AUGUSTA, Ga. >> Amen Corner wasn’t as quiet as a church service on Sunday morning after Adam Scott double-bogeyed the difficult par-4 11th, but it wasn’t buzzing like a Wednesday social either.
The life of the party was still several holes away and the anticipation of his arrival had the patrons talking among themselves waiting to see just what Phil Mickelson might do once he began his back nine on this cool and windy late Friday afternoon.
Those in Hawaii know how the sun can light up the Koolaus as it rises in the east. It’s a similar setting when it starts to go down in the west here, as the rays filter through the pines, casting long, dark shadows on the fairways and greens.
Stationed behind the 14th grandstand that is equal distance from where the golfers hit their second shots from the 11th fairway, a roar went up from the nearby 10th green to signify a birdie for Mickelson that dropped him to 3 under for the tournament, just one shot off the lead.
Amen Corner was sparse by comparison before the shouts of “Phil” filled the air as he strolled purposefully to the 11th tee. The crowd he brought with him wasn’t Arnie’s Army, but the fray that followed Phil was large and enthusiastic as they trooped down the fairway toward the famed Amen Corner that awaited them some 250 yards away. His approach landed safely on the green and as he walked up to mark his ball, Jordan Spieth had to back off his iron shot at the famed par-3 12th as the crowd rose as one.
Mickelson touched the brim of his cap in recognition of the love he brings wherever he goes on the course they call Augusta National. The fact he was only one shot back made it even more special as folks in these parts pull for the 46-year-old in search of his fourth green jacket.
Perhaps feeling the adrenaline of the crowd behind him, Phil got a little frisky with his birdie try en route to a three-putt bogey, but he would birdie the par-5 13th to get that one back. Unfortunately for Lefty, he started leaking more oil, bogeying three of the last five coming in to finish at 1 over par for his round and even for the tourney some four shots off the pace of Charley Hoffman, Sergio Garcia, Thomas Pieters and Rickie Fowler.
While still in it at the halfway point, all the missed short putts by Mickelson don’t bode well as he tries to win his sixth major at the same age Jack Nicklaus captured his 18th some 31 years ago at the course Bobby Jones built.
With Tiger Woods missing from the scene and Dustin Johnson having to withdraw minutes before his Thursday tee time, the patrons needed something to cheer about that Hoffman, Garcia, Fowler and Pieters can’t possibly produce.
What would make it sweeter still for the weekend is if Spieth and Rory McIlroy can join the party and produce the kind of drama in these tall pines the patrons are craving. Today is moving day and anything is possible over the next 48 hours.
And if anyone can handle that kind of pressure it would be Mickelson. But a faulty putter on these fast and furious greens won’t be the ticket to ride to the finish line for him. If Mickelson fails over the closing 36 holes perhaps it opens the door for Garcia or Fowler in search of their first major. Maybe McIlroy completes his career grand slam or another unknown like Danny Willett, who missed the cut, emerges as the next Masters champion.
Unfortunately, that isn’t the kind of headline CBS or the patrons here are searching for. They like a little drama before having the right man fitted for the green jacket. And nobody would slip into that setting better than Mickelson.
Paul Arnett, Star-Advertiser sports editor, provides daily insight from Augusta.
