SIGN UP Golf Digest Logo
SUBSCRIBE
The Loop
News & Tours
The Loop

"Phil Was Here": A Barclays tradition continues with Mickelson's latest memorable recovery shot

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- At the 2014 Barclays at Ridgewood Country Club, Phil Mickelson hit shots from the same hospitality tent on the fifth hole on back-to-back days. The highlights went viral and prompted the PGA Tour to start a fun "Phil was here" Twitter campaign after someone on Ridgewood's staff spray-painted those words on the spots of astroturf from which Phil played his recovery shots.

People got really creative in praising Mickelson's magical ability to escape some tough spots:

And in Thursday's opening round at the Barclays, Mickelson added another memorable recovery shot to lore, this time, on Bethpage Black's 16th hole. Well, sort of.

After a drive into the heavy left rough, Mickelson slashed a second shot that went dead right and wound up nearer to the 17th hole. But from about 40 yards -- and barely able to make out the pin with fescue and mounded bunkers in between him and the green -- lefty launched a high flop shot that just landed on the right side of the green and then funneled down to about two feet from the cup, setting up a tap-in par and causing roars from the Bethpage Black crowd.

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be video of the remarkable recovery, but here's how it looked on PGA Tour Shot Tracker:

And here's the spot where Phil hit from:

I didn't have any spray paint on me, so that will have to do for now.


Golf Digest Logo

The Hit List

The best of Golf Digest delivered daily

Sign Up

Will be used in accordance with our PRIVACY POLICY

Share story