Photo by NHAT V Meyer/Zumapress.com
If you read my piece yesterday I predicted a former #1 ranked golfer and multiple major winner would blow through the field and overcome a huge final round deficit to win at Pebble Beach. Right prediction; Wrong golfer. Phil Mickelson saved his best round for Sunday afternoon and shot a blistering 8-under 64 win the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Left in “Lefty’s” wake was Tiger Woods. The former world #1, 14 time major winner and the consensus greatest golfer ever had nothing for Mickelson and shot a final round 75. I should have seen this coming but I don’t think anyone saw Mickelson bringing that type of game to the course on Sunday. At 41 years old I thought Mickelson’s best golf is behind him but after this weekend I am not so sure. Here’s to hoping for some strong showings in majors from Mickelson this season.
What is left of Tiger? I think plenty as long as he can get out of his head and just play golf. From his extended practice swings and longer than usual looks at puts, Tiger is over thinking this game. For 3 days he looked like the old Tiger. He was hitting puts, booming drives and playing mistake free golf but something changes on Sunday. The old red shirt wearing Tiger that we were used to seeing on Sunday is still here but his Sunday game is not. I hope he gets it back, sooner rather than later.
Fed Ex Standings after 4 weeks
|
Rank |
Player |
Points |
Wins |
Top-10 |
|
1. |
Kyle Stanley |
846 |
1 |
2 |
|
2. |
Johnson Wagner |
797 |
1 |
3 |
|
3. |
Mark Wilson |
602 |
1 |
1 |
|
4. |
Brandt Snedeker |
597 |
1 |
2 |
|
5. |
Phil Mickelson |
562 |
1 |
1 |
Next Tournament:
Northern Trust Open
Riviera CC
Pacific Palisades, CA, USA
2011 Winner Aaron Baddeley
I was at the Pro Am all week covering the tournament for my site. Phil had a phenomenal round on Sunday, but the gallery following the Woods/Mickelson pairing barely acknowledged how well Phil was scoring. The spectators were so blinded by their own belief/desire to see Tiger win, that only when it was clear Woods couldn’t win the tournament did people start responding to Mickelson’s performance. I watched it all unfold from Wi’s group and I must say it was rather pathetic.
If you have a chance check out my article on the final round and my complete coverage from the week: http://sports-glutton.com/2012/02/13/charlie-wi-phil-mickelson-the-final-round-at-the-2012-att-pebble-beach-national-pro-am/
cheers!
Jed
From watching at home it looked like the galleries and Nantz/Faldo were thinking let’s give Tiger one more hole before we write him off. That lasted about 3/4′s of the round.
The 13th/14th holes is when the crowd slow began to change, but when Phil parred the 15th the “Horde” completely forgot about Tiger. Prime example of fair-weather fans.