Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Thursday 6 February 2020
Mickelson looking for momentum after year getting 'crushed'

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) winner at Pebble Beach
— Optimism is never in short who is approaching the
supply for Phil Mickelson, one-year anniversary of his
and it was especially high last victory, an alarming
when he left the Monterey development given a skill
Peninsula last year with his set that leads many players
44th career PGA Tour vic- to believe he's still the best
tory and his fifth title in the in the game.
AT&T Pebble Beach Pro- Also playing is Jordan Spi-
Am. eth, who has been in a
He had the entire year spiral since his British Open
ahead of him. victory in 2017 to reach
It didn't turn out the way he the third leg of the career
imagined. Grand Slam. Spieth fell out
"After I won last year, I of the top 50 for the first
knew I was going to go out time since his rookie year in
and just crush the rest of 2013, and then he missed
the year," Mickelson said the cut in the Phoenix Open
Wednesday. "And the rest last week.
of the year crushed me." He has kept a low profile
It wasn't that he failed to this week, although he is
win again — no shame in busy as an AT&T ambassa-
that after turning 49 and dor and he received "The
competing against an in- Phil Mickelson plays his shot from the fifth tee on the Torrey Pines South Course during the first Arnie Award" for his chari-
creasingly younger PGA round of The Farmers Insurance golf tournament in San Diego, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020. table work, given to people
Tour — he only cracked Associated Press who best emulate Palmer's
the top 20 one time, at the attributes.
Masters. finishing third last week in to control my thoughts a with Mickelson in third. All On the course, it's time for
The Presidents Cup, which Saudi Arabia. little bit better, control my three flew across 12 time Spieth to hitch up his pants
dates to 1994, was played It was particularly refresh- visualization, and I hit a lot zones to take part in a tour- and go.
without him for the first time. ing because Mickelson of good shots thereafter." nament with heritage and As for Mickelson, he is play-
And by the end of the year, had missed the cut in Palm For everyone, there will be beauty. ing his fourth straight week
he was out of the top 50 in Springs and San Diego, the plenty of good visualization "The win last week was im- — three in California, one
the world for the first time in first time in his long career this week, with a forecast of portant at a lot of levels, in Saudi Arabia. And he
26 years. as a pro he had missed the sunshine, although temper- just to get me back up the again is looking forward
"I didn't play up to my level cut in consecutive events atures will remain in the 50s. rankings, get me back in a while hopeful for better re-
of expectation, and it just to start the year. Players will take sun over a couple of the WGC events sults.
kind of snowballed and got "I was really excited about few extra layers for warmth — which is really important "This is a different year and
worse," Mickelson said. how I was playing. And rather than a rain suit. — the major champion- I've had a great offseason
He returns to Pebble Beach then I get on the golf course "When the sun shines, ships, and get me back in and a lot of good things
with his optimism still strong. and I start not seeing what there's no better place on the right direction again," have happened in the last
Mickelson has shied away I want to have happen but the golfing planet to be," McDowell said. "Ticked a three, four months and I'm
from a previous guarantee more what I don't want to Graeme McDowell said. lot of boxes and hopefully I very excited for the year,"
of reaching 50 wins on the have happen," Mickelson Three of the more intrigu- can use it as a springboard Mickelson said. "I know that
PGA Tour. With age comes said. "My inability to kind ing players in the field all to kick on for a big year, big the first two weeks didn't go
a dose of reality. But he of control my thoughts was have Saudi connections — season ahead." as planned, but the rest of
likes the way he is swinging. getting the best of me the Mickelson, McDowell and McDowell's victory got him the year is going to be very
He likes the way he is think- first few weeks. And I was Dustin Johnson. McDowell back into the top 50 in the good."
ing again. And he picked able to identify the prob- won the Saudi International world for the first time since He hopes to crush it, not the
up some momentum from lem and then fix it and start by two shots over Johnson, 2015. Johnson is a two-time other way around.q
Supercars champ McLaughlin gets IndyCar seat with Penske

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (AP) offer assistance. McLaughlin also earned
— Team Penske will give "This is an amazing op- his first win in the Bathurst
Supercars champion Scott portunity, to race against 1000 race in October, with
McLaughlin a shot at Indy- some of the best open co-driver Alex Premat.
Car with a seat in the road wheel drivers in the world McLaughlin last season set
course race at Indianapolis on one of the most historic the single-season Supercars
Motor Speedway in May. tracks in motorsports," said record with 18 victories,
McLaughlin will also par- McLaughlin. "It's a driver's along with a series-leading
ticipate in next week's pre- dream to get a chance to 15 poles and 22 podium fin-
season testing at Circuit of race an Indy car for Team ishes. "We believe his talent
the Americas in Texas for Penske." McLaughlin has and his drive will continue
Team Penske in the No. won 35 races and 44 poles to shine behind the wheel
2 Dallara/Chevrolet. The over the last three seasons of an Indy car," said Roger
two-time and defending while helping Penske win Penske. "It will be interesting
Acura Team Penske owner Roger Penske gestures to a crew champion of the Australian the team championships in to see how he continues to
member during the Rolex 24 hour auto race at Daytona Inter-
national Speedway, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020, in Daytona Beach, series last month tested for 2017 and 2019. He won the develop as we work up to
Fla. Penske at Sebring with Pen- driver's title in each of the his first race at the India-
Associated Press ske teammates on hand to last two seasons. napolis Grand Prix."q