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Maroon Madness Sweet Sixteen: No. 1 Phil Mickelson vs. No. 4 Rick Monday

A face off between two lefties.

Golf Channel/MLB.com

The Matchup: It was a landslide victory in the first round for No. 1-seed Phil Mickelson over Briann January and the 4th-seeded Rick Monday won the 4-5 matchup against Willie Bloomquist in the first round. But which of these two lefties has the edge in the sweet sixteen?

No. 1 Phil Mickelson

Career-Defining Moment: While Mickelson has had several, by far the most defining moment is the one that introduced him to the world. For Phil, he gained national recognition before he went professional. It isn’t common for a golfer to be named National Collegiate Golfer of the year three times in a row. Only Mickelson and Ben Crenshaw have won it three times. Additionally, Mickelson didn’t win his first major until 13 years into his professional career. Now he is a World Golf Hall of Famer.

Where is he now: Unless you were under a rock during the U.S. Open, everyone has heard what happened to ‘Lefty’. On the 13th hole, Mickelson had a putt the traveled further than he wanted and in response the ball continuing to roll, he hit the ball in motion as it was falling off the green to get better leverage. He was given a two stroke penalty. He later apologized for his action but he received great criticism for he actions.

Lefty’s Resume

Career stats
Career stats
ASU Career
Three-time Haskins Award winner
Four-time All-American
Three-time NCAA champion
Pro Career
2012 World Golf Hall of Fame inductee
9th-most PGA Tour victories (43)
Three time Master's winner - 2004, 2006, 2010
PGA Championship winner - 2005
The Open Championship winner - 2013

No. 4 Rick Monday

Career-Defining Moment: Anyone and everyone who knows the name Rick Monday knows that he is the man who saved the American flag. Though his ASU baseball career and his professional career were great, the one that defined his career was the great play where he grabbed the American flag out from under protesters who were planning to set it on fire.

Where is he now: Monday is in his 26th-season with the Dodgers broadcast team. It is also his 34th-year with the Dodgers as both a player and broadcaster. The team still honors and remembers his great play to this day.

Monday’s Resume

Career Stats
Career Stats
ASU Career
1965 national champions
1965 National Player of the Year
.359 BA in 1965
MLB Career
Drafted No. 1 overall by the Kansas City Athletics in 1965
1981 World Series champion with Dodgers
Two-time all-star
.264 career average
241 home runs
19 seasons with three teams