Integrity, family and the Masters Golf Tournament

If I had a choice between fame and fortune verses integrity and family … well, I would choose integrity and family every time. Hands down. No debate. And, so I choose my sports heroes with the same criteria.

In the Georgia town of Augusta there sits a beautifully manicured golf course with tall Georgia Pines and Azaleas in full bloom. Along these hollowed links will walk the world’s best golfers this weekend all with the same desire … a green jacket and the title the Masters champion.

In times past people of all sorts were honoring Tiger Woods. It is true that Tiger had it all – more titles, tons of money, a never ending string of endorsements and the desires of many young golfers to be just like him. But there was something lacking. He had the drive, the desire, the skills, but the core values, which define and guide any individual, were askew. I admired his ability and if the truth would be known, envied his life a little … or at least the “stuff” of that life.

But … and that is a larger BUT … the individual that truly had my attention through it all was and still remains, Phil Mickelson. This gentle giant of the golfing pros had the integrity and a deep commitment to family. He liked people. Took time to speak with those in the gallery. Would pay attention to the children and youth along the course. Loved to talk with strangers, even while playing. He was relaxed and enjoyed the walk … sorry, Mark Twain, in Phil Mickelson golf wasn’t a good walk wasted! He had integrity and in my book, that always comes first. Phil had his priorities straight.

So, come Sunday afternoon, I probably will be sitting in front of my TV, especially if there is hope that Phil will still be in the hunt, watching the final round of the Masters. Oh, his skill level might not be at the level that Tiger’s once was – the last 18 months have been kind of painful to watch as Tiger continues to slip out of contention in most of the tournaments, but Phil’s ability to weave together his professional life and his personal life has been amazing. It is integrity, it is family, and it is discovering what is important in life and holding true to that discovery.

Phil Mickelson is my sports hero! Thank you Phil for being who you are!

Quote for today: Scientists now say that a series of slits, not a giant gash, sank the Titanic. The opulent, 900-foot cruise ship sank in 1912 on its first voyage, from England to New York. Fifteen hundred people died in the worst maritime disaster of the time … The most widely held theory was that the ship hit an iceberg, which opened a huge gash in the side of the liner. But an international team of divers and scientists recently used sound waves to probe the wreckage, buried in the mud under two-and-a-half miles of water. Their discovery? The damage was surprisingly small. Instead of the huge gash, they found six relatively narrow slits across the six watertight holds … Small damage, invisible to most, can sink not only a great ship but a great reputation. ~USA Today, April 9, 1997