2009 Masters Golf Tournament

Phil Mickelson shot a 30 on the first nine holes of the final round of the 2009 Masters Golf Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club to put him in contention to win the tournament. He shot a 37 on the last nine holes of the final round to take him out of contention. Both totals are AWESOME when observed with a box score mentality. For viewers of the tournament the first nine wholes WERE awesome. The second nine wholes represented the biggest choke in Phil Mickelson's career.

Yes, it was a bigger choke than the 2006 United States Open at Winged Foot. It was at Winged Foot in Mamaroneck, New York where Phil lost the United States Open by "duck-hooking" a drive into the concessions stands on the 72nd and final hole of the competition and ultimately ceeding the tournament to Geoff Ogilvey of Scottsdale, Arizona by way of Australia. It was bigger choke because of the number of opportunities that Phil did not capitalize on.

The 2009 Masters was Mickelson's biggest choke for one reason: PUTTING. Isn't Phil renowned for his putting? As viewers of the PGA tournament we are told each week that Phil has one of the best "short-games" on tour. However, when it counted most Phil could not take advantage of his greatest strength. He missed an Eagle putt and a Birdie putt over the last nine holes. He also used a nine-iron(after circling Tiger who used an eight-iron) on the twelfth hole where his shot landed in Rae's Creek. However, the missed putts had a greater negative impact on his scoring during this tournament.

So it appeared on Easter Sunday April 12, 2009 that "Lefty" built us up on the front nine only to let us down on the back nine. This years Masters Golf Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club was more about who did not win and why than who did win and why.