Mickelson Seeks Major Turnabout

It was warm enough Monday at Royal St. George’s to send fans into the shade of the merchandise tent and, if there weren’t enough reasons already, thin out the line for the pickled eel for sale at the open-air concession stands.

His face flushed from the 80-degree heat, Phil Mickelson played his first practice round in preparation for the third major of the year, the British Open. Again, he has arrived empty-handed.

It’s becoming something of a tired exercise, keeping track of Mickelson’s winless streak in majors, but the number is now 40 in a row, 44 if you count his attempts as an amateur.

Maybe it will be different this time, an echo of Mickelson’s best finish at the British Open, when he tied for 11th at St. Andrews. Mickelson had played at Loch Lomond the week before St. Andrews and he did the same thing last week, tying for 35th at the Scottish Open.

“I don’t think it was a coincidence that my best performance came after playing in Loch Lomond the week before,” Mickelson said. “So I anticipate doing this regularly.

“I believe that has helped me in the past and I feel that’s the best way to prepare for a major.”

Playing well doesn’t hurt, either, something that Mickelson admits he hasn’t accomplished often this year.

“Obviously, I haven’t had a great year,” he said.

He didn’t start that way. Mickelson had five top-10 finishes through the Masters, where he closed with a 68 and was fourth, but he hasn’t had any since, a span of seven PGA Tour events and eight in all, counting the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond.

After Augusta, his top finish is a tie for 13th at the Colonial. In his last two PGA Tour events, he tied for 55th at the U.S. Open and tied for 30th at the Western Open, shooting 76 in the fourth round.

Mickelson worked with his coach, Rick Smith, for two days, to try to become more consistent in his ball-striking. Becoming more accurate has improved his confidence, Mickelson said.

“It also gives me better control of my mis-hits, on which direction to miss them. And I think that will be a big factor.”

Mostly, Mickelson has been missing in all directions this year. He ranks 189th in driving accuracy, thus detracting from any advantage he enjoys in distance. Mickelson averages 304.2 yards off the tee and ranks fourth. Hank Kuehne leads the tour with an average of 318.1 yards, John Daly is second and James McLean third.

In his practice round, Mickelson worked on finding the correct side of the fairway to allow for the right angle to the green.

At least as challenging and much more elusive is Mickelson’s hunt for a major title. His record shows seven top-threes in majors, so he has been close. He has played the British Open 11 times without a top-10 finish. Last year at Muirfield, he tied for 66th.

It probably won’t get any easier for Mickelson, says Rich Beem, unheralded until he won the PGA Championship last year at Hazeltine.

“He’s won all these tournaments worldwide and is such a great player, and for him to be considered the best player not to win a major, and every time he gets to a major more and more pressure is on him,” Beem said.

Mickelson hasn’t won a tournament since last year at Hartford, but he feels he is moving in the right direction to change that.

“I’ve started to play a lot better,” he said.

“I’m hoping to put it together. Hopefully, it will happen this week. But if not, I feel like it’s much closer.”

Maybe he’s right. And maybe the percentages are starting to move in Mickelson’s direction. The last three winners of majors were first-timers -- Beem at the PGA Championship, Mike Weir at the Masters and Jim Furyk at the U.S. Open.

“I haven’t thought much about that,” Mickelson said.

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Rough Time

*--* What Phil Mickelson has done at the British Open: 1991, ROYAL BIRKDALE Tied for 73rd ...Even 1995, ST. ANDREWS Tied for 40th ... +3 1996, ROYAL LYTHAM & ST. ANNES Tied for 40th ... Even 1997, ROYAL TROON Tied for 24th ... Even 1998, ROYAL BIRKDALE 79th ... +28 1999, CARNOUSTIE Missed cut... +13 2000, ST. ANDREWS Tied for 11th ... -7 2001, ROYAL LYTHAM & ST. ANNES Tied for 30th ... +1 2002, ROYAL LYTHAM & ST. ANNES Tied for 66th ... +6

*--*