Accompanied by applause, cheers, whistles and shouts, Phil Mickelson made his way up the 18th fairway at Riviera Country Club, each step taking him closer to the exact place in space where the present collides with history.
Mickelson wore black slacks, a black shirt, black shoes and a black cap for the occasion, and his choice of attire did not go unnoticed by a fan who pressed against the gallery rope along the fairway.
"Black is back, baby."
And so is Phil, as if he's ever really been away. The 18th green at Riviera is an amphitheater setting, and on Sunday, the final day of the first Northern Trust Open, the crowd spread out on the slopes of the hill to cheer Mickelson to an important victory.
It wasn't so much a coronation, because pro golf already has its king and his name is Tiger Woods, but it certainly was a celebration for some kind of royalty. That's what Mickelson is, and for proof, look up his 33 PGA Tour victories, more than any active player not named Woods.
But Mickelson is ahead of Woods in one category. Woods has never won this tournament, Mickelson now has, and his name is right there on the huge silver trophy, along with such others as Hogan, Snead, Nelson and Palmer.
"Pretty cool," Mickelson said.
Not long before, he had gently steered a two-foot par putt into the bottom of the hole to end a round of one-under 70 that was enough to defeat Jeff Quinney by two shots. Mickelson removed his cap, shook hands with Quinney and John Rollins, and then showed the fans his loopy grin as they rose to their feet and cheered.
Mickelson had every reason to be pleased. At the trophy presentation, he stood on the soft carpet of grass at the 18th green and posed as he held the trophy while photographers and cameramen gathered three rows deep to shoot his picture.
But moments like this are probably best kept in the mind's eye.
Mickelson has much to remember from his week at Riviera, and virtually all of it is mind-blasting positive. It included the 64 he shot Friday, the low round of the tournament.
That round didn't win Mickelson the tournament, but he wouldn't have won without it, either.
Mickelson also had Butch Harmon in his head. Harmon, Mickelson's swing coach, has been trying to take the big misses out of his swing.
