Totesport.com – World Golf Championships
www.totesport.com – Phil Mickelson is nearer than he’s ever been to the world No 1 position in advance of this week’s World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play.
Keeping his Northern Trust Open title in Los Angeles has brought Mickelson to 3rd in the rankings. He’s been No 2 before, but has never been as short as 2.22 points trailing Tiger Woods, whose eight-month injury lay-off terminates in Tucson tomorrow. As with second-placed Sergio Garcia, Mickelson could be merely two tournaments away from bumping Woods off top spot.
The left-hander begins the Match Play against the 2007 US Open winner Angel Cabrera and is in the corresponding half of the draw as Woods, who prepares his comeback to action against Australian Brendan Jones.
Mickelson’s mediocre beginning to the season was cast behind him with a one-stroke triumph over Steve Stricker at the weekend, but it was a roller-coaster journey. Four clear after Saturday, he restarted with an eagle,but on the other hand had five bogeys and dropped behind Stricker by two with three holes to go. Birdies at the sixteenth and seventeenth saved the situation and Stricker was the one who bogeyed the final hole to lose. “It wasn’t comfortable,” Mickelson said. “I must become a better front-runner, but it fills me self-confidence and something to progress on for the remainder of the year.”
About the reappearance of Woods, he stated: “We want him back. We are all excited to get him back and we’re thrilled he is going to be 100 per cent. From a participants viewpoint it is becoming to be more difficult to win tournaments, but we enjoy the challenge. I hope that he remains healthy as it is obvious the sport of golf needs him, particularly at this time right now. The economy has been troubled, the patrons have been struggling – to have him come back is so crucial for the sport.” www.totesport.com
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