Phil Mickelson took a mighty rip at a ball that was resting next to a tree on the 14th hole of his opening Masters round.
Nothing too unusual for a tour pro — except Lefty was swinging righty.
The shot received little fanfare, along with most of Mickelson’s first two rounds as Augusta — as the LIV golfer went about his business on the fringe of contention at the season’s first major.
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Mickelson, a three-time Masters champ, heads to the weekend at 4-under and tied for 11th after a solid first two rounds.
As the second round of the tournament began, social media couldn’t help but notice Si Woo Kim’s heavily-branded ‘PGA Tour’ shirt given his playing partner, three-time Masters champ Mickelson, famously defected to the rival LIV Golf tour last year.
“What a legend …” one user said of Kim, who has a sponsorship deal with PGA Tour Golfwear.
Another fan remarked: “Not all heroes wear capes.”
The 27-year-old Kim has worn similar shirts in the past, according to Sports Illustrated. Therefore, this instance likely isn’t a slight toward Mickelson.
A six-time major champion, Mickelson was reportedly paid around $200 million to join the controversial Saudi-backed tour, which is being represented at the Masters for the first time this year. Mickelson, who did not participate in last year’s tournament — citing personal reasons — after he was embroiled in a controversy over comments made about Saudi Arabia, has been seen wearing LIV-centric gear on the course in support of his team.
Mickelson was not in the featured groups for the Masters, and therefore not on the ESPN streams showing coverage outside the main broadcast.
Nor did Mickelson receive much TV coverage on the ESPN broadcast Thursday afternoon as he played a 1-under first round.
Such is Mickelson’s new reality, as he has gone from fan favourite to outcast since joining LIV Golf.
In another highlight from the first round, Mickelson hit a driver off the pine straw for his second shot.
That shot ended up on a cart path on the opposite side of the fairway, where Mickelson wedged it close for a birdie.
“That was insane!” one fan told another as heard by No Laying Up, which followed Mickelson through his first round.
“As soon as I saw driver come out, the crowd just parted like the Red Sea! He sees all the angles!”
That first round included six birdies, three bogeys and one double bogey.
Mickelson, who kept a low profile this week at Augusta, had a slightly less adventurous second round, though it did not lack up-and-down thrills.
USA Today noted that the crowds were smaller than usual for the 52-year-old, who skipped last year’s Masters while he was embroiled in a controversy after making controversial comments about Saudi Arabia and the PGA Tour.
“I was actually enjoying it and appreciative of the opportunity to be here,” Mickelson said, according to the website.
“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.”
A trimmed-down Mickelson has received as much attention for his new look than his play on course.
“I’ve got to be in shape to be able to have a (swing) speed that allows me to compete,” Mickelson said.
“And also for overall health. Everything I’m doing is for wellness, right? I want to be healthy and well and not have any issues and not have any cardiac issues. I want to be fit and be able to enjoy life, because this is a really fun chapter right now for Amy and I.”
The attention could shift if Mickelson, who was in poor form on the LIV Tour before coming to Augusta, makes a run up the leaderboard this weekend.
This story originally appeared on the New York Post and was republished with permission.
