Posted 02-07-2010Spotty final round drops Mickelson 27 spots in L.A.
LOS ANGELES, (Feb. 7, 2010) – Phil Mickelson shot two under par and tied for 45th place in the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club Sunday?
Wait, the Phil Mickelson who finished 2-1-1 there the last three years at 16-under, 12-under and 15-under?
Yes. Um, and no, too.
Last year Mickelson made nine bogeys all week; he made six in Sunday’s final 73. Last year he was 12-under on the three par-5s. He went 8-under there last week, 4-under on the weekend. Last year he played holes 10 and 11 4-inder par. He went 2-under there Thursday, even par the next three rounds with a birdie and bogey.
Last year he was 9-under on the back nine with 13 birdies. Last week he was 4-under with 10 bogeys, including four in five holes Sunday when he made two putts longer than six feet all day.
Last year Mickelson had played nine rounds in three events before he got to Riviera. This year he played four rounds one week before he arrived in L.A.
Last year there was no rust a month into the season. Early this year there is rust and there may have been distractions. Through the last two weeks he was in the center of the groove controversy.
“That didn’t have anything to do with it,” he said.
“I felt like I was ready heading into the season, maybe over-eager for it to start because of how well I was playing,” said Mickelson. “I’m hitting a lot of good shots but I’m not managing my game well, the mental game is not as sharp as it should be. It’s different out on here on tour than playing at home. It’s disappointing, but I guess it’s always like this for me early in the year.”
Next stop: The AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, which Mickelson has won three times but never as early as the third start of a season.