Phil Mickelson Baffles the Golfing World for the Thousandth Time
by Ryan Ballengee on Jun 6, 2010 4:48 PM EDT
in Pro Golf
Email
Print
Earlier in the week at Muirfield Village, Phil Mickelson busted out driver on the 360-someodd yard par 4 14th hole. Why did he go for it, despite the perils of a small landing area and water hazard? In his own words, because he just missed a fairway and therefore had no need to preserve the perfect driving round he had going. Alright, fine. That's absolutely absurd reasoning.
But what he did today in the final round of the Memorial - in contention, no less - certifies him insane. After going for it again at 14 and making birdie, Mickelson again took driver out off the 15th tee. The par 5 is a pretty benign hole under almost any circumstance. Mickelson flails a drive way to the left. I mean, Bill Maher left. And he finds a hazard that no one should find. Scouting out his choice of where to drop, Mickelson decides against dropping right by where his ball went in the hazard. Why? I guess because that option would make him chip out for three, and then hit a lengthy fourth that should have been his second or third.
So, Mickelson drops on the other side of the hazard. At the 16th hole. And where does he drop (well, place) the ball? The cart path. And then he takes a medal wood from off of the flight deck to play up the 16th hole. The nut job then hits a beautiful approach from the grassy walkway down the 16th tee line to about twenty feet. He then proceeds to three-putt and ruin the hole (and his chances) with double bogey seven.
Take a look at how Mickelson played the hole, thanks to PGA Tour's ShotTracker.
He was so far left and all over the place that his meandering could not even be mapped in full by the site. Unbelievable.
Everything about what Mickelson did on this hole screams of a guy who is abandoning the notion of modesty in any non-major event. At this point, what does it really matter, right? Let's just cut to Pebble and see what happens. Fortunately for Lefty, all of the seaside peril that Mike Davis has made available to the players in on his right - where he rarely misses. The only place where ocean left is a big deal? Of course, the 18th (and therefore 72nd) hole.
Snakebitten. Snakebitten.
25 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I'm baffled when Phil doesn't
baffe me. He should sell baffle tickets.
Hey you guys....FAGETABOUTIT...
this is what I said on another post….THIS IS PHIL THE THRILL….love um or hate um, he is going to have your attention….this is why the average hacker loves him….this is what they do. only they can’t hit his recovery shots….Be honest, what is the first thing you ask? Absolutely, “what’s Phil doing”?….It does a body good, and ya gots ta love it…..STUB
I’m not really criticizing the guy, but this was absolutely nuts! Well deserving of its own post.
Find me! Email: ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/waggleroom, or Facebook: http://facebook.com/waggleroom.
Got that right!
Even Jack could not believe where he ended up. said he never saw anyone play from there before! Hope Lefty gets his head on right for Pebble,
But he did the smart thing. He thought out his options, evaluated the situation knowing the rules, and made the best possible call to give him a chance to make par, right?
Find me! Email: ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/waggleroom, or Facebook: http://facebook.com/waggleroom.
Good for Phil
His arrent drive was caused mostly due to over cooking it for maximum leanth in an attempt to make eagle as he was in the hunt, His thinrd shot after the penalty was not that bad off of a cart path, Mission accomplished. His fourth to the green was within 20 ft for a par putt to make 5. Sadly he three putted. Not a bad finish at t-4th for the week with his B- game and a moral victory over Tiger who finished t-19th this week. Phil again crawled up a few more points within taking over as the worlds #1 player. Looking forward to the US OPEN.
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
If Phil gets the #1 spot playing like this – it will be a real shame. I’m not going to hold my breath on Tiger playing this poorly for a whole lot longer. He’s going to figure things out, and T4 finishes, no matter how spectacular a shot he can make from a cartpath, aren’t going to get him up there. Tiger got to the top by winning and winning often – not just finishing a few spots ahead of whoever was #1 at the time.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
so soon we forget
Phil did win The Masters, right?
