Golf

Birdies elude disappointed Mickelson

By BOB HARIG
Published July 23, 2006

HOYLAKE, England - A birdie-par-eagle finish is the stuff of dreams, but it didn't do much to excite Phil Mickelson on Saturday at Royal Liverpool. Not when he could manage just a 73. And not with the leaders miles away.

Mickelson came to England early and practiced on the course often.

But the work has not paid off as the Masters champion is at 213, 3 under par, 10 shots back of leader Tiger Woods.

"I wouldn't say frustrating is the word as much as it just didn't happen this week so far," Mickelson said. "To win you have to play well, obviously. What I don't want to have happen is come in and play well, hit the shots the way I want to and have them turn out not the way I expected.

"I enjoy my job. I enjoy practicing and working on the golf course and competing in the event. It's more fun the first couple of majors where I won or had a chance to win."

Mickelson did not make a birdie Saturday until the 16th hole.

He bogeyed the last three holes on the front nine to blow any chance of getting back into the tournament.

"The biggest thing for me has been the greens," he said. "I just haven't putted well. ... I just haven't taken advantage of the birdie holes. I just haven't made the 15- to 20-footers. I haven't made any of them. That's what's been so frustrating."

GATOR HISTORY: Chris DiMarco is a Florida Gator to the core, and this fact was noted Saturday during the BBC radio broadcast of the event.

"Chris DiMarco used to drive in a van with the colors of the Florida Gators," the announcer said. "I'm not sure what the Florida Gators are. It must be a baseball or basketball team or something."

It didn't take long for that announcer to be corrected.

An astute follower of the Gators sent an e-mail to the BBC to set it straight on Florida being a university in Gainesville and that DiMarco is an avid follower of the football (not soccer) team.

OPEN SUCCESS, FINALLY: Jim Furyk has given himself a chance to win the Open Championship. He trails Woods by two after a 66. And the big question is, what took you so long?

Furyk, who lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, had missed five straight cuts at the Open after twice finishing fourth.

"I just did a better job of adapting to the conditions this year," said Furyk, who won the 2003 U.S. Open.

"As I tried to improve and change my game early in my career, I hit the ball very flat and low. I was known as a pretty good wind player. I adapted my game a little bit for the States to hit the ball higher. ... And when I came over to play the Open, I did a very poor job of adapting back. A good player should be able to do that, and I did a bad job of it. I've tried the last couple of years to make some adjustments. I'm just starting to see the results right now, I guess."

FINDING INSPIRATION: Angel Cabrera could join countryman Robert DeVicenzo as the only players from Argentina and from South America to win a major championship. DeVicenzo's victory came in 1967 at Hoylake. Asked if he had any memories of DeVicenzo winning, Cabrera said: "I'm 36, and it's 39 years since it happened. So I don't remember very much."

HANGING TOUGH: Ernie Els struggled to shoot 71, and is happy he still has a chance.

"I didn't have my best stuff," he said. "My iron play wasn't great. I somehow hung in there. I could have shot a big one, but I putted well and got the ball up and down when I needed to."

[Last modified July 23, 2006, 01:56:32]