Maddening and Magical, Phil Mickelson On Full Display At the PGA

KIAWAH ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA | Phil Mickelson has always been a master of imagination.

His imagination and ours.

Even behind his now ever-present sunglasses, Mickelson sees the world through a unique prism, his colors a little bolder and brighter. It’s one of his gifts and it can be as maddening as it is magical, separating him from what he must see as a black and white world.

Now halfway through this magnetic PGA Championship at the menacing Ocean Course, Mickelson is doing it again, stepping into the starring role of his wind-blown tournament, raising the pulse rate on possibilities.

It may be nothing more than a tease, like two weeks ago when Mickelson shot 64 in the first round of the Wells Fargo Championship then failed to break 76 in his next three rounds. Or maybe this time is different.

As Mickelson made his way around his second nine holes Friday morning, dusting his scorecard with five birdies, it looked and felt like a calm place in the gusting conditions. He dialed down the stress, dialed up the opportuniti...