Mickelson loses Bridgestone Invitational Shoot-Out after late bogeys
World Golf Championships | 
Written by BigRed
Phil Mickelson finished the World Golf Championships – Bridgestone Invitational in a tie for 4th
after a final round of even par 70.
Mickelson started the day tied for the lead with Vijay Singh
(FIJ) and Lee Westwood (ENG) and lead by one stroke midway through the back nine.
However, he finished with unfortunate bogeys on holes 15, 17 and 18 and two strokes behind
tournament winner Vijay Singh.
Up to that point, the fourth round of the Bridgestone Invitational was nothing short of spectacular.
Watching it from start to finish I felt like I was sitting in front of a highlight video of the
entire golf season instead of “just” the broadcast of a single tournament. With perfect scoring conditions – except maybe for the ultra-fast and tricky greens – everybody was hitting their drives over 350-yards and their irons never more than a few feet from the pin. Even with Tiger in the field, I don’t think that the level of play could have been any better.
Phil did play with Stuart Appleby in the second-to-last pairing of the day and seemed in
control of the tournament after birdies on the par-5 second, the par-3 fifth and the par-3
eleventh. Up to that point, almost every drive was long and straight and the score could have
been even better if it wasn’t for a couple of closely missed putts.
However, the last group of the day with Singh and Westwood was playing some great golf as well.
Westwood seemed to be out of it after dropping three shots in a four-hole stretch midway through
the front nine. But he came back strong with birdies on 8, 11 and 13 and just missed out on the
tournament win by a single stroke. Vijay was four under after six holes and despite of bogeys on 8,
11 and 14 was the only one who could keep it together down the stretch. Deservedly he finished
with his first victory of the 2008 campaign and threw his arms in the air after the final putt had
found the hole on the 72nd green.
Hats off to Vijay, but without taking anything off his great performance: All this would probably
not have happened but for Phil Mickelson making bogey from the bunker on three of the four final
holes. As he said after the round: “It wasn’t a good finish for me, but I played really well today.
I’m turning 63s and 64s into 70s, and that’s kind of what happened today. I couldn’t get any putts to go in, then in the end, I made some bogeys.”
I was bitterly disappointed on Sunday night, but looking at it now I think that Phil can take a
lot of positive out of this. With the PGA Championship coming up this week I am confident that
we will see his name on the leaderboard on Sunday afternoon.
August 5th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
I played this last weekend as well and if I had made a few puts… What bull, Phil seems to be missing the focus needed to achieve what is there for the taking, the number 2 spot. Tiger seems to have 1 through 5 wrapped up, no one is stepping up and saying “I am the next best”.
The dismal performance over the weekend is just another example of why Phil is hard to accept as world number 2.
August 5th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
I totally agree!!
August 6th, 2008 at 3:22 am
I’m a big fan but I have to be honest, you’re good enough you should be winning far more than you are. You need and have a great short game because you’re long game is so inconsistent. If you could hit a ball where you intend it to go, you wouldn’t have a need for your short game. I have some simple suggestions on what you can do to become more consistent with hitting the ball where you intend for it to go.
When I watch you take a full swing, it seems your head is sliding and your weight isn’t shifting in unison with your swing. The simple answer is put your feet closer together at address. By having a wide stance, it is very easy to shift your weight away from the target in your backswing but it is very hard to get your weight shifted forward in the proper timing of the swing. Also, when your feet are to far apart, your head slides with the shifting of your weight. The smoothest swing and the steadiest head occurs when your heals are touching one another. Try putting your heels 10 or 12 inches apart for all your full swings. I think you’ll improve your consistency/accuracy without giving up any distance. Watch the pros with the effortless swings and they have one thing in common. They have a narrower stance than everybody else. The ease at which their weight shifts is what makes it look effortless.
Lastly, when you take a practice swing, take it like the one you’re about to take. Everyone takes a gentle little swing then tries to crush it on their real swing. Here’s my suggestion. Get into position to hit the ball. While at address, straighten up till the face of the club is a foot or two off the ground. With the club well off the ground, take a full swing at the actual tempo you intend to take on your real swing. With your feet 10 to 12 inches apart, you can feel how your weight is working with your full swing. Trust me, it will feel great. Then get into position and duplicate your practice swing during your real swing.
Phil, you are the best inconsistent golfer to ever come along. If you were consistent with your full swings you could be the greatest of all time. The problem isn’t your short game. The problem is you need a great short game because you can’t hit a ball where you intend for it to land on a consistent basis. Length matters! 10 to 12 inches is all you need.
Good luck.
August 6th, 2008 at 10:22 am
phil must improve his putting! he missed so many chances on sunday…
August 7th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Our family was fortunate enough to be able to watch Phil birdie the 8th hole and after he did so, he handed our daughter the ball. Needless to say she was thrilled so she ran to the 9th fairway and yelled, “Thank you Phil!” to which he looked over to her and tipped his hat. That made her day - she is 6 years old and wasnt having the best time watching golf. This is what makes Phil have the fan base that he has. Win or lose, I am just glad that we got to see this amazing man do what he does best, golf. Again - Thank you Phil!!!
August 7th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Great posts and it this site new?
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:14 pm
I just listened to Phil’s book on the way to the Ryder Cup. I drove from western Kentucky to Louisville. It was GREAT. I love and appreciate his balance to “life” and the “game”. What I loved most about the book was about “family and friends”. You are a good man Phil Mickelson. You have always been my favorite on tour. Continue to be the good example you are for the young men on tour. R. J.
January 9th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
Love watching you play and going for it and always have even your driving has come along way with that new coach , the qwhat if’s if you had not hurt your wrist and then with your wife and mother illness coming up so unexpected , and it has to be hard to stay focused on every hole time after time even if it mite mean you would go to number one. What is a ranking compared to doing a job day after day and winning 5 times last year by the way , im sure you dont think at every hole as a life and death event and I wouldnt either, but your a great hero and star to a lot of people and godbless you for that , it has to crack you up to get tips in your putting and driving swings lol when you have the worlds best as a coach … I also use to give my advice on putting . But only did it cause I wanted you to win SO badly every time you went out,yet who was I to give advice on putting any ways even though i thought of myself as a really good putter , yet how many pro greens have I putted on year after year , well at least it must give you a good laugh . thank you Phil for the signed picture with the p.g.a trophy after I was told I had c.h.f but am doing great so far , Phil I wish you the best in 2010 ,enjoy it and love your kids as much as you can as it wont be long and they will be all grown up and out the door and boy will you miss them then , that is until they bring you home them grandkids then that will start another whole chapter in your life , I do hope your wife and mother have fully recovered and you have many more years of joy with both of them and your whole family . god bless amd good luck in 2010