Golf: Mickelson tries to spread news about arthritis

Cecilia Cho. Photo / Richard Robinson

Phil Mickelson played a practice round at Pebble Beach on the Saturday before the US Open and was walking back to his car when he felt pain in his ankle, hip and even his finger. It was uncomfortable, but no great cause for alarm.

"I thought it might just be wear and tear of the joints over the years," he said.

The scare came a week after the US Open during a family holiday in Hawaii when the pain returned.

"I went and laid down on the couch, and it hurt so bad to move," Mickelson said. "Thereafter, I went to try to play golf and the pain had gone to my shoulder. I couldn't take the club back halfway. And I was concerned about the impact on my golf career."

Mickelson was lucky to detect it early.

He immediately saw a rheumatologist in San Diego, then went to the Mayo Clinic for a second opinion. Both agreed that he had psoriatic arthritis, an autoimmune disease that causes pain, stiffness and swelling around the joints.

Mickelson was able to get on a treatment plan, and he felt good enough to resume his full workouts by November.

But it left a lasting impression, and Mickelson wants to do his part to help educate others about the disease.

Mickelson said he lost about 20 percent of his strength, along with some swing speed. He said most of the speed has returned, and he hoped to have the rest of it back during the road to the Masters.

It cost him part of last summer, no doubt. He was never in contention at the British Open, and made his move too late to seriously contend at the US PGA Championship, where he first revealed he had psoriatic arthritis. He had a chance in the second half of the season to go to No. 1 in the world, but he had only one top-10 finish.

Even so, he feels fortunate it wasn't worse.

"I'm in a good place now," he said. "I'm able to practice and work out hard. As I've said, my goal is to make this year the kind of year I wanted last year to be. I also want to help other people who have situations similar to mine, because it's very manageable."

- AP