Golf-Mickelson dumbfounded after woeful Torrey Pines start (Reuters)
January 27, 2012
SAN DIEGO, Jan 26 (Reuters) – Phil Mickelson, anunabashed fan of Torrey Pines where he has triumphed threetimes, was totally perplexed after battling to a five-over-par77 in the opening round of the Farmers Insurance Open onThursday.
In near-perfect scoring conditions on the South Coursepicturesquely laid out on bluffs above the Pacific coastline,Mickelson mixed seven bogeys with two birdies to end a gloriousday of sunshine a distant 15 strokes off the lead.
He had a golden opportunity to finish his round with twoconsecutive birdies but missed a three-foot putt at the par-five18th to match his second highest score at an event he has played23 times.
“I had some good days of practice and I was ready to play,”a dumfounded Mickelson told reporters. “I don’t know whathappened. I just wasn’t able to focus.
“Obviously, I made some bad swings just in the wrong spotsand so forth, but I felt like my game was ready heading in. Idon’t know what to say about the score because it was pathetic.”
Asked why he had difficulty in focusing, Mickelson replied:“I just didn’t put the ball where I wanted to and see itclearly. I ended up making a lot of swings where I missed theball in the wrong spot.”
Mickelson, who lives in nearby Rancho Santa Fe, had highhopes for this week, having tied for 49th at the HumanaChallenge on Sunday at La Quinta where he improved after openingwith a two-over-par 74.
“It’s a little disappointing that the first round here andthe first round last week have been so poor, because I feltreally ready and sharper than I have in a long time starting theyear,” said the four-times major champion. “So to shoot thosenumbers, I don’t get it.”
Mickelson, who this week is competing in his second PGA Tourevent of the year, faces an uphill task to make the cut but hewill at least have the easier North Course to negotiate inFriday’s second round.
“There is an opportunity tomorrow to go really low over onthe North if you play well,” the 41-year-old said. “I birdied 17today and I thought I had a birdie on 18, but I missed thatlittle one there.
“That would have gotten me to a point where I thought if Icould have shot six or seven under par on the North, I’d atleast get here for the weekend and build some momentum.”
Mickelson’s worst score at the Torrey Pines event was a 78in the third round in 1978. (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in San Diego; Editing byFrank Pingue; To query or comment on this story emailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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