NORTON, Mass. — Now we know why Phil Mickelson rushed off the course after a quickie Q&A with a few reporters following Thursday’s practice round at TPC Boston. The big lefty, in town for this weekend’s Deutsche Bank Championship, had to suit up to take a few whacks with a different type of stick than he’s used to as he took batting practice prior to last night’s Red Sox-Yankees game at Fenway Park.
“To be at Fenway Park and take BP is a really cool experience,” Mickelson told MLB.com about his stint as No. 62 in a Red Sox uniform. “I’m very appreciative that the organization let me do this. This is a lot of fun.”
In case you were wondering, Mickelson also bats left-handed and sports “a nice soft swing,” according to the Boston Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy. Just don’t look for Phil to knock one over the Green Monster.
Despite his booming drives, Mickelson’s more of a banjo hitter at the plate, noted Shaughnessy, who added that the southpaw took some good-natured ribbing from the Sox second baseman about his mighty rips that traveled about 250 feet. “Not so easy when it’s not on a tee, is it, big guy?’‘ Pedroia joshed.
Mickelson, who’s taking lessons from PGA champ Keegan Bradley about how to use his new belly putter, may have asked for some other tips from the New Englander and rabid Sox fan who tossed the first pitch at Fenway Tuesday night. Mickelson followed Bradley to the mound to throw out the ceremonial first strike before last night’s BoSox-Yanks series finale.
Another golfing celeb who made the scene during the recently completed series was Tiger Woods. In town to speak at Wednesday night’s Deutsche Bank Championship pro-am draw party at the Four Seasons, Woods dropped by Fenway for that night’s ballgame.
Woods sat in a private box at the ballpark after speaking to tournament “founders,” according to Golf Digest’s Tim Rosaforte. Organizers kept Woods’ brief appearance on a need-to-know basis, according to tourney director Eric Baldwin.
“We kept it very low key,” Baldwin told Rosaforte. “We didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. It was more about being there for Seth [Waugh, Deutsche Bank chief executive and personal friend of Woods] and Deutsche Bank. He didn’t want to make a big PR deal out of it. I didn’t even tell our staff. He just wanted to thank the folks. It was very meaningful for us. It was cool that he was in that room.”
Related posts:
- First pitch at Fenway scarier than golf major for PGA champ Bradley
- Deutsche Bank Championship: Phil Mickelson out to grab Tiger Woods' No. 1 title
- Keegan Bradley throws out first pitch at Fenway Park (Video)
- Mickelson tinkers with belly putter at Deutsche Bank Championship
- Jim Gray was right! Pavin picks Tiger Woods for Ryder Cup; Mickelson has no shot at golf
