Phil Mickelson Moves Into PGA Championship Lead

Mickelson, who is always tinkering, mentioned other tactics.

“I might try to elongate the time that I end up meditating, but I’m trying to use my mind like a muscle and just expand it,” he said.

Mickelson has also done something more customary for a struggling golfer, which is to put a new club in his bag. Off the tee, Mickelson has increasingly relied on an uncommon 2-wood. His brother and caddie, Tim, said the club was similar to one Mickelson had used in his last major championship victory, at the 2013 British Open.

“It basically goes 20 yards short of his driver,” Tim Mickelson said. “It’s like a 12½-, 13-degree, something like that. It basically goes plenty far, but having that smaller head, you just have a touch more confidence that it’s going to go straighter.”

Mickelson started Friday’s round on the back nine, where he fought 20-mile-an-hour winds, as did the rest of the field, and made the turn at two over par. But Mickelson had five birdies for a 31 on his closing nine — and he nearly eagled the par-5 seventh hole.

Twenty minutes after his round was over, the excitement of the moment had not diminished.

“To know I’m playing well heading into the weekend, to be in contention, to have a good opportunity,” Mickelson said. “I’m having a blast.”

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/21/sports/golf/pga-championship-phil-mickelson.html