Phil Mickelson stood behind his 10-foot putt. He had already taken six strokes on the 182-yard, par-3 9th hole at Memorial Park Golf Course.
Phil Mickelson? Six strokes? On a par-3?!?
“And this is for – seven?” the announcer on the PGA Tour Live broadcast said.
Seven.
Which he missed.
He made an eight, his worst score on a par-3 in his 28 years on the PGA Tour. One week before the Masters, Mickelson was not masterful during Friday’s second round of the Houston Open.
Stroke one. Mickelson hit his tee shot into the water that winds in front of the green. A few seconds after contact, Mickelson walked to the left, looked in that direction, then gave a casual glance back toward his shot.
Stroke two. Penalty.
Stroke three. Mickelson took his drop. Then dropped another shot into the water. From 44 yards away, he hit a high pitch short, and it went back into the penalty area.
Stroke four. Penalty.
Stroke five. Nearly the same as his previous swing. Mickelson took another drop. Then dropped his shot just short of the water. From 42 yards away, he hit a high pitch shot, and it ended up in the rough.
Stroke six. Mickelson pitched on. Stroke seven. He missed the 10-footer. Stroke eight. He made the 7-incher for the quintuple bogey. In one hole, Mickelson went from even-par for his round, and 6-over for the tournament, to 5-over and 11-over.
Which he lowered to 3 and 9 on his last swing before Augusta.
On the 479-yard, par-4 18th, Mickelson holed out from 193 yards.
As he walked to the green, Mickelson shrugged his shoulders.
