No pressure as Mickelson bids for Phoenix Open repeat

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Phil Mickelson feels no added
pressure at this week’s Phoenix Open in Arizona where he bids
to emulate Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer and Johnny Miller with a
successful title defense.

The world number four romped to victory by five shots on
the Stadium Course at the TPC of Scottsdale last year and goes
into Thursday’s opening round as the pre-tournament favorite.

“I don’t think there’s any extra pressure trying to repeat,
but what I do feel are a lot of great memories to look back on
and to gain some momentum,” Mickelson told reporters on
Wednesday before playing a pro-am round.

Hogan won the title in 1946 and 1947, Palmer from 1961 to
1963 and Miller in 1974 and 1975.

Mickelson added: “What I have to fight is looking back and
saying: ‘Well, I remember I birdied here and eagled here, and
gosh, I only went par-par today, and I feel like I’m behind.’

“I don’t think I’ll ever shoot a round like I shot last
year, when I shot 60. I’ve got to be more patient and try to
play four more solid, steady rounds.”

SECOND SUCCESS

Left-hander Mickelson, who won the Phoenix Open for the
first time in 1996, paved the way for his second success 12
months ago with a blistering 11-under-par 60 in the second
round.

“When you get a hot round like that, you certainly expect
to win and put yourself in position to win,” he added.

This week, the U.S. PGA champion faces a strong field of
132 which includes five other members of the world’s top 12.

Second-ranked Vijay Singh, champion in 1995 and 2003, is
playing along with world number six Sergio Garcia, Chris
DiMarco (eight), Sony Open champion David Toms (nine) and Kenny
Perry (12).

Win or lose on Sunday, Mickelson plans to enjoy himself
over the next four days.

“This is one of my favorite weeks,” said the 35-year-old,
who is popularly known as Lefty. “I had one of my greatest
memories winning in ’96, and it was fun walking up the last
hole knowing that I had the title in hand.

“There’s a feeling that we get at this course, at this
tournament, with this many people that we don’t get anywhere
else. It’s pretty cool to have a chance to have won it now a
couple of times.”

POPULAR FIGURE

Mickelson, an Arizona State alumni, has always been a
popular figure at the best-attended PGA Tour event of the year.

Half a million fans are expected and most of them will
savor the grandstand atmosphere around the par-three 16th, the
noisiest hole in golf.

Mickelson does not view his Arizona links as a significant
personal benefit, though.

“I don’t think it’s an advantage, but it’s a cool
environment,” he said. “I think this is a unique tournament
from other Tour events because of that, because of the amount
of people this golf course can hold.

“The greatest thing about it is the last five, six holes
because they provide great risk reward. We see a lot of eagles,
we see a lot of doubles, we see a huge swing on the
leaderboard.

“It’s a tough course to protect the lead because there are
some risky shots. It provides an exciting finish.”

Mickelson will tee off at 0807 local (1607 GMT) with fellow
American Tim Petrovic and Fijian Singh in Thursday’s first
round.

(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles)