Mickelson left perplexed

[levina]

Mickelson has won Mizuno MP-59 Iron Set
at Torrey Pines, but he looked all at sea on Thursday despite near-perfect scoring conditions on the South Course.

The four-time major champ mixed five bogeys and two birdies for his five-over-par score to end the day a full 15 shots off the lead.

He even had two great opportunities for birdies on the final two holes, but failed to convert them as he posted his second highest score ever at an event he has played in 23 times.

\"I had some good days of practice and I was ready to playMizuno MP-59 Iron Set
,\" Mickelson told reporters. \"I don\'t know what happened. I just wasn\'t able to focus.

\"Obviously, I made some bad swings just in the wrong spots and so forth, but I felt like my game was ready heading in. I don\'t know what to say about the score because it was pathetic.\"

Asked why he had trouble focusing, he replied: \"I just didn\'t put the ball where I wanted to and see it clearly. I ended up making a lot of swings where I missed the ball in the wrong spot.\"

Mickelson was bullish ahead of the event, saying he fully expected to be in the running come Sunday, but much like after his first round at the Humana Challenge last week, a two-over 74, he has left himself with a lot of work to do. Mizuno MP-59 Iron Set

\"It\'s a little disappointing that the first round here and the first round last week have been so poor, because I felt really ready and sharper than I have in a long time starting the year,\" he said. \"So to shoot those numbers, I don\'t get it.\"

At least he will play his second round on the much easier North Course, leaving him with a glimmer of hope of making the cut.

\"There is an opportunity tomorrow to go really low over on the North if you playMizuno MP-59 Iron Set
well,\" he said. \"I birdied 17 today and I thought I had a birdie on 18, but I missed that little one there.