The what ? (lol)
one win – 12 starts, 1 missed cut, 1 second, 4 top 10’s.
I know it’s not usually cricket to compare stats, but if Phil is supposed to take over the #1 spot, I’d like to see him get a little closer to the kind of performance we’ve seen from guys who ran Tiger down in the past. Duval had 4 consecutive wins and then a major. Vijay won 10 times.
A normal year for Woods has 4-7 wins and a boatload of top 5’s. He wins at a 25-33% clip. You don’t see letdowns in concentration, or hear people say that he’s using this or that tournament as a warm-up for the next major, so he didn’t care if he won that week or not.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
See, that's why I only submit offbeat comments.
Should i submit my “serious stuff,” Court would disprove it all in one swell swoop and I’d have to mutter to myself, “Ya know, he’s right.”
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but a ton of knowledge is totally annoying. (J/K)
Court makes great blog even better.
That was then Court
It’s the ole “what have you done lately” scenario. And yes, Let us not all forget, PHIL DID WIN THE “MASTERS” How many tournaments that phil and tiger were participatiing in since august of last year has he beat tiger in ? I think its around 90% and that has added to his total points to #1 as well. Besides that the Amy and Mom pressure. Yeah I’d say Phil has done well for himself. The tiger fans are going to argue the other way and I understand that part and thats their business. But all of tigers issues have been brought on by his own lack of self control and management OFF of the course, thus causing his game ON the course to take a tail spin. This year Phil holds all the cards based on performance. One win MAJOR, 4 top tens, and one second in 12 starts. I’m sure tiger would take it and I’m sure if it WAS tiger with those stats to start the year , you would be throwing them at us in your favor court LOL peace
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
Are you really willing to write Tiger’s career as over at age 34 just because of this mess that has kept him off the course and out of competition for the better part of 7 months ?
If you’re going to count the way you’re counting – where majors count that much more – guys like Stewart Cink, Angel Cabrera, and Padraig Harrington should be ranked ahead of Mickelson.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Did I say that court ?
“Nope” I was simply commenting on your comment saying “If Phil gets the #1 spot playing like this – it will be a real shame.” Is all. Like I said if the roles were reversed, and tiger had that same record to date the media and TW fans would be reporting on how great Tiger was doing but because it’s Phil, suddely it’s no big deal, and he doesn’t deserve the #1 spot, Paleeeeeeeeease All of tigers issues are self inflicted and are the cause of his poor play. Phil has done quite well considering his issues on the home front, none of which are self inflicted.
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
It was just a question. That’s what it sounded like to me. Just wanted to be sure.
And if Tiger had not had all that mess from last Fall into this year on his head, and he had Phil’s start to this season, the media would be asking “what’s wrong with Tiger” non-stop by now.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
I've always been a bit cynical about Phil (the man)
but I was greatly entertained /amazed at his play on Sunday. If it had been matchplay (Cink & Kuchar hit more fairways/greens in regulation) this man just came along & robbed them on every hole. It was ……..my first time ever using this word ……. awesome. I think Phil wants to be and play like Phil – not TW.
That’s one of the wildest shots I have ever seen…absolutely loved listening to the guys talking about what he was looking at….and then Nantz says “let’s make a memory.”
YOU’RE FIRED !!!!!!!!!!!! If this guy doesn’t go ahead and finish the sex change soon so he can alternate with Kelly Tilghman, I’ll be shocked.
That’s one of the most sickening lines I have ever heard.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
I have absolutely no idea
what Nantz meant by that., but neither do I understand what so sickens you about it?
We prefer to keep you in the dark, Wendy,
and it has nothing to do with your skin condition.
(I don’t need to say J/K, do I?)
by TXQ on Jun 9, 2010 2:57 PM EDT up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Have a golf story tip? Contact editor Charles Boyer and he will follow the story! Thanks!
Related FanPosts on Waggle Room
Related FanShots on Waggle Room
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
