Mickelson, Verplank share lead at Shell
HUMBLE, Texas – On moving day at the Shell Houston Open some very big names made significant strides to challenge for the championship. Making one of the biggest moves of the day was Phil Mickelson, who vaulted from a tie for 21st at 4-under par, into a tie for the lead at 13-under 203 along with Scott Verplank.After a five birdie, no bogey opening front-nine of 5-under 31, Mickelson got four more birdies on the back for a course-record-tying 63. The key to kick-starting the round for Mickelson was a chip that went in at what is a troublesome par-4 sixth hole for him.
“Sets up terribly for my shot dispersion,” Mickelson said after the round. “If I miss it right, last year it goes right through the fairway, catches the down slope of the hill, hits the cart path, goes in the hazard every time. I come out of it, it goes in the hazard left every time. It's a very awkward hole for me.
“I hit in the hazard yesterday and today and was fortunate to make par both times. Today it could have really been bad. After hitting my approach over the green, I got to get up and down now for bogey and I'm just fighting not to have it be a bogey and really be a momentum killer and that ball went in. When that chip went in, that really propelled me to play the last 12 holes good.”
Verplank was certainly an unlikely name to be sharing the top-spot. He has played sparingly over the last six months, with this being only his fourth start of the year. His problem has been a bad left wrist and elbow that no one seems to be willing to operate on.
“ I played really solid,” Verplank said after a second consecutive 65 got him a share of the lead and a final-round pairing with Mickelson. “I did the same yesterday. I think I missed one fairway and one green today, and on a relatively long golf course, that's pretty good for me.
“But just -- the few times I've gotten to play in the last four, five months, I've actually played well, but the problem is I can't -- I haven't been able to play the next week. I haven't been able to go home and practice. So I knew I was -- I felt like I had a chance to play okay here.
But the weather has been good for me, and obviously got to hitting the ball pretty solid and been putting good, not great, but hit it close enough times where I've been able to make quite a few birdies the last couple days.”
Ironically, Mickelson and Verplank were the last two amateurs to win on tour.
Aaron Baddeley, already a winner this year in Los Angeles, and rookie Chris Kirk share third at 12-under, while Canada’s David Hearn and defending champion Anthony Kim are two back. Steve Stricker stayed within touch of the leaders, trailing by three at minus-10.
It should be an important round for Mickelson on Sunday as he hopes to hone his game to make a run at a fourth green jacket at the Masters. He has struggled with his focus during the last three or four months and knows he will have to be sharp at Augusta National Golf Club.
“ I feel like my game is really close” Mickelson said. “You know, when I practice, my driving or my iron play, chipping, putting, the elements of my game feel like it's better than they've ever been, but I haven't been able to put it together to shoot the low scores and that missing piece has kind of been holding the focus, seeing the shot, being able to hold it throughout the swing.
“(Saturday) Was the best that I've done in a while and something I've been working on the last couple of weeks to get ready -- not just get ready for next week but have good performance week in and week out.”
Mickelson is hoping for a repeat of 2006 when he won in Atlanta the week before the Masters and followed that with a win in Augusta, his second of three wins at the season’s first major.
He sure would feel positive about making if four Masters wins if he can close it out on Sunday.
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