Round 2: Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial
May 28 2010
3:05 pm
Mickelson will wear pink in San Diego
Phil Mickelson will be wearing pink on Saturday. He just will be doing it at home in San Diego rather than at Colonial Country Club during the second annual “Pink Out” festivities to raise awareness for breast cancer.
Mickelson battled on Friday but he didn’t play well enough to make the cut at Colonial, where he is a two-time champion. Three consecutive birdies that began at the third hole, his 12th of the day, sealed Mickelson’s fate as he shot 74 and finished 36 holes at 4 over.
“I played terrible,” Mickelson said. “I don’t know what to say. I thought the golf course was in great shape. It just played beautifully. … “There was no wind. There was a ton of birdies out there. I just didn’t make very many of them.
“I just played terrible. There’s no other way to say it.”
The first “Pink Out” was hastily organized last year after Mickelson announced that his wife Amy had been diagnosed with breast cancer the week prior to the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. The defending champion understandably did not play in the tournament and watched the event unfold at home on TV.
“Last year it came at just the perfect time,” Mickelson said. “It was a real low point for us. To have that type of support really means a lot and I hope that many of the hundreds of thousands of women that get diagnosed each year can feel that support that a lot of people are behind them.”
While the treatment has sapped her strength, Amy’s long-term prognosis is good, as is the case for Mickelson’s mother, Mary, who was diagnosed with the same disease about a month later. She was able to attend the Masters — their first tournament together as a family in nearly a year — and there were few dry eyes at the 18th hole when Mickelson ended up winning for the third time.
“The Pink Out is something that’s pretty cool,” Mickelson said. “I’m so flattered. I wish I was (going to be) there to partake in that. I’ll be wearing pink tomorrow but in San Diego. Monday is Amy’s birthday so it will give me the weekend to spend with her.
“I want to thank the membership here at Colonial, the TOUR Wives, the tournament director and everybody here at Colonial for doing that for my family — but also for all women who fight breast cancer. It’s emotional support that means a lot.”
As far as golf is concerned, Mickelson couldn’t pinpoint one particular part of his game that let him down at Colonial this week. Instead, he said, “It was a little bit in each area,” and the stats bore him out.
Mickelson, who acknowledged his game was “rustier than I thought,” only hit 12 of 28 fairways and 24 of 36 greens. He used 33 putts on Friday and a total of 63 for the first two rounds.
“I thought my game was sharper,” Mickelson said. “This is a good barometer, though, becuase this starts my run into the U.S. Open and it tells me I’ve got a lot of work to do.
“It was a little bit in each area. I didn’t quite drive it very well. I didn’t hit very many good iron shots. I struggled a little bit with the short game. The putter wasn’t great and it led to some high numbers.”
Mickelson could have unseated Tiger Woods as the No. 1 player in the world with a victory at Colonial this week. He admitted that would have been “cool” but quickly added that his eyes are on a different prize.
“I don’t want to discount that but my thought process is getting ready for the U.S. Open and getting my game sharp for that, hitting the type of shots that I need to (hit) there,” Mickelson said. “I thought I was closer and obviously I’m not. I’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Mickelson will go head to head with Woods two of the next three weeks. Both are playing in the Memorial Tournament next week and the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach two weeks later.
To replay Phil Mickelson’s round on Shot Tracker, click here.
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Man every Tiger hater our there that is riding Mickelsons jock cuz hes number 2 should take this as a reminder as to why he will never be number 1 and if so not for very long at all as long as Tiger is around. He is WAY to inconsistent. I mean is this even the same person that we saw win a couple weeks ago? Tiger makes a big enough impact when hes around that he can leave room for error or for injury layoffs or personal like his recently. Phil could never do that. Dude is a great player dont get me wrong. But im speaking purely to all you Tiger haters out there on the Mickelson bandwagon, epic fail.
Phil had 3 bogeys in a row starting at hole 3, not 3 birdies.
Aaron, could it be that you actually trigger the Tiger hate by comments such as this. TIger did not play. Lets talk about Phil but not always in comparison to Tiger. They are both very different players with one thing in common: they have a fiery zeal to win (sometimes). They have mutual respect also. I think the real thing that will take the wind out of the sail of Tiger haters is not Phil because if he does not perform as thay expect they will dump him for Lee Westwood or someone else. If Elin forgives her husband and they both start to mend their relationship then these haters will have no excuse to hate Tiger openly then they will go underground but stop they will never. Keep that in mind. The hate was there before the bad judgements. if the haters are honest they will confirm this. In the mean time lets talk about Phil.
Well, I have been saying all along that Phil is not that calibar player who should be #1. Cut missed is not his first time though. On the other side, Tiger is best player in the history of golf. On the flip side, I never care what his personal life is and I’ll never care about it. The only care I’m taking into account is his out-standing game. My son, 13 years old love to watch golf with me when Tiger is around. I’m really excited to see him next week. Go Tiger go! Have a good weekend.
Tiger is a raving lunatic. Phil is a decent guy. That’s my comparison. Phil will be ready for the US Open.
