Page 19 - ATD25Febr2016
P. 19
SPORTS A19
Thursday 25 February 2016
Honda Classic a new start and a chance for redemption
DOUG FERGUSON hope to get into conten- Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, right, shakes hands with his school was the primary rea-
AP Golf Writer tion again this week.” caddie J. P. Fitzgerald after completing his round during the pro- son Mickelson didn’t play
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. The Honda Classic, which am at the Honda Classic golf tournament, Wednesday, Feb. 24, Riviera last week, though
(AP) — A missed tee shot begins Thursday, is hit-and- 2016, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. he conceded that four
by Rickie Fowler. A missed miss for McIlroy. straight events to start the
putt by Phil Mickelson. A He won at PGA National Associated Press year was enough golf at
missed opportunity for Rory in 2012 to reach No. 1 for that point.
McIlroy. the first time in his career. Masters champion who a couple of years. And the He has played the Honda
All three had great chanc- The next year, he walked turns 46 this year. Along fact that I’m playing well Classic the last two years
es to win in the last tourna- off the course in the mid- with 45 wins around the again, I’m in contention, with indifferent results.
ment they played. All three dle of the second round world, he has finished sec- and I’m hitting shots with Mickelson is mostly geared
are eager to get back to when he was on his way ond 36 times. Patience ease ... I’m showing up at toward Augusta.
work at the Honda Classic to missing the cut, citing a comes easily with age and the golf course not trying Fowler has had two weeks
at a time of the year when sore wisdom tooth. He lost a spot in the World Golf Hall to find something but con- to think about losing a prime
each tournament presents a two-shot lead and lost in of Fame. tinue refining what I’m al- opportunity at the Phoenix
a strong test and each a four-man playoff in 2014 “Whether I won or lost the ready doing. Open. He had a two-shot
week gets them closer to and then missed the cut tournament, I was still using “So win, lose or what have lead with two holes to play
the first major of the year at last year. it as a steppingstone for the you, it’s not really affecting when he chose a driver off
Augusta National. Is it the nature of the golf rest of the year for where the confidence that I have the tee on the 17th hole, it
McIlroy’s scars are the most course? The wind? my game has gone,” or the direction that I feel took a hard bounce and
recent, thought they are “I think it’s the nature of Mickelson said. “It’s gone like my game is going.” went over the green and
more like a flesh wound. me,” McIlroy said. “Yeah, through a difficult time for His three kids being out of into the water. One hole
Two shots behind going it’s one of these golf cours- later, he had to make a
into the last round Sunday es that if you’re slightly off, 10-foot putt just to get into
at Riviera, he made eagle it can really magnify your a playoff, and then he lost
on the par-5 opening hole misses a little bit, and it can on the 17th hole when his
to briefly tie for the lead. make you feel as if you’re tee shot again went into
That was as close as he playing worse than what the water and Hideki Mat-
got. He three-putted from you actually are.” suyama beat him.
12 feet on No. 4, found the Mickelson is thrilled to be Fowler held back tears in
bunker in the middle of the playing better than he has his news conference, main-
green at No. 6, had a long the last few years, at least ly because he had family
birdie putt that nearly went based on the first month of members there who had
off the green at No. 7 and the season. never seen him win.
spent the rest of the day Even so, it was a disap- But having won at Abu
trying to catch up, which pointment two weeks ago Dhabi for his fourth victory
is a tough spot to be in at at Pebble Beach when he in the last eight months,
Riviera. had a two-shot lead in the it did not shake his confi-
He closed with a 75 and final round and wound up dence.
tied for 20th. closing with a 72 to finish “I’m fine,” he said. “It’s ob-
“The score probably got one shot behind Vaughn viously one that I wanted
away from me because of Taylor, who had gone 10 to get. Felt like I was in a
that,” McIlroy said Wednes- years without winning. great position to get it.
day. “So I didn’t dwell on it Mickelson had a 5-foot But I’ve been playing well,
too much because I knew birdie putt on the 18th all through last summer,
that it was more the cir- hole to force a playoff and through the fall. Just really
cumstances I put myself in. watched it spin around the focusing on this week and
I know my game is in good edge of the cup. see if we can get off to a
shape and it’s there, and Mickelson is a three-time good, solid start.”q
