Pebble Beach Pro-Am: Phil Mickelson hits ‘number two’ best bunker shot ever to move to one back
- Mickelson moves within one shot of Canadian leader Nick Taylor
- ‘Lefty’ has won the Monterey event five times
Phil Mickelson has made a career out of a sublime short game, so when he describes a bunker shot as the second best of his life it is worthy of attention.
Mickelson holed a relatively routine 45-foot sand shot at the 13th hole during the third round at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California on Saturday, a feat that had the gallery cheering wildly.
But it was one that did not go in that prompted the 49-year-old to superlatives.
Mickelson’s tee shot at the famous short par-three seventh hugging the Pacific Ocean plugged in a bunker some 40 feet from the pin, a lie that meant he was unable to impart any significant backspin on the ball.
Never mind, the short-game wizard judged and executed the shot perfectly, landing the ball in long grass in front of the green and, aided by perhaps a touch of luck, watched in delight as it trundled up to tap-in distance.
The coy smile on Lefty’s face said it all, and he expanded afterwards on the shot.