Phil makes cut despite puttering around greens
It has been an odd U.S. Open thus far for Phil Mickelson, who has driven exceptionally well and putted poorly.
But the man who only needs a U.S. Open victory to complete the career grand slam — and the man who surely will be serenaded by the New York crowd for his 48th birthday Saturday — ground out a good enough second round Friday to make the cut, shooting a 1under 69 to finish his two days at 6-over, 10 shots behind leader Dustin Johnson.
“I played a lot better,” Mickelson said. “We got lucky with the conditions getting much easier. Our wave of tee times was significantly easier, and it shows how impressive Dustin Johnson is playing because he played in much more difficult conditions and he’s beating everybody by a lot.”
For the second straight day, Mickelson hit 13-of-14 fairways, a rarity for the often-erratic lefty. He also has yet to make a double-bogey. But he now has 65 putts in two rounds, good for 110th in the field.
“I wasn’t disappointed with how I played,” he said. “I drove it great. I didn’t putt well, didn’t chip well. I’m having trouble getting the ball close around the greens. I’m having trouble getting the ball to the hole is what I’m having trouble doing. I can’t get it to release up the hill.
“And then once it gets to the pin, it goes away, so I don’t want to go past, and I’m just leaving everything short. Same thing putting. So I’m going to have to be a little more aggressive around the greens, trying to get the ball to the hole.”
Mickelson went back to the 1995 Open, also at Shinnecock Hills, to draw confidence, remembering Neil Lancaster went out in benign early morning condi- tions and shot an opening nine-hole score of 29 to get himself back in contention. With Mickelson’s early teetime for Saturday, he wants to channel that history.
“If I can shoot that or anybody who just made the cut, I think there’s potential,” he said. “You just never know in this tournament. If the wind picks up, it could move them into contention for Sunday.”
Mickelson also wanted to clarify that he didn’t think he blew off the media after his opening-round 77, saying: “I didn’t stiff anybody yesterday. Nobody asked me to come here. I would have been happy to come.”
Unquestionably, if Mickelson can get the putter going, he is going to be talking more over the weekend.