AUGUSTA, Ga. — Phil Mickelson flashed a huge smile to the crowd around the first tee at Augusta National, slapping hands with some of the patrons who had been waiting for him to arrive.
There was a “Go get ‘em, Phil!” here and a “Let’s go Devils” there, a nod to his Arizona State roots. And when he placed his first tee shot in the fairway, there was little more than a smattering of polite applause.
For the 52-year-old Mickelson, it was a thoroughly uneventful and unusually quiet way to start his Masters. But that’s exactly what made it so remarkable.
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Mickelson is usually a happening unto himself — especially here at a tournament he’s won three times. Over the course of his 30 years playing the Masters, only one player has drawn bigger, more enthusiastic galleries.
In a fascinating bit of timing, throngs of fans were lining up along the ninth fairway just a few steps away in anticipation of that player — Tiger Woods, of course — passing through shortly after Mickelson’s round began.
Just a couple of years ago, the sport’s two most popular players crossing paths Thursday at the Masters would have caused a human traffic jam. But these days, only one of them is as big of a draw as they used to be.
Phil Mickelson walks down the 14 th fairway during a practice round ahead of the 2023 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. (Photo: USA TODAY)
It’s not that Mickelson, now the face of LIV Golf and the existential crisis that enveloped the sport over the last year, was received poorly in his return to Augusta after taking a hiatus last year.
It just wasn’t your typical Mickelson gallery, even on a day where he put together something that at least vaguely resembled a vintage Mickelson roller coaster round of 71, including three missed eagle putts, two trips into the water on the back nine, a driver off pine straw and a right-handed eight iron on 14 that he couldn’t play lefty because his ball had nestled against a tree.
“I was actually enjoying it and appreciative of the opportunity to be here,” Mickelson said. “There was a lot of talk a year ago guys wouldn’t be able to be here, and I’m very grateful for the opportunity to play and compete here and be a part of it.”
On Friday, he was two shots better, posting a 3-under 69 and getting into a tie for 10th as the second round continued.
Of course, the reason Mickelson wondered if his future at the Masters…
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