Throwback Thursday: When hail halted play in the desert
To celebrate #NCGWinterGolf week we look back at an iconic moment in Arizona 17 years ago
The Background
During the final round of the World Challenge in 2000 Phil Mickelson hit a golf shot that will be remembered forever.
The final round of action at Grayhawk Golf Club was bombarded by a hailstorm that halted proceedings for the whole field. Well, apart from two daft souls who just wanted to get into the warmth of the clubhouse.
The Scene
Mickelson and playing partner Mark O’Meara were making their way down the 18th hole when the bad weather struck but the pair decided to plow on through instead of waiting out the inevitable long delay.
After watching O’Meara four-putt through the hail from around 30-feet Mickelson decided to grab his lob wedge and, well, the rest is history as they say.
“The chip-putt was the shot of my year,” Mickelson proclaimed afterwards.
The Legacy
The shot has been remembered as one of the craziest in golf and 17 years on Mickelson is still reminded on occasion of his great feat that day which sealed a score of 70.
The now 47-year-old will go down as one of the best players to have ever swung a club having picked up no less that 42 PGA Tour wins and five majors.
Lefty was also inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2012.
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Tom Irwin
Tom is a lifetime golfer, now over 30 years playing the game. 2023 marks 10 years in golf publishing and he is still holding down a + handicap at Alwoodley in Leeds. He has played over 600 golf courses, and has been a member of at least four including his first love Louth, in Lincolnshire. Tom likes unbranded clothing, natural fibres, and pencil bags. Seacroft in Lincolnshire is where it starts and ends.
