What Brandel Chamblee likes about Phil Mickelson

In the latest episode of GOLF Originals, host Michael Bamberger leads NBC/Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee on a wide-ranging tour of the US Open, making multiple stops at historic golf destinations in and around Philadelphia.

Those venues include Merion Golf Club, host of the 2013 US Open won by Justin Rose and, arguably, lost to Phil Mickelson. Indeed, you can't talk about the modern US Opens without talking about Mickelson, whose six runner-up finishes continue to make him an interesting piece of history, even this year.

Chamblee had criticized Mickelson for turning his back on the PGA Tour, but as he and Bamberger revisited the site of one of Mickelson's most costly mistakes — his bogey on the par-3 13th at Merion — Chamblee revealed that the moment included much of what he liked about Mickelson.

“The things that make you great, you can't turn those off,” Chamblee said. “And with Phil, for all the criticism he gets for moving that side behind the green – I mean, he's won 45 times and six majors. So what credit do you give to his curiosity and endless nature of knowing everything there is to know about his game, given that 45 wins in six major tournaments. So if he loses one along the way, I'd say he has high hopes.

“That's what sports is all about, you know, giving it your all, and the data should be discarded.”

Chamblee said Mickelson's slow-moving style is becoming increasingly rare in the modern game, where players rely more on safety and take fewer risks — and that's kind of a shame, because players like Mickelson are a lot of fun to watch.

“There's a little sense of bravery in the game,” Chamblee said. “And everyone is trained hard until the middle. I'm not criticizing you. I understand, but I think people pay to see, stop what they're doing to watch, people who dare to be different. And that's what Phil was.

“Look, I have my criticisms of Phil, but I would never criticize his golf, whether he's taking risks, or trying to pass the game smartly,” continued Chamblee. “As people want to criticize him thinking that he knows everything, I always found him very interesting.

“I like this side of Phil, that curiosity.”

For more US Open coverage and commentary from Chamblee, check out the full episode of GOLF Originals below.

Golf.com Editor

As a four-year member of Columbia's first varsity golf class, Jessica knows how to outrun everyone on the golf course. He can pass them through the office, too, where he is primarily responsible for producing both print and online features, and overseeing major special projects, such as GOLF's first Style Issue, which began in February 2018. His first interview series, “A Round With,” released in November 2015, and appeared in both magazine and video form on GOLF.com.