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Uh, Norman, is that you?

Phil Mickelson's final-round collapses are drawing comparisons to Greg Norman, but even the Shark won a major, something Mickelson still seeks.

By BOB HARIG

© St. Petersburg Times,
published June 12, 2001

TULSA, Okla. -- A cynic might suggest that Phil Mickelson seek Greg Norman for advice. Is it better to continually contend in tournaments only to come up short, or not to contend at all?

Norman figures to go down in golf history as a man tormented by numerous close calls. He has 18 PGA Tour titles and two major championships, but the memories of the miraculous shots hit at his expense, the final-round flameouts, are typically how he is remembered.

It is the scenario that faces Mickelson entering the 101st U.S. Open, which begins Thursday at Southern Hills Country Club.

Mickelson hasn't led all four majors heading into the third round -- as Norman did in 1986 -- or lost all four in playoffs. Nor has he been felled by something similar to a Bob Tway bunker shot or a Larry Mize chip-in.

Yet Mickelson, who turns 31 Saturday, has not won a major championship, a maddening enough thought for a player of his stature. But lately he can't seem to close the deal in any tournament.

He let an opportunity to defeat Tiger Woods slip away at the Masters, and three other times he has failed to hold Sunday leads, the most recent coming last month at the Colonial, where he lost a four-shot lead over the final 11 holes. Nonetheless, he has finished among the top three on seven occasions, with one win, a career year for many.

"It's been a bit of a mental hurdle this year, and it's a problem," Mickelson said Monday. "I'm getting myself into contention more, but it seems like I'm taking it easy on Sundays as opposed to taking advantage of the opportunities the way I used to, when I only had two or three chances to win. I think I haven't been quite as focused, quite as intense on Sunday. I've been a little bit lackadaisical."

Indeed, this appears to be only a recent problem. Mickelson is known for his hard-charging, aggressive style, and he is one of the few who have been able to take on Woods -- who will attempt to win his fifth consecutive major -- and come out on top.

Mickelson, ranked No. 2 in the world, stopped Woods' six-tournament winning streak early in 2000 at the Buick Invitational. And he broke Woods' run of 19 straight wins with a final-round lead when he came from behind to win last year's Tour Championship.

"I've been able to go head to head with him and come out on top a few times," Mickelson said. "I do have confidence that I can prevail."

But this year he has had his shaky moments. On the 18th hole at Pebble Beach, needing a birdie to tie Davis Love, Mickelson went for the par 5 in two and splashed his approach into the Pacific Ocean.

Playing with Woods in the final pairing at the Masters, Mickelson missed four short putts and finished third.

At New Orleans, he made a triple bogey in the final round to finish two shots behind David Toms.

And at the Colonial, he missed four putts inside 5 feet, including three on the back nine, to fall to Sergio Garcia by two shots. He played the final 11 holes in 4 over par.

The short putts are particularly troubling. That, along with an imaginative chipping game, has been Mickelson's strength.

"They all hurt," he said. "Those are very short putts on perfect greens, and they're just not difficult to make."

Even in his lone victory at the Buick Invitational, Mickelson won despite an ugly double bogey in a sudden-death playoff. Frank Lickliter tripled the hole to lose.

After the Colonial, Mickelson said his troubles down the stretch were bothersome.

"I've really struggled the last four or fives I've had a shot at it," he said. "So it's going to be awhile, until I win again, before I get over that mental hurdle. It would help my confidence quite a bit if I were to break through and win a tournament, to close it out on Sunday."

Last week Mickelson was the only player ranked among the top 13 in the world who showed up for the St. Jude Classic in Memphis. While the other top guns were resting or preparing for this week's U.S. Open, Mickelson figured his best chance to finally win that elusive major title would be helped by playing.

"The opportunity to post a score under tight conditions heading into a major serves me better. It keeps me sharper mentally," Mickelson said.

Whether that was a good idea remains to be seen. Mickelson missed the cut. His 31st major championship beckons.

WORLD RANKINGS: Bob Estes jumped 40 places to No. 61 after winning the St. Jude Classic. Tiger Woods remained No. 1 for the 95th straight week with 32.38 points. Mickelson was second with 13.01.

- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.

Phil's follies

A look at five tournaments that show the final-round problems of Phil Mickelson this year:

AT&T PEBBLE BEACH PRO-AM, FEB. 1-4

END OF 3RD ROUND: 6-under 66 gives him a share of lead at 14-under 202 with Olin Browne.

END OF FINAL ROUND: 1-over 73 drops him into a tie for third at 275. Finishes three shots behind winner Davis Love, who was seven shots down.

BUICK INVITATIONAL, FEB. 8-11

END OF 3RD ROUND: Even-par 71 ties him for second at 10-under 203, one shot behind Love.

END OF FINAL ROUND: Lets a two-stroke lead slip away on the back nine, which forces a three-way playoff at 19-under 269 with Love and Frank Lickliter. Mickelson double bogeys the third playoff hole but wins when Lickliter three-putts from six feet for triple bogey.

MASTERS, APRIL 5-8

END OF 3RD ROUND: 3-under 69 moves him into second, one shot behind Tiger Woods.

END OF FINAL ROUND: Shares lead twice in final round but misses par putts of 2 and 8 feet, and misses birdie putts on final two holes. Finishes with 2-under 70 for 13-under 275, three shots behind Woods.

COMPAQ CLASSIC OF NEW ORLEANS, MAY 3-6

END OF 3RD ROUND: 8-under 64 gives him a three-shot lead.

END OF FINAL ROUND: Has the lead on the back nine but finishes even-par 72 for 268, two shots behind winner David Toms, who was six shots down.

MASTERCARD COLONIAL, MAY 17-20

END OF 3RD ROUND: 4-under 66 gives him a share of lead.

END OF FINAL ROUND: Misses three short putts en route to 70 and finishes 11-under 269, two shots behind winner Sergio Garcia. It's his third loss in the final group for the third time this year.

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