Phil Mickelson: Defending the Crown at the 2007 Masters Tournament

Masters Tournament 2006 champion Phil Mickelson looks like he will be up for another chance at retaining his position this year at the Masters 2007. Known to many as "Lefty" for his famous left-handed swing, Phil Mickelson is one of the most famous leading professional golfers. This year should prove to be quite a challenge for him as he goes up against none other than first-ranked Tiger Woods, who he beat out to win the Masters in 2006.

Mickelson, however, is no small feat to the best of golfers. Ranked at #2 for multiply years in his career, the golfer has three major golf championship wins and is quite the mainstay on the PGA Tour, having won 29 of those tournaments. From San Diego, California, Mickelson was the first left-hander to win the U.S. Amateur title in his time. More impressive was that a year later, he won his first PGA Tour tournament as an amateur in the Northern Telecom Open.

Moving on to win more PGA Tour tournaments, Mickelson was known for his powerful swing and his short game. Often criticized as the best golfer who never won a major tournament, he still did play well in the majors that he did participate in. However, his first major championship proved to be the one that would escalate his career even further after he won the Masters 2004. This, among other major wins, propelled his status as the player ranked second only to Tiger Woods.

Mickelson is also known for his many unorthodox strategies on the fairway. One such shot is known as the "Phil flop" wherein he swings big with a wedge that propels a ball very high into the air but only for a short distance. However, it is exactly because of these risky shots that has earned him the reputation of being one of the best golfers of today.

In 2007, he goes up against Woods and 98 other great golfers from around the world at the famed Masters 2007. The Masters, one of the four major championships in professional golf, happens every year at the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. This year it will be contested from the dates April 2 to 8. Open to about 100 players in total, the Masters Tournament winner is assured membership on the PGA Tour for the next five following seasons as well as invitations to another famed major championship for the next five years.