Phil Mickelson blames 'brutal' rough for his Ryder Cup woes
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Updated 05/10/2018 at 07:04 GMT
Phil Mickelson failed to record a single point for the United States in their lopsided Ryder Cup defeat to Europe last weekend and the American says he no longer has any interest in playing courses that feature "brutal rough".
Phil Mickelson - Ryder Cup 2018
Image credit: Getty Images
In his 12th Ryder Cup appearance, Mickelson was restricted to only two matches at Le Golf National in Paris. He partnered Bryson DeChambeau to a foursome's defeat on the opening day and was not seen again until the Sunday singles, where he lost to British Open champion Francesco Molinari.
It was the first time he failed to contribute even a half-point to the United States' cause as the visitors relinquished the Cup after a 17 1/2 to 10 1/2 defeat.
Mickelson was clearly not a fan of the course, and told reporters on Thursday at the Safeway Open in Napa, California:
I’m 48, I’m not going to play tournaments with rough like that anymore. It’s a waste of my time. I’m going to play courses that are playable, and I can play aggressive, attacking, make lots of birdies type of golf I like to play. The fairways were 14 to 16 yards wide. The fact is they had brutal rough, almost unplayable and that’s not the way I play," he added. "I don’t play like that.
Reports continue to surface about problems behind the scenes at Team USA, with suggestions that Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson clashed after the defeat. But Mickelson said there had been no disharmony in the American camp.
“We had one of the best weeks as far as team mates and working together,” he said. “I don’t know what to say, I didn’t see any of that stuff happen – I only saw one of the best weeks and team unity that we’ve had in a long time.”
Our View
The rough at Le Golf National was on the cusp of being excessive, but presumably that's because the European team were more than aware that Americans hate playing on courses with thick rough. It's a regular complaint from USA golfers who have grown up learning their game on the yawning fairways and manicured grounds of American-style courses.
But the beauty of golf is the contrasting nature of courses across the globe and the demands that places on an individual's game.
And, after all, if you bring a team of golfers to a competition who can't drive straight then don't be surprised if the hosts set up a course that will punish that weakness.
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