RICKIE FOWLER (8) def. PHIL MICKELSON (1), 6 and 5
In his 11 years playing this event, Mickelson has never been beaten as badly as he was Thursday by Fowler, the 22-year-old who seems to be quite at home in this match play format. Mickelson's previous worst loss came in 2005 when he lost to David Toms, 4 and 2.
While Fowler was near-flawless -- five birdies and one eagle (and another conceded eagle) to just one bogey -- Mickelson could not make anything happen Thursday. "I played great ... and Phil left a couple of doors open that I took advantage of." Mickelson actually led early, thanks to Fowler's lone bogey at the third.
But then the youngster bounced back with birdies at the fourth and fifth, the latter coming when drained a putt from outside 16 feet. Now with the lead, Fowler stayed out of trouble. He went 2 up with a birdie at the par-5 8th when his third shot from 105 yards landed inside three feet. Mickelson then found trouble on the ninth hole when his approach shot landed in the desert next to a rock.
His chip shot rolled into the rough on the far side of the green, and his chip back went back across the green into the rough -- hardly the kind of result you'd expect from the one of the game's top short players. After conceding the hole, Mickelson found himself 3 down. "I had a good handle on the match after 9," Fowler said. "That was the turning point there."
Fowler won three more holes on the back side, including the par-5 11th with an eagle putt from 20 feet and that conceded eagle at the 13th when he stuck his approach to 2 feet. Both times he used his 4-iron.
"I hit 'em both perfect," he said. "Really good golf swings."
Next opponent for Fowler: Matt Kuchar-Bo Van Pelt winner.