Why does every article have to have Tiger in it?I was just reading this article on Phil and his family thinking I was gonna get all the way through it without a Tiger stat or schedule awareness, Phil is great for the game too. Just my thoughts.
Bill3383 don’t blame people for talking about Tiger when all week long the media has been talking about Phil replacing him as the world number 1. Phil laid an egg this week. No matter how you cut it even if Phil somehow reach the number 1 ranking he is still only the second best golfer on the tour
Let’s really talk about more golfers than Phil or Tiger!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s one thing to miss the cut but it’s something entirely different to miss the cut by six shots and only beat one player in the field that didn’t withdraw by 1 shot. Also, the World Rankings are just a bunch of convoluted numbers. Of course PHIL and others are going to move up in the rankings because of the number of events Tiger has missed in the last 2 years due to his 2008 injury and his 2009-2010 indiscretions.
We can all go back and forth about Phil and Tiger, but facts are facts. Phil is a flare-kinda-player, not exactly the qualities that make for a #1 player. Tiger has bad rounds like anyone else, but his consistency as a player makes him what he is – the #1 golfer. Case in point – count the number of events each has missed the cut since turning pro. And as long as Tiger is teeing it up about as many times as Phil, #2 is the best Phil will ever be.
Well i believe that phil didn’t want to win this week, as crazy as that may sound.He dont want to become the world’s #1 player while Tiger’s not around! It seems to me like phil is not motivated to win when tiger is not playing.Lets look at the last few times they played together, starting with the 2009 Tour Championship where Phil won by 3 over TW. Next the HSBC Champions in China,early Nov 09,where Mickelson shot 4 rounds in the 60′s to win, and woods finished T6. And then of course a few weeks later is when tiger’s world Crashed!,if you will,no pun intended lol. So Tiger laid low and did his treatment thing,announcing his indefinate leave from professional golf.As the 2010 season began,where was Phil? Nowhere to be found,and he was even overtaken for # 2 by Stricker.I think subconsiously Phil knew he would overtake Tiger for the top spot,if he played well,but he didn’t want to do that,he wants to beat Woods when there playing together.So when Tiger returns to golf at the masters,Phil is motivated to play well and beat Tiger,and what does he do? He goes out there and wins his third green jacket! while Tiger finishes T4.Then it’s the Quail Hollow Championship,where TW missed the cut,where Phil could have won,but finshed T2 to a red hot Mcllroy on sunday with Woods not around. And finally the last time they played together The Players,where they were tied after shooting 70,71 the first two days,and phil goes out to shoot 66 in the third round where as Tiger shot 71 again.Then of course Tiger withdraws after 7 holes on sunday having no chance,and Phil goes on to shoot 74 to finish T17. So it’s not suprising to me that Phil missed the cut this week with tiger not around, and it is my prediction that Phil will beat Tiger at the Memorial next week, and he will win the U.S. Open,with Tiger in the feild, and become the #1 ranked player.
Who among you does everything perfect or excellent every time? The same person does not win every week. Every one has their favorite player. I am always cheering for Phil and Steve Stricker. When they aren’t playing I am cheering for the underdog – the one that has never won. What makes following golf fun is that someone excels in every round….there are good shots, awesome and amazing shots, and poor shots. My son is a golfer and watching him play in tournaments growing up was sometimes painful and sometimes wonderful. That’s life. So let’s stop comparing golfers and cheer them on for their highs and their lows. As for me – today I will wear pink every where I go in honor of breast cancer. I won’t be at the tournament – not close enough – but will watch and although Phil did not make the cut – he will be all over the hearts of everyone wearing pink today. My thoughts and prayers continue to go up for Phil, Amy, his mom and their families that live with the word cancer daily. As a 6 year cancer survivor…let’s remember what really matters – it’s not who wins the game….it’s how it was played. I’m not talking about golf here people – I’m talking about LIFE!!!
Here is my problem with Phil;if you say that what the PGA Tour Wives and the PGA Tour did for you and your family with the Pink Out was so important and was sparked by this tournament last year at a critical time in your wife’s diagnosis then I believe even if you miss the cut you need to be there showing them that it did mean something to you. To pack your bags and leave saying you will be wearing pink in San Diego is a cop out. I know that your family is important and he is going through a lot but he packed for 4 days and at the bare minimum he should be there to show his support during the 3rd day in all pink.
Let’s face-it Phil has always CHOKED AT THE BIG MOMENTS! And things will never change. So Phil should be proud of his Golf Game and just be Phil.
Bottom line is Phil is a great golfer and ambassador for the game. The way he plays, the way he greets the fans and maintains his composure even when he is not playing well set him apart from not all but many other golfer on tour. I personally am proud of him for going home to spend time with Amy and the family, that shows where his priorities are and that speaks multitudes of his character. And lets all remember that golf is a game of integrity, honor and then talent, that is what sets golf apart from any other sport.
@Wes Hogdon: there was a guy with lots of integrity and honor but he had lousy talent so you never heard of him. I just spoke to him this morning and his integrity is still intact but his golfingh sucks so I gave an excuse for not going golfing with him at the weekend. Besides, I wanna watch Tiger!