2009 Will Be a Deciding Year in Phil Mickelson's Career

Scott Herbet, Eric Axely, and Dean Vomacka were amongst only six players in a field of 132 at the FBR Open that carded a worse 36-hole score than Phil Mickelson.

After his abysmal 76 on Thursday, Mickelson felt that his game was not in as bad a state as his score suggested.

“It doesn't feel as far off as the score indicates. I mean, I know the score is ridiculous, but it doesn't feel bad. I feel like I can come back out tomorrow and shoot a good round and play the weekend. I probably have to shoot about five-under, but that doesn't feel out of the question, even though the scores first round might look disgusting. But it doesn't feel far off.” Mickelson said after his first round on Thursday.

Shooting a five-under par 66 on Friday was absolutely not out of the question for Mickelson.  He carded a 60 on the same course back in 2005.

However, a 66 was just not to be for Mickelson on Friday.

He fired a 73, played only slightly better than he had on Thursday and missed the cut.

Through 36 holes, Mickelson hit just eight out of 28 fairways. 

Mickelson is typically erratic off the tee but makes up for it with a magical short game.

However, hitting just 29% of fairways over 36-holes creates an obstacle that not even the best short games on the planet can overcome.

As Michelson heads back to San Diego to watch the Super Bowl from the comfort of his home and prepare for the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines next week, it is unlikely that he will rest easy.

All players have a bad week here and there.  However, what has to be very concerning to Mickelson right now is the way he struggled with virtually every single aspect of his game over 36 holes.

Mickelson averaged 30 putts per round which ranked 95th for the tournament.

For a player who is accustomed to his wedge shots tracking pins like a heat seeking missals, it was jaw dropping how Mickelson sent several approach shots clear over the green as if either he or his caddie, Jim "Bones" McKay had simply misjudged the yardage or over-clubbed.

For the first time in a very long time, Mickelson finds himself entering a season in the shadow of players other than Tiger Woods.

Young guns Sergio Garcia, Anthony Kim, and Camilo Villegas have all entered the 2009 season with the golf world on the edge of their seats waiting to see whether or not any of these highly talented young players can step up and challenge Tiger Woods.

Although Mickelson has been put on the media’s back-burner lately, the 2009 season is without question going to be a crucial year in Mickelson’s career.

Approaching 39 years of age, old man time will begin showing his hand to Phil in the coming three to five years. 

As much as Phil and many others may try to deny it, he has simply not been the same player since his improbable meltdown at Winged Foot back in 2006.

Between 2004 and the 2006 US Open, Michelson finished in the top-10 in seven out of nine majors, which included two wins at Augusta and a win at the 2005 PGA Championship.

Following his gut wrenching meltdown at Winged Foot in June of 2006, Michelson has not contended at a major and has just two top-ten finishes in his past ten major championship appearances. 

It could be a cold stretch that just about every professional golfer goes through at one time or another or it could be the beginning of his ultimate decline, which is what makes the 2009 season such an utterly important year for Michelson.

After two slow seasons and a drop of three spots in the world golf rankings , 2009 offers Michelson the opportunity to either redeem himself and once again contend and possibly even win another major, or he could continue to head down that other side of the mountain.

Michelson is clearly aware that he is on the clock and that time is beginning to run out on the number of opportunities he might have to tack on another couple of majors which would in all likelihood cement his place as one of the top-20 golfers of all time.

Michelson shows up to the host courses weeks before major championships and literally examines every inch of the course with his coaches Butch Harmon and Dave Pelz, a strategy that has so far proven to be unsuccessful.

Everyone is aware that Tiger Woods will be returning to the PGA Tour in the coming months.

However, Woods will more than likely still require some time before getting back to his top form which could take as long as a year upon returning.

As we have all seen with our own eyes at Torrey Pines last year, even an injured Tiger Woods is still able to find a way to win a major. 

But the fact that Woods might be even slightly less dominant upon his return will offer Michelson another opportunity that he might not see again during the rest of his career.

In the immediate future though, the biggest question surrounding Phil Mickelson will be whether or not he will decide to play the 7,600 yard Torrey Pines with a driver in his bag this time.