on the course – outgoing, smiling, joking – in short, just having
fun. Even when he was a killer on the
course, given his college record.
If one wants to read about Mickelson’s best moments on the course,
especially in the majors where he has experienced both triumph and frustration
(especially in the US Open, where he has finished second six times, the only major
he has not won), those are present as well.
The shot-by-shot descriptions are evidence of Shipnick’s experience in
this type of writing. Both Phil and his
wife Amy are portrayed fairly and mostly positively.
“Mostly” was used because in Phil’s case, his many controversies are
covered as well and they are not used to portray him in a negative light. Just like his successful majors, any
controversy one may remember about Phil is covered – the infamous press
conference after the 2014 Ryder Cup, the investigation into insider trading he
did to pay off gambling debts and the most recent, the LIV tour. Whether it is these or the lighter moments,
Shipnick portrays Phil as a very complex individual which is more than fair. While
listening, if Shipnick was making any judgements, they were not apparent and
that is one of the best aspects of this book.
Shipnick does include himself in the book, including the opening
story, but not overly so and does not make those parts about him, but instead
how they relate to Phil’s story – a story that no matter how one feels about
him, any golf fan will enjoy reading.
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