Phil Mickelson: Assessing Lefty's Chances at PGA After Terrible British Open

Well, that didn't go terribly well for Phil Mickelson. The 2012 British Open chewed him up and spit him out.

He missed the cut for the first time in a major since 2007. By the end of his second round, he was a frustrated shell of the golfer we've grown accustomed to seeing.

This is terrible news for his chances at this year's PGA Championship due to a couple of huge, glaring reasons. 

The first is that the next major, and final of the year, is right around the corner as it is scheduled to begin on Thursday, August 9th. 

Lefty has been struggling as of late. In three of his last five tournaments—which takes us back to the U.S. Open—he has missed the cut. He made the cut at America's Open, but he finished tied for 65th. 

Clearly, he is not comfortable with his game. Turning that around in less than three weeks is a tall order, and one that would be foolish to expect. 

The other big factor pointing toward Lefty's demise at the PGA is the course it is on: the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island in South Carolina.

This is a par-72 links-style course. In fact, given its close proximity to the ocean and susceptibility to high winds, this course could look more like the British Open than the British Open did. 

Now, after hitting seemingly every bunker on the course in his final round at the British, I have to believe that the last thing Mickelson wants to see is another links golf course. 

These two things roll into a giant case against Lefty's chances at the PGA. However—and there is always a however with Phil—it is not out of the question that he could make a run at this major. 

The only decent tournament he has played in recent memory came the week before the British, the Scottish Open, which was also on a course resembling what these guys will face at the PGA.

He finished five shots off the lead after struggling in the final round of the Scottish Open, but in Rounds 2 and 3, he was the best player on the links. 

Phil may be struggling, but he is not so lost that he can't lap the field if he gets on a hot streak. This is a golfer that often manages to play his best when expectations are low. 

Prediction

Phil is going to acquit himself much better at the next major than he did at the last one. The fairways are not as narrow at the Ocean Course as they were at Royal Lytham. This will ease the pressure off his erratic driver and help him build some momentum. 

That said, I do not have confidence that he can put it together for four consecutive rounds. He will have too many setbacks to win this tourney, but not enough to keep him out of the top 10.