Mickelson on Mickelson

I'd hit driver again.

No question.

Put me on the 18th hole at Winged Foot, needing par to win, and I'm doing exactly what I tried to do last June: carve a baby slice and chase it down the fairway to set up an iron to the green, two-putt for my first U.S. Open and my third straight major.

And so begins a l-o-n-g piece in ESPN: The Magazine headlined "Failure Fuels Me." Good stuff. Lefty answers his critics, apologizes to no and pretty much vows to keep on keepin' on.

If you're a fan of Mickelson -- or of golf, for that matter -- it's must-see stuff, chock full of some of the most candid comments you're likely to hear from Mickelson or anybody else in this day and age.

For example:

People say it all the time: I take too many risks, and it costs me titles. I've been hearing for years that I have to change my style in order to win. Well, let me ask this: Are Johnny Miller, Lanny Wadkins, Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite, Lee Trevino, Davis Love and Fred Couples great players? Of course they are. Those are some of the game's most heralded names. And somehow, I've won more PGA Tour events than any of them. So I have to wonder: Shouldn't my game be emulated more than criticized? Should I change my style and win less? Or should more players try to do what I do and maybe win more? Just throwing it out there.

You go, girl! -- er, ah, Phil.

For the whole thing, click here.