Phil Mickelson and birdies: They just kind of go together. Eagles, too. But on Thursday in the opening round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, Mickelson didn't record a single birdie or eagle. Not one.
Mickelson made 17 pars at Abu Dhabi G.C. before closing out the round with a bogey at the ninth hole. He trails Matthew Baldwin, Romain Wattel and Rafael Cabrera-Bello by six shots heading into the second round of his 2014 debut.
Reflecting on the round, the reigning Open champion couldn't remember the last time he didn't put at least one circle on his scorecard.
“I can’t recall the last time I had a round without a birdie,” he said.
After some research, we found the answer. Mickelson hasn't played a round without at least a birdie in it since the final round of the 2012 U.S. Open, when he closed out at The Olympic Club with a nonchalant 78. That's a span of 126 rounds for Mickelson.
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