18 Leadership Quotes From U.S. Open Champion Justin Rose And Runner-Up Phil Mickelson

June 16, 2013 0 Comments

“The object of golf is not just to win. It is to play like a gentleman, and win.” - Phil Mickelson

Congratulations to Justin Rose for winning this week’s U.S. Open.  Despite not shooting par, he outlasted the rest of the field including Phil Mickelson to win his first major.  The following are his delightful comments immediately after winning the event.

• Responsibility – “Today is Father’s Day…Many of us come from great men and have a responsibility to show what a great man could be.”
• Honor – “I couldn’t help to look up at the heavens and think my dad Ken had something to do with it.”
• Encouragement – “Took a lot of encouragement from Adam Scott and watched how he played in major championships.”
• Reality – “This is my moment.  I’ve seen that Ben Hogan photo a million times and suddenly it was me.”
• Connection – “Philadelphia has been my town.”
• Class And Dignity – “Phil Mickelson, rightly so a fan favorite.  And with this being Father’s Day, he deserves a shout out this week for how he handled his daughter’s graduation.”

Despite starting the day with the tournament lead, Phil Mickelson finished the U.S. Open in second place.  After five previous Open runner-ups, he is no stranger to disappointment.  One of golf’s top performers since turning pro in 1992, I was struck the candor he showed shortly after the event.
If you are a leader currently dealing with missed expectations, Phil’s comments will resonate with you:

• Judgment – “I had come so close to get some balls to get in the hole, but I couldn’t get them in the hole…I don’t know what I would have done differently.”
• Patience – “I felt like I was fairly patient throughout the day.”
• Pain – “Heartbreak.  This is tough to swallow…I felt like this was as good an opportunity as you could ask for.  It hurts.”

Previously, the following were three leadership quotes from Mickelson’s interview with ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi on Saturday:

• Opportunity – “It been a very difficult task but it’s also been a fun task because we’ve had opportunities where we can be aggressive.”
• Struggle – “The hard holes are playing really hard which I love.”
• Previous Success – “I’m paying some of the best golf I’ve ever played.  Also, my record after leading after 54 holes is pretty strong.  I will focus on that and pull from the past victories I’ve had and the things I’ve done to manage my time between rounds.”

In the addition to the comments above, the following are six additional leadership quotes from Mickelson available on the internet.  In light of today’s developments, I am struck by the initial statement.

• “The object of golf is not just ot win. It is to play like a gentleman, and win.”
• Proper Expectations – “Shooting a par out there is a great score.”
• Missed Expectations – “It’s just as disappointing as it was thrilling to win the Masters. To come very close, to play so hard for 72 holes and play better than everybody but one guy is disappointing.”
• Forgetting Mistakes – “The thing I was most proud of about today’s round was that on this course everybody is going to make mistakes, but sometimes it’s hard to forget about it and let it go. After I made a double on 1, I was able to be patient and let it go and came back with birdies on 3 and 5. When I bogeyed 6, I was able to let it go and come back with a birdie on 8. I was able to let go of some bad shots and forget about it and move on.”
• Legacy – “I don’t think about leaving a legacy. But it’s at least nice that I’ve started. A nice little start.”
• Accomplishment – “Let’s settle down Grand Slam talk and stuff. To hold all four majors, that’s one of the most incredible feats in the history of the game.”

Phil Mickelson is one of golf’s great winners and a true gentlemen.  I really feel bad for him.