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What to expect from Phil Mickelson at the Masters

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 4/3/23

Remember Lefty? You're going to hear a lot about him over the next couple of days.

At this time last year, one of the biggest storylines heading into the 2022 Masters was that Phil Mickelson wouldn't compete for his fourth green jacket after his controversial comments about LIV Golf's connection to Saudi Arabia cast him in a not-so-flattering light. Now Mickelson is returning to Augusta National — a course that has been very good to him in the past — but just how good will Mickelson, a 250-1 long shot at DraftKings, actually be in his first foray back under golf's biggest spotlight?

The Leap - Phil Mickelson's first major win at the Masters pic.twitter.com/IpUqou7tRY
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) April 11, 2020

It feels like it's been a while since anyone really focused on Mickelson's golf game. The spotlight on him for over a year has been on what words fall out of his mouth, starting with his comments about LIV Golf being funded by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund and the country's history of alleged human rights violations. The 52-year-old wasn't seen playing very much golf that season, although he noticeably missed the cut at both the U.S. Open and the British Open before officially joining the LIV Golf circuit. He has continued to be a mouthpiece for LIV Golf and was at the forefront of a lawsuit against the PGA Tour before dropping out, but the focus on his chosen profession has clearly fallen by the wayside.

So, just how well has Mickelson played since joining LIV Golf? Actually, not so well. He has only finished in the top 20 at two LIV Golf team events, both of which took place last year. In the three LIV Golf events that have taken place in 2023, Mickelson has finished 27th, 32nd and 41st. His team, HyFlyers GC, placed third in Chicago last season but has not placed higher than sixth in 2023.

If any of that indicates how well Mickelson will perform at the 2023 Masters, then his chances of finishing atop the leaderboard don't look so great.

There will still be plenty of attention focused on Phil Mickelson at the 2023 Masters, and you can bet there will be a large crowd if he is paired up with Tiger Woods to open up the event. But as far as his overall game goes, pulling off a major upset doesn't appear all that likely.

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