Phil Mickelson Needs Another Low Round

By his own admission, Phil Mickelson needs another low round on Sunday to win The Players—and oh, by the way, overtake Tiger Woods' No. 1 spot in the World Rankings.

Standing in his way are a gaggle of excellent golfers, including Lee Westwood who finished second at The Masters, won the Race to Dubai in 2009, and won the Order of Merit a decade ago in 2000. Westwood is on a comeback of sorts, although he already has 20 European Tour victories.

Westwood leads a group that includes Italy’s Francesco Molinari, playing in his first Players, and Lucas Glover, defending US Open champ. Other than Glover, none of the others have major championships. They are Robert Allenby, Ben Crane, Tim Clark, Charley Hoffman, Heath Slocum, and Bo Van Pelt.

Mickelson is also tied with three others at minus-nine including former Masters champ Zach Johnson, Bill Haas, and John Rollins.

Most believe that Mickelson, Westwood, or Glover will be holding the trophy by the end of Sunday’s round, but which one may come down to the difference in each player’s strengths.

Mickelson is a short game genius, and that is Westwood’s least accomplished area. However, Westwood drives in the fairway much of the time, which can be tough for Mickelson. Glover has given up hitting his driver on most of the holes at TPC Sawgrass because he finally convinced himself he had to.

“I haven't had much success here, and I knew it going in, and just changed the game plan a little bit and decided to have a little fun with it, see what happens,” Glover said earlier in the week. “I've played this course overly aggressive, I think, hitting a lot of drivers and getting in some bad spots, and you can't do that here. You've got to put the ball in the fairway.”

Whoever comes to the first tee with a command of his driver and has the short game—or doesn’t need to rely on the short game—on Sunday will likely emerge victorious.

In Mickelson’s favor is his proven ability to close in the biggest events and the fact that a front with the potential for a light rain was headed toward the Ponte Vedra Beach area overnight. Mickelson will tee off a few groups in front of the rest, and even an hour may make a difference on the crusty, baked out greens. He has the most ground to make up.

A past Players champion, Mickelson also has the biggest carrot in front of him with the No. 1 ranking at stake, although he does not discuss it, and he asked reporters not to bring it up.

“I don't know why you keep asking about that,” Mickelson said. “I mean, we're right in the middle of a tournament here. That's the last thing on my mind right now. I'm trying to get ready for tomorrow's round and again, get in striking distance, and you keep changing the subject.”

Whether it is a goal or not, Mickelson won’t reveal, but he did say that each New Year’s Eve he and friends put what they want to accomplish into jars and seal them. Then, the next New Year’s Eve, they open the jars.

Those in motivational psychology would say it’s a good way to get your brain and subconscious working on the goals you want to achieve. We just don’t know if it’s what he wants.