Phil Mickelson Shoots 31 on Back, 40 on Front Nine at The Players Championship

Special from The Players Championship – Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

Phil Mickelson had another day of up-and-down golf on the penalizing TPC Sawgrass during The Players. However, he is not out of it for the weekend because big scoring swings, like the ones he had today, are possible for anyone to experience on the remarkable Pete Dye golf course. He is now nine shots back of leader David Toms, who is at 10-under.

"I had a really good front nine there to shoot 31 and just let it go," he said after finishing. "I don't really know what to say. I stopped hitting fairways and really just kind of lost the momentum."

It was like two different golfers played his round. On the back nine, which he played first, Mickelson birdied the 12th and 13th, and finished the nine eagle-par-birdie on the 16th, 17th and 18th.

"I thought I could go shoot a few under on the front and really have a good day," he added about the round. "It's disappointing."

On the front nine, which was his second nine of the day, he bogeyed the par-three third, the par-four sixth, the par-four seventh and the par-five ninth.

"I hit a lot of fairways on the front nine and was able to make birdies, and then on the back I'm having trouble just hitting the green," he explained. "If I miss a green out of the rough, it's very challenging. When you hit fairways and you hit greens, you can score low here. And the front nine I did that, and when you start missing it, you get penalized."

Despite his uneven day, Mickelson said it was a "fair test based on risk/reward. If you play well, you score well, and if you don't, you don't."

He said now, because he did not take advantage of the 31 on the first nine, he will have to shoot in the low 60s on Saturday to get into contention again.

Mickelson left the course indicating that he wouldn't practice this afternoon due to the heat.

"It's warm out here, so I'll probably rest up and maybe come out tomorrow and practice," he said.