Phil Mickelson will be most remembered for winning three times at Augusta National, but Pebble Beach is the place he’s won most with five AT&T Pro-Am titles. Not surprisingly, Mickelson knows the coastal course like the back of his left hand – even when playing it on a simulator.
While most of his fellow PGA Tour members were playing getting beaten up by the Bear Trap at the Honda Classic, Mickelson chose friendlier (and cosier) confines to hit golf balls. The 49-year-old stopped by short-game guru Dave Pelz’s house and cued up Pebble Beach on the screen. Then he did something he’s always wanted to do: drive the green on the opening par 4. Well, sort of.
Mickelson claims he’s been called off through the years and always hits iron off the tee. It might be the only hole he’s always played it safe, but there’s no laying up on a simulator. Check it out as Mickelson unleashed his latest “bomb” and pulled off a spectacular shot:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9MwYADjY2g/?utm_source=ig_embed
That looks like a kick-in eagle. Pretty impressive, especially since he claims this was a single take. Turns out, these guys are also good on simulators.
Also spectacular was how Phil delivered that intro:
“With a course that I’ve done very well at over the years. I’ve won there four – oh, five times.” Nice.
Mickelson nearly made that six times last month before coming up short to Nick Taylor in the final round’s last pairing. And now he might have discovered the perfect strategy to get back in the winner’s circle next year.