Posted 06-17-2010

Poor putting leaves Mickelson 4-over in Open

PEBBLE BEACH, CA, (June 17, 2010) – This good walk was spoiled early.

“Missing those putts on 14 and 15 . . .” said Mickelson as he strode uphill to a van waiting to take him back to the locker room.

He had started his 21st Open full of hope and laden with expectations of this year’s Masters. He had practiced well, had a plan, knew the course, was eager to begin.

That he did on 10 early Thursday morning with Y.E. Yang and Padraig Harrington. It was a good group for Mickelson, who is very friendly with Harrington and has played a number of rounds alongside Yang already his year.And his start was encouraging.

On the dangerous par-5 14th, with a green that is effectively 1,800 square feet above a yawning bunker in front and a steep runoff behind. Mickelson stopped his approach about five feet from the cup and missed the birdie putt. On 1r, a good approach just left and a little bit above the hole left him with another putt of about 6 or 7 feet. Missed that.

He tried to tell himself, OK, I’m giving myself chances.What he heard himself asking was what the heck is going on? It was a 4-over par75 in progress. Phil Mickelson would not make a birdie all day long.

On 16 an OK drive dribbled through the light rough left of the fairway and somehow stopped on the vertical back wall of a bunker. He could only play out sideways. Bogey. On 17, a bad 5-iron was blocked and the right-to-left wind and one-hopped over the hazard line above Stillwater Cove.Bogey. On 18 a second shot, ordinarily a very doable 252 yards to the frontbunker, ended up in the ocean when he didn’t hit enough hook into another right-to-left wind. Bogey.

One bad break and two bad shots and he was three over par after nine holes when he could have been 1-over, maybe even par if the putter was at all useful. Then it got worse. A shorty for birdie on the second hole,converted to a par-4 for the Open; a makeable on 3 after a fine recovery from a wild drive; a maybe 4-footer for birdie on 6 after a good approach from the left rough short of the green. None of them dropped.

“I don’t mind making a bad swing here, a bogey here or there, it’s part of the U.S. Open,” said Mickelson, “I thought going with out any doubles was good. I’ve just got to make birdies.”

He lauded the course setup from tee through green. He was please with his ball striking, those two costly shots on 17 and 18 aside.

“I didn’t feel my round should be above par,” said Mickelson, “but when you putt like I did you can’t get under par.”

OK, so overall, one man asked, were you discouraged orencouraged with a 75?

“It’s just frustrating,” said Mickelson. “I came in ready. I hit a lot of good shots. I gave myself a lot of birdie opportunities and just putted terribly . . . horrifically.”

"It was one round, the first round, and when Mickelson left the course no one in the afternoon wave was running away with the lead.

“I know if I shoot under par tomorrow I’ll be right there,” said Mickelson. “There’s no way under par is going to win here. I think over par will win. Because of that I’m right there. I’ve just got to get sharp on the greens.”