- Plenty of sportsmen believe in superstitions that will give them an advantage while competing, and based on what Kevin Kisner said about his experience with Phil Mickelson, Lefty believes in astrology more than you might expect.
It’s been a few years since Phil Mickelson became one of golf’s most polarizing figures after being the first big celebrity to team up with LIV. That decision may have tainted his legacy, but it would be stupid to devalue the career of a player who won six majors and 45 PGA Tour victories before defecting.
The most obvious key to Mickelson’s long-term success is his dedication to the sport he’s dedicated his life to, but according to a story Kevin Kisner recently shared on The Smylie Show, he may also be able to credit a pseudoscience you’re probably familiar with from people who believe in the healing powers of crystals.
The incident occurred at the 2017 Presidents Cup, which was hosted at Liberty National Golf Club in New Jersey. The captain of the US team, Steve Stricker, was happy to delegate some decision-making to Mickelson, who allegedly had an astrologer (who Kisner incorrectly referred to as a “astronomer”) on retainer at the time.
Here’s what Lefty’s teammate had to say about what happened.
“On Wednesday, Strick’s like, ‘Hey, Kis. We’re switching up the pods today and you’re going to go with Phil’…
He’s like, ‘Well, Phil has an [astrologer] that graded all the two teams and you got the highest grade and so he’s basically just told us that he wasn’t playing with anyone but you.’ So I was like, ‘Oh s—, that’s the weirdest s— I’ve ever heard in my life. So I go talk to Phil. I’m like, ‘What’s up with this [astrologer]?’ He goes ‘Not only that, Kis — every time I hit a shot, I need you to face me with your belly, because all your energy comes from your belly and I can pool your energy before every shot.’”
While Kisner was doubtful, he said they only missed one fairway between them when all was said and done on their way to a triumph over Jason Day and Marc Leishman.
