{"id":1243194,"date":"2023-04-10T12:26:11","date_gmt":"2023-04-10T12:26:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/golftoday.co.uk\/phil-mickelson-hopes-second-place-at-masters-will-be-a-stepping-stone\/"},"modified":"2023-11-29T18:53:12","modified_gmt":"2023-11-29T18:53:12","slug":"phil-mickelson-hopes-second-place-at-masters-will-be-a-stepping-stone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/golftoday.co.uk\/phil-mickelson-hopes-second-place-at-masters-will-be-a-stepping-stone\/","title":{"rendered":"Phil Mickelson hopes second place at Masters will be a \u2018stepping stone\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Phil Mickelson hopes he can use his surprise second place in the Masters as a “stepping stone” for the rest of his career.<\/p>\n

Mickelson began the final round 10 shots off the lead held by Brooks Koepka, but as Koepka faded it was the 52-year-old American who put the most pressure on eventual winner Jon Rahm.<\/p>\n

Five birdies in the last seven holes gave Mickelson a superb final round of 65, equalling his lowest score at Augusta from the first round 27 years ago.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Jon
Jon Rahm celebrates winning the Masters at Augusta National (Jae C. Hong\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

That set the clubhouse target on eight under par with Rahm 10 under as he tackled the treacherous Amen Corner, but the Spaniard emerged unscathed before birdies on the 13th and 14th effectively secured his second major title.<\/p>\n

While three of Mickelson’s six major victories have come at Augusta National, his late charge came on the back of recent form showing just two top-20 finishes from 10 LIV events, which only have a 48-man field.<\/p>\n

And it also came a year after he sat out the Masters following the fall-out from his explosive comments about the Saudi-funded breakaway and the PGA Tour, with chairman Fred Ridley forced to deny suggestions he had been disinvited.<\/p>\n

Mickelson has been noticeably subdued since then and “didn’t speak at all” at the pre-tournament Champions Dinner, 1979 winner Fuzzy Zoeller told Golfweek.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Clubhouse leader. #themasters<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/knz660UE7F<\/a><\/p>\n

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 9, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n