Mickelson needs better short game to win PGA Championship
When you think of Phil Mickelson, you think of arguably the best short game on the PGA Tour. Not just best among current players, but one of the best in history.
Yet it was Lefty’s short game that was a struggle during last week’s WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Ohio. In fairness, Mickelson was a bit rusty after having not played since the U.S. Open after taking time off to be with his wife, Amy, who was undergoing treatment for breast cancer.
Mickelson was no factor at all in Akron, shooting a 7-over total of 287. He hit only three of 14 fairways on Sunday as he went 75-73 over the weekend.
“I’m encouraged that I was able to get out and play and the biggest thing for me this week was identifying where I was weak,” Mickelson told reporters after tying for 58th. “But it became pretty obvious that when I get on green speeds like this and when I get in rough just a little bit thicker, my short game wasn’t where it needs to be.”
Thus Mickelson has been working extensively on his chipping and putting so far this week at Hazeltine, site of the PGA Championship. He is the third-favorite this week at +2200 on WagerWeb.com.
Mickelson has played in two tournaments previously at Hazeltine: The 1991 U.S. Open, where he missed the cut, and 2002 PGA Championship, where he finished 34th. The course is 400 yards longer than it was in 2002 and is now the longest course in major championship history.
Lefty had played in a tour-most 61 consecutive major championships before skipping the British Open to be with his wife. Look for Mickelson to be the fan favorite this week. He has one PGA Championship victory in his career, that coming in 2005. He tied for seventh last year.
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