Phil Mickelson
His 2012 so far: Mickelson's season has been a mixed bag. He started the year with a missed cut at the Farmers Insurance, won at Pebble Beach with a brilliant final round 64, and then went T-43, T-24 through a portion of the Florida Swing. He posted a T-4 at the Shell Houston Open just last week, so it looks like Phil's game is trending upward at the moment.
His record at the Masters: With three wins, four thirds, a fifth and a T-5, T-6, two T-7s and a 10th since '95, it's gotten to a point where he could literally show up and post a top-10 finish at the Masters. With the exception of Tiger Woods, no one in the field has had more success at Augusta National than Phil Mickelson.
Why he could win: Because he's Phil Mickelson. There are a few guys in golf you'd pick to win a major no matter how they're playing, and Mickelson is certainly one of them. He knows the course like the back of his hand and always has three green jackets in his locker at Augusta National. You'd be crazy to bet against a guy with that much success at one place.
Why he could fall short: Because he's Phil Mickelson. For every final round 64 he has up his sleeve, you know there's always a chance he could show up and post a couple big rounds. That's rarely happened at the Masters over the years, but given Mickelson's unpredictable game, you just never know. Plus, the putter went south over the weekend at the Shell Houston Open (including a couple three-putts and a number of missed putts inside five feet). It makes you wonder if the flatstick will be an issue this week.
Our take: Mickelson always seems to rise to the occasion when he's flying under the radar at the Masters. Well, that seems to be the case this year with Rory and Tiger headlining the tournament. But even with the low profile, he'll come up a couple shots short on Sunday.
And you? What's your take on Phil Mickelson's odds this week?
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