Bad start sets up bad finish for Mickelson

Phil Mickelson never gave himself a chance to defend his Masters title.

He started the final round six over par, only four shots off the lead, but a triple-bogey seven at the first hole derailed his hopes.

Mickelson shot five-over 77 Sunday and finished 11-over 299 for the tournament, tied for 37th.

“I didn’t feel like I played that well, or certainly not like I wanted,” Mickelson said. “I’ll take a couple of weeks off and get ready for the TPC and for the U.S. Open.”

It couldn’t have been a worse Sunday start for Mickelson, a two-time Masters champion.

He pulled his opening drive into the right fairway bunker, and advanced the ball only a few yards up the fairway after hitting the lip of the bunker on his second shot.

His third shot landed in a greenside bunker and after he splashed out, he three-putted for triple bogey, and that was that.

“Even after I made triple on No. 1, I felt like if I could get back to even by the turn I had a chance,” he said.

Mickelson did not get back to even. He never regained any momentum or traction.

He shot four-over 40 on the front nine.

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Zach Johnson’s winning score of one-over 289 equaled the highest in Masters history. Jack Burke, in 1956, and Sam Snead, in 1954, also shot 289 in their victories.

For what it’s worth, Johnson is the first Masters champion whose last name begins with the letter J.

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Jeev Milkha Singh, the first player from India to play in a Masters, shot 14-over 302 and finished in a tie for 60th.

He also went into the record books Sunday with a quadruple-bogey eight on the par-four first hole. That tied the highest score recorded on the 455-yard hole, joining Olin Browne, Scott Simpson and Billy Casper.

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It would have been something had Retief Goosen won the Masters after making Friday’s cut -- at eight over -- on the number.

He held the Sunday back-nine lead at two over but then bogeyed No. 12 and failed to birdie either of the finishing par fives.

Had Goosen won the Masters, he would have had to tip his cap to none other than Johnson.

“It’s probably thanks to Zach that I’m sitting here because he messed up on Friday for the last three holes for me to make the cut,” Goosen said.

Had Johnson made par on his last three holes Friday instead of bogeys, he would have been the 36-hole leader at three-under and that would have sent Goosen home.

“So in a way I’m happy I’m here,” Goosen said, “but in a way I’m sad I didn’t win it.”

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The course was set up Sunday by the tournament committee to encourage more birdies, and that’s what happened. There were 175 birdies and 10 eagles -- six on the back nine.

In Saturday’s third round, there were only 107 birdies and two eagles.

Softer greens and generous pin positions helped improve Sunday’s scoring. Stewart Cink said it was no coincidence.

“I think they are a sharp bunch of individuals. I think they want to see birdies and keep the patrons happy. I don’t think they like this over-par business. They want to make it exciting.”

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Ian Poulter’s two-under 70 put him at eight-over 295, the same as Vijay Singh, but Poulter was far from happy about his closing round.

“Furious. Livid. Absolutely fuming. I thought four over had a chance to win this golf tournament and I thought I could shoot six under out there.”

On the bright side, Poulter looked dashing in a pink sweater and hat.

chris.dufresne@latimes.com

thomas.bonk@latimes.com