By defying the odds, Phil and Tiger maintained their grip on golf, and on us

Their most recent wins, then, are the two most memorable golf tournaments of the past decade — full stop. When 2019 dawned, Woods hadn’t won a major in 11 years, Mickelson in six. Every major they turned up to they were part of the pretournament chatter, potential contenders who were also old enough to offer historical perspective. But under the veneer, there was the very real possibility that their best memories had already been made.