Phil Mickelson has shot to cap off controversial week with unlikely win

Phil Mickelson was embroiled in controversy this week and now he has an opportunity to cap it off with what can be a stunning first victory in a LIV golf occasion.

Mickelson, who shot a second-round 67 on Saturday, is 4 pictures behind chief Cam Smith heading into Sunday’s closing spherical of LIV Golf-Bedminster at Trump Nationwide.

Smith is 9-under par, adopted by Mickelson and Dean Burmeister, who’re 5-under.

Mickelson, who finished in a tie for second with Brooks Koepka in this year’s Masters, gained by Jon Rahm, has now gained since his unbelievable win within the 2021 PGA Championship when he was 50 to turn into golf’s oldest main champion.

“It’s been a pair years, and I might love getting again into that feeling of getting an opportunity to win and having every shot deliver that strain about,” mentioned Mickelson, who has been nowhere close to the leaderboard in every other LIV occasion this season.

Mickelson is No. 45 on the factors checklist, having not completed higher than fifteenth within the 48-man league.

Much more stunning, his good play comes after gambler Billy Walters released an excerpt from his book “Gambler: Secrets of a Life at Risk.”

Walters claimed Mickelson positioned greater than $1 billion in wagers over the past 30 years and wished Walters to position a $400,000 wager on the 2012 Ryder Cup by which Mickelson performed.

Mickelson, who additionally had a handshake with President Donald Trump earlier within the week, mentioned he has never bet on the Ryder Cup.

“I by no means wager on the Ryder Cup. Whereas it’s well-known that I all the time take pleasure in a pleasant wager on the course, I might by no means undermine the integrity of the sport,” he mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.

“I’ve additionally been very open about my playing dependancy. I’ve beforehand conveyed my regret, took duty, have gotten assist, have been totally dedicated to remedy that has positively impacted me and I be ok with the place I’m now.”

Mickelson, who has received support from fans on the occasion this week, did get ripped by Rory McIlroy, who’s competing in The FedEx St. Jude Championship, the primary playoff even on this 12 months’s PGA FedEx Playoffs.

“No less than he can wager on the Ryder Cup this 12 months as a result of he gained’t be part of it,” McIlroy advised reporters on Thursday when the information broke.

Mickelson solely can hope an sudden win Sunday can be a silver lining in a controversial week.

However it is going to be a troublesome activity overtaking Cam Smith, who gained the Open Championship at St. Andrews in 2022 and has already gained a LIV golf occasion this 12 months.

Smith had a double bogey early in his spherical and did effectively to not drop extra pictures across the center earlier than he picked up momentum on the finish.

“I most likely needed to lean on my brief recreation somewhat bit greater than I would need, however that’s the place it sort of helps having a nicer brief recreation,” Smith mentioned. “When issues aren’t going your method and you may grind by way of a spherical and make some good pars. You by no means know when the motive force and the irons are going to point out up and you can begin making birdies.”

— with AP