CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Phil Mickelson is not one to ever miss the subtly of the moment, so when he entered the Quail Hollow press room Wednesday afternoon he deadpanned, “Didn’t you guys see my video?”
It was classic Lefty and a not-so-subtle jab at Tiger Woods, who skipped this week’s pre-tournament news conference at the Wells Fargo Championship and instead posted a video on his website answering questions he’d received from fans via social media.
The one-liner was not lost on the room full of scribes, who broke into laughter, but Mickelson’s best moment may have come when he was asked his philosophy on not playing to lose and last month’s disappointment at the Masters.
“When I look back on that Masters I don’t look at it as a mistake, (whereas) the ’06 U.S. Open where I hit a tree with my second shot,” Mickelson said. “Most people look at that and think the drive (at the 72nd hole) was what cost me that tournament. I drove it like that the whole week.”
Mickelson went on to explain that his triple-bogey 6 on the fourth hole on Sunday at Augusta National was more a question of math than it was any misplayed shots.
“At the Masters I don’t have a shot like (the ’06 Open) because quite honestly it’s in my miss area,” he said. “Unfortunately (his tee shot at No. 4) hit the metal rail and went 30 yards left into the trees and it happens.”