For the second year in a row, Phil Mickelson will make an early exit from the Greenbrier Classic.
Mickelson shot a one-over par 71 in Friday’s second round, leaving him at two-over par for the tournament. The projected cut line after today’s round is -1.
Mickelson’s trouble started right away Friday. Starting on the par-four 10th hole, he made a bogey five, rebounded with a birdie at the par-five number 12. At the par-three 15th hole, he ran into trouble again.
He missed the green left, leaving himself with a difficult pitch shot over a bunker. He left his next shot short in the rough, chipped onto the green and two-putted for double-bogey five.
((Below is Phil Mickelson’s Press Conference))
"I don’t get it," Mickelson said of missing the cut twice now at the Greenbrier. "I certainly struggled a little on the greens both years, but nothing that should have led to these scores.
It seemed nothing went right for Mickelson. On 11, he dropped his coin while marking his ball, the coin hit the ball and moved it, causing a one-shot penalty.
This is the second straight disappointing outing for Mickelson, the winner of four major championships and 40 PGA Tour events. At the U.S Open last month, Mickelson shot a 78 on Sunday to finish at +16 and tied for 65th.
Last year, Mickelson brought his family to the Greenbrier, took part in a number of the amenities, and then shot 70 and 73, missing the cut. This year, Mickelson said he was going to skip the pleasure and concentrate on golf.
But his game on Old White TPC was no better this year. Still Mickelson plans on returning.
"This is certainly a fun place and a place that we’ll enjoy," Mickelson said. "Unfortunately, I haven’t figured out the golf course yet, but I’m going to keep working on it."
Mickelson plans to leave soon for England and get his game prepared for the British Open in two weeks.
"I’ll spend some time on my short game there," Mickelson said. "I’ll just get in a much better frame of mind where I’m not letting so many shots slip away throughout the round."
((Video of Mickelson and his partners Scott Stallings and Stuart Appleby))