Ben Hogan, in
the latter stages of his career, was reported to have said it was unfair that
one putting stroke counted the same as one thunderous drive. Phil Mickelson would
certainly agree.
The world's number two ranked golfer
is in the midst of another outstanding season, in which he has won $2.9 million
in prize money and recorded an amazing eight top-three finishes in less than six
months.
But his putting woes, especially from
short distances, have cost Mickelson several chances to win tournaments, including
this year's Masters in April.
Mickelson has tried to maintain a positive
attitude as he heads into this week's U.S. Open at Southern Hills Country Club,
still seeking his first major title.
"I've come to the realisation that
I can't change my approach to the game. I don't enjoy playing conservative and
I haven't won tournaments playing conservative," Mickelson said at his U.S. Open
news conference on Wednesday.
Less than a month after the Masters,
Mickelson took a three-shot lead into the final round at New Orleans, but took
a triple-bogey seven with a poor chip and putt to fall out of contention.
Last month, Mickelson had a two-shot
lead in the final round at the Colonial tournament in Fort Worth, but missed five
putts inside of five feet on Sunday, including one miss from 18 inches to lose
the event to Spain's Sergio Garcia.
At Pebble Beach earlier this year,
Mickelson had several short misses and fired his final-round approach shot at
the 18th into the Pacific Ocean.
In fact, his only win came in the Buick
Invitational in his hometown of San Diego with a double-bogey in a bizarre playoff.
While his fellow players understand
Mickelson's woes, having suffered similarly themselves, they said putting boils
down to confidence and that advice from others does not necessarily help.
"I know what works for me so I never
mess around with anything else or worry about anything else," Denmark's Thomas
Bjorn said. "What works for me works, so I don't know ask anybody else for help
and don't help anyone.
"It all comes down to feel anyway.
What you think and see about the putt."
Former British Open champion Justin
Leonard, who helped rally the U.S. to Ryder Cup victory in 1999 with an impressive
display of pressure putting said each player's putting problems were different.
"Everybody misses short putts, that's
just part of the game," Leonard said. "I would never try to help anybody else
with their putting unless they ask me to.
"I mean, if Davis Love asks me to help
him, which is not likely, I don't think I'd have much to say," he added.
