Springfield, N.J. – Phil Mickelson took a simplified approach to the 87th PGA Championship. After opening with a 3-under-par 67, “Lefty” told reporters that he’s trying not to force things this week at Baltusrol.
Rather than shape his shots along the bends of the holes, Mickelson said it will be right-to-left all the way. Relying only on his natural fade, he said, will keep more shots in the fairway. On Thursday, Mickelson hit 10 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens in regulation.
“I find this week that by taking a little something off my driver and hitting a softer cut, I’m not getting as much run in the fairways,” Mickelson said. “If I’m in the fairways, I’m able to be much more aggressive into the greens.”
Mickelson said three holes – Nos. 5, 6 and 15 – will be a challenge for him because overhanging branches on the right side of the fairway intrude on his best angle to fade the ball off the tee. Mickelson said he will try to hit his drive straight on those holes, and fades on the rest.
The last time he played a major championship without worrying about hitting a left-to-right draw was the 2004 Masters, his only major championship victory, Mickelson said.
“I feel very confident going into this major,” said Mickelson, who drove more than an hour Wednesday to practice at Pine Valley, a private club often ranked as the nation’s best golf course.
“The difference is, I know where my misses are going to be with each club.
“I struggled a little bit this year in majors, missing it both ways. I couldn’t play effectively doing that.”
It also didn’t hurt that he putted spectacularly. Mickelson rolled in bombs from 35 feet on Nos. 9, 10 and 14.
“If you give yourself enough chances here, the greens are rolling so well that you will make a couple,” he said.
Footnotes
LPGA player Laura Diaz carried the bag for her brother, Ron Philo Jr., of Amelia Island, Fla. Philo shot a 1-over-par 71. …
The six players tied at the top of the leaderboard are the most after the first round of a PGA Championship since 1969, which had a logjam of nine players after the first day. …
Hal Sutton has a new strategy for preparing for a major championship. Before Thursday, he had not played in a competitive round since June 24 – the second round of the Barclays Classic at Westchester, across the Hudson River in Rye, N.Y. Sutton opened the PGA Championship with a 1-under 69.
“I just hit some practice balls, played a practice round on Wednesday and worked on some other things,” Sutton said.
