Mickelson leads surprising list of big
names who miss Torrey Pines cut
Phil Mickelson came undone Friday with a series of late bogeys at Torrey Pines' North Course.
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Getty Images
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FROM GOLFWEEK.COM
SAN DIEGO — There are those times when it’s more interesting to see who’s leaving than to focus on who is staying.
Of course, that sentiment will likely change come the weekend of the Farmers Insurance Open, given that hard-hitting Gary Woodland has a share of the 36-hole lead and world-class talent Dustin Johnson is lurking just one back, but in all due respect to those who played splendid golf in Friday’s second-round action at Torrey Pines, the exits were the story.
Perhaps it wasn’t a shock that No. 2 Jason Day (74 on the South Course) wasn’t recovered enough from flu-like symptoms to make the cut, but certainly it was a surprise that No. 4 Rickie Fowler (71 on the South) missed weekend play just one week after winning over Rory McIlroy and others in Abu Dhabi.
The highest-ranked players in the field at the Farmers, Day and Fowler were star attractions at a place they love.
Day came in as the defending champ, Fowler arrived for what passes as his home-town event riding massive momentum.
Yet they both left early — Fowler at even par, missing by one, Day at 2 over — which, when added to No. 7 Justin Rose’s departure alongwith fellow Englishman Paul Casey, presented some layers of surprise. Then again, everything after the exit by Phil Mickelson seemed tame, didn’t it?
Huh? Mickelson missed the cut?
You’re thinking, “but he opened with a 3-under 69 on the more difficult South Course Thursday and was as red as 4 under in Round 2 on the easier North Course,” aren’t you?
You’re thinking correctly, which is why the question is: How did Mickelson finish bogey, bogey, bogey to miss the cut by two?
“I don’t have a good explanation,” said the world's No 1 left-hander.
OK, but at least a mediocre reason, then.
“I don’t know. It just kind of slipped. I wasn’t really mentally as sharp as I need to be,” Mickelson said.
He was 1 under on his round, 4 under for the tournament when he bogeyed the par-3 17th, his eighth hole, and hit his approach wide left and under a fence at the par-5 18th. Lefty double bogeyed that hole, then bounced back with birdies at the first and second to get to 3 under for the tournament.
Big sigh of relief for all those wearing “Team Phil” shirts — at least until he bogeyed the fourth, then Nos. 7, 8 and 9. For the day, he made two birdies, one bogey, and one double on the soft par 5s at the North Course.
Shocking stuff, but his cup remains more than half full.
“I’m looking forward to playing Phoenix and getting back in the swing of it because I just feel like it’s starting to come together,” Mickelson said.
As for Day and Fowler, their departures were more surprising than Mickelson’s, though they didn’t come with as dramatic a collapse.
“It’s just one week. You can’t live and die by one week,” Day said after he didn’t make a birdie until the par-5 18th, by which time he was 3 over and out of weekend play.
“It’s not going to be the last cut I’m going to miss; hopefully it is the last cut I’m going to miss this year.”
Fowler had things stacked against him, having opened with a 73 Thursday on the North Course. But for much of Friday on the South Course, he showed some life, and when he birdied the par-4 13th and par-3 16th, Fowler was 2 under for his round, 1 under overall and inside the cut.
Then he flared his drive right at 17, had to lay up and then failed to get it up-and-down from from 35 yards.
Like Mickelson, Fowler shrugged off the early exit and pointed himself to next week’s Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Day, meanwhile, looked at the silver lining after not practising at all, because of his health.
“I’m not trying to make excuses. I’m just looking forward to trying to get over this virus,” he said.
Martin Laird is tied fourth at seven under par 137 after rounds of 69 and 68.
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Of course, that sentiment will likely change come the weekend of the Farmers Insurance Open, given that hard-hitting Gary Woodland has a share of the 36-hole lead and world-class talent Dustin Johnson is lurking just one back, but in all due respect to those who played splendid golf in Friday’s second-round action at Torrey Pines, the exits were the story.
Perhaps it wasn’t a shock that No. 2 Jason Day (74 on the South Course) wasn’t recovered enough from flu-like symptoms to make the cut, but certainly it was a surprise that No. 4 Rickie Fowler (71 on the South) missed weekend play just one week after winning over Rory McIlroy and others in Abu Dhabi.
The highest-ranked players in the field at the Farmers, Day and Fowler were star attractions at a place they love.
Day came in as the defending champ, Fowler arrived for what passes as his home-town event riding massive momentum.
Yet they both left early — Fowler at even par, missing by one, Day at 2 over — which, when added to No. 7 Justin Rose’s departure alongwith fellow Englishman Paul Casey, presented some layers of surprise. Then again, everything after the exit by Phil Mickelson seemed tame, didn’t it?
Huh? Mickelson missed the cut?
You’re thinking, “but he opened with a 3-under 69 on the more difficult South Course Thursday and was as red as 4 under in Round 2 on the easier North Course,” aren’t you?
You’re thinking correctly, which is why the question is: How did Mickelson finish bogey, bogey, bogey to miss the cut by two?
“I don’t have a good explanation,” said the world's No 1 left-hander.
OK, but at least a mediocre reason, then.
“I don’t know. It just kind of slipped. I wasn’t really mentally as sharp as I need to be,” Mickelson said.
He was 1 under on his round, 4 under for the tournament when he bogeyed the par-3 17th, his eighth hole, and hit his approach wide left and under a fence at the par-5 18th. Lefty double bogeyed that hole, then bounced back with birdies at the first and second to get to 3 under for the tournament.
Big sigh of relief for all those wearing “Team Phil” shirts — at least until he bogeyed the fourth, then Nos. 7, 8 and 9. For the day, he made two birdies, one bogey, and one double on the soft par 5s at the North Course.
Shocking stuff, but his cup remains more than half full.
“I’m looking forward to playing Phoenix and getting back in the swing of it because I just feel like it’s starting to come together,” Mickelson said.
As for Day and Fowler, their departures were more surprising than Mickelson’s, though they didn’t come with as dramatic a collapse.
“It’s just one week. You can’t live and die by one week,” Day said after he didn’t make a birdie until the par-5 18th, by which time he was 3 over and out of weekend play.
“It’s not going to be the last cut I’m going to miss; hopefully it is the last cut I’m going to miss this year.”
Fowler had things stacked against him, having opened with a 73 Thursday on the North Course. But for much of Friday on the South Course, he showed some life, and when he birdied the par-4 13th and par-3 16th, Fowler was 2 under for his round, 1 under overall and inside the cut.
Then he flared his drive right at 17, had to lay up and then failed to get it up-and-down from from 35 yards.
Like Mickelson, Fowler shrugged off the early exit and pointed himself to next week’s Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Day, meanwhile, looked at the silver lining after not practising at all, because of his health.
“I’m not trying to make excuses. I’m just looking forward to trying to get over this virus,” he said.
Martin Laird is tied fourth at seven under par 137 after rounds of 69 and 68.
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
CLICK HERE
Labels: US PGA TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Saturday, January 30, 2016
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