Golf: Phil Mickelson Flirts With History At Phoenix Open
By Les Bailey
Two inches separated Phil Mickelson from history at the Waste Management Phoenix Open on Thursday. After a birdie at the par three seventh hole, getting him to -11 under for the day, Lefty needed one birdie to tie the magical 59 score, and two birdies to break the record, to post the tour’s first 58 in tournament play. After perfect drives on his final two holes, his putt at the 8th hole came up one inch short, his putt at the 9th ran a lap around the edge of the cup, went half way down, and stopped an inch from the hole.
Although history wan’t made, Phil Mickelson did shoot -11 under par on the day, and took a three stroke lead into the second round at golf’s most raucous tournament. Phil started his day with four birdies and making a couple of pars at 14, and 15 before another hat trick, making the turn at 29. Playing partners Rickie Fowler and Jason Dufner were both pulling for Phil and the record. Mickelson went to college locally at Arizona State, and has won the Phoenix Open three times.
2012 FedEx Cup Champion, Brandt Snedeker, who finished tied for second place on Monday behind Tiger Woods at Torrey Pines leads a group of players in second place at -7 under par that includes Padraig Harrington. Harrington is making his 2013 PGA Tour debut this week. Others in second place include Ryan Palmer, Ted Potter Jr, and 49 year old Jeff Maggert.
Nick Watney, who finished in a tie for fourth place last weekend is in a group of eleven golfers who are tied for seventh place at -6 under par. Watney was in contention last weekend, but came up short in the cold windy conditions on Monday. Ryder Cup star Nicolas Colsaerts is in this log jam, and is playing his first full season on the PGA Tour.
When all is said and done, this day belonged to Phil Mickelson. After airing his tax problems leading up to the Farmers Insurance Open last week, and ending in a tie for 51st place, the buzz around golf was wondering if Phil was done. Had his physical condition deteriorated to the point where he would no longer be significant. He has lost some club head speed, and struggles with his putter at times, but he reminded us on Thursday that he can still lead a charge, and excite fans in a way that belongs only to Tiger Woods and himself.
Lefty is one of the rare people in professional sports. He signs autograph until everyone is satisfied, smiles when he is losing, and can bring as much excitement to a sport that at times, is stuffy at best. He missed the playoff at last year’s Masters with Bubba Watson, and Louis Oosthuizen, but on the eighteenth green, he was high fiving fans, and smiling on his way to the scoring tent. If I had just tuned in, I would have thought he won another Green Jacket. He did win, just not the Masters.
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