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After being criticized for his lackluster play in LIV’s inaugural events last year (he was in the top 10 at LIV Chicago, where he finished eighth), Phil Mickelson has recently made a comeback.
Although his first three tournaments of the 2023 season at LIV looked the same as last year, with Mickelson hanging at the bottom of the leaderboard at 27th, 32nd and 41st respectively, his performance at the Masters tournament seemingly changed everything.
Mickelson shocked the golf world with rounds of 71-69-75-65 (-8) to finish second to fellow Leaf player Brooks Koepka, four shots shy of John Rahm’s winning tally.
Mickelson followed up this performance with the second best finish of his LIV career, a T11 at LIV Adelaide.
This week, he plays LIV in Singapore, where Mickelson is currently on track to achieve his best ever result on the Saudi-backed circuit. Consecutive rounds of five under 66 (-10) at Sentosa Golf Club have him owning a solo 7th with one round left to play.
So what does it give?
Mickelson provided some evidence of his success after the second round, when a reporter asked if losing weight was helping him combat Singapore’s warm, humid climate.
“I think so. I think it made a huge impact,” Mickelson said. “But there are a few other things that have helped me. My brother, the caddy, Tim, has been very helpful. I was using an umbrella that provided plenty of direct sunlight, as well as a cool wet towel draped over the back of my neck which kept the temperature down. It has really helped me to be able to think more clearly throughout the day without feeling overheated.
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“Then I kind of liked the hot temperature because my body is more flexible, it doesn’t constrict, and I’m able to create a little bit more speed, and so I ended up playing a little bit better,” he said. “But the challenge is not frantic.”
Sharpening his focus has been a big problem for Mickelson over the years, and when he gets it right – like he did when he won the 2021 PGA Championship – he can compete with the best in the world, even at the age of 52.
Can Mickelson continue his hot streak? Time will tell. The third and final round begins in Singapore at 8:05 PM ET on Saturday.