Phil Mickelson is playing in his 30th PGA Championship, and when he finishes his round on Sunday it will mark 27 times he has played 72 holes in the championship. In fact, when he made the cut Friday, it was the 100th time he made the cut at a major. (This week is his 119th major start.)
“It shows that I've had a lot of great experiences in the game of golf and that I've had a lot of great years and opportunities and I guess life experiences; playing in these tournaments is something I'm very appreciative of,” Mickelson, 52, a winner of six majors, said after his third-round 75.
“I mean, it just shows how old I am, I guess, and how many years I've been playing. But it's been really fun to participate in so many great events and play well in them.”
Mickelson battled back after shooting 39 on his opening nine in the rain on Saturday, shooting 1-over 36 on the back. In three rounds, he has made only three birdies (none Saturday), but has been very complimentary of the test.
Balls squirting off wet clubfaces and thick, damp rough made Oak Hill play more challenging in the rain, he said, though making putts became a little easier with some of the fire out of the greens.
“I really enjoyed the challenge. We saw some good scores out there,” Mickelson said. “It's doable. I mean, there's birdie holes out there. It's not impossible. It's just playing difficult. But if you play well, I think you can shoot under par here.”
