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LOS ANGELES - United States Masters golf champion Phil Mickelson, stung by his failure to win last year's US Open at Winged Foot, is approaching the 2007 majors with renewed vigour and an adjusted swing.
The American left-hander has worked hard to eliminate a tendency to push tee shots to the left and believes a revamped fitness programme will improve his late-season stamina.
"I'm excited about 2007 because I've addressed a problem in my game and I think I've created a solution," Mickelson said today as he prepared for this week's Bob Hope Classic at Palm Springs, California.
"I'm looking forward to seeing how the first three or four tournaments go, and seeing if the changes I've made in the off-season have made a significant, positive result."
Mickelson blew a golden opportunity to win a third successive major last June with a wild drive and a double-bogey six at the final hole, effectively handing the US Open crown to Australian Geoff Ogilvy.
Easily forgotten, though, is that the American's short game and scrambling ability had kept him in the title hunt during that closing round at Winged Foot where he missed 12 out of 14 fairways off the tee.
"Not only was it on 18, it was on 17 and it was all through the final round," Mickelson said. "There were a lot of shots lost left and I needed to eliminate that miss.
"I needed to create two things different: a slightly different golf swing and a slightly different equipment makeup in the head. I think we've got that right now and I'm excited about it."
The three-times major winner is trying to square up the club face a little quicker during his swing while his driver now has a little more heel weight.
Although Mickelson's Winged Foot memories will always be painful, he prefers to look forward.
"Dealing with failure is part of the game," he said. "I deal with it 90 per cent of the time.
Playing competitive golf this week for the first time since last September's Ryder Cup in Ireland, Mickelson says he has become much stronger during the off-season.
"I've done a lot with my trainer," the world number four added.
"I immediately lost 20 to 25 pounds and put on about 10 to 15 more with muscle from lifting. I'm hoping this will improve stamina so that in the latter part of the year I have a better performance."
Mickelson, who weighs around 91kg, has traditionally played his best golf in the first half of the season before winding down his tournament schedule.
Bob Hope Classic champion in 2002 and 2004, the 36-year-old Californian has won his opening event on the PGA Tour five times in his career.
"I usually play well in the start of the year, and I expect to see the same," he said.
The five-round Bob Hope Classic, the third event on the 2007 Tour, starts on Wednesday.
- REUTERS
