Days after promising a strong finish, Phil Mickelson now struggling to clear cut at Masters 2025

Modified Apr 11, 2025 13:58 GMT

PGA: Masters Tournament - First Round - Source: Imagn — Phil Mickelson at the Masters 2025 (Image Source: Imagn)

Despite coming to the Masters 2025 with some good performances this season, Phil Mickelson had a disappointing start to the week. He shot a 3-over 75 in the opening round and is now on the wrong half of the leaderboard.

On Thursday, April 10, Mickelson carded a 3-over 75 in the first round of the Masters 2025. He picked up just three birdies, bogeyed five holes, and was tied for 63rd, ten strokes back.

Mickelson had a nightmare start as he bogeyed three holes on the front nine. He tried to recover with a couple of birdies before bogeying the final two holes to finish a forgettable round.

Ahead of the 2025 Masters week, Phil Mickelson was expected to do well, considering his recent performances felt like he had found a new form. He had posted two top-6 finishes in four LIV Golf appearances before this week. His best result came in Hong Kong, where he finished solo third. Last week, he finished sixth in Miami.

The six-time major winner is one of the most successful players at the Masters. He has won three times at Augusta National and is one of only eight players to do so. He hasn’t missed the cut here since 2016, and two years ago, he became the oldest player to finish runner-up after a record 65 on Sunday.

Now, the 54-year-old veteran will require a low second round to get inside the top 50 and qualify for the weekend. He can also make the cut if he finishes within ten strokes of the lead after Day 2.

When will Phil Mickelson tee off at the Masters 2025?

Phil Mickelson is grouped with Jason Day and Keegan Bradley for the second round of the Masters 2025. The trio will tee off on Friday, April 11, at 1:12 p.m. ET.

Following the first round, Justin Rose holds a three-shot lead over the field. He carded an impressive 7-under 65 to take the early lead. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler is tied with Corey Conners and last year’s runner-up, Ludvig Aberg, at 4-under.

Day 2 action at Augusta National will begin on Friday at 7:40 a.m. ET, with Austin Eckroat, Cameron Davis, and Rafael Campos as the first group to tee off. Rose is paired with J.J. Spaun and Max Homa and will tee off at 8:52 a.m. ET. Tony Finau, Maverick McNealy, and Thomas Detry will tee off at 1:45 p.m. ET as the final group of the day.

About the author

Shobhit is one of Sportskeeda’s most seasoned golf journalists, having already authored 3600+ articles and received nearly 5.7 million reads. Prior to his current role, he worked with the Asiana Times after completing his MSc in Geology, giving him a solid foundation in understanding the terrain, variety and challenges posed by various golf courses.

He is a keen follower of the sport and keeps himself updated about the latest trends, news and updates via social media and various news platforms. Shobhit is also methodical about accuracy, going through multiple articles from leading media houses and reputed sources before writing his own. Simultaneously, he specializes in writing reader-friendly content that conveys the necessary information in simple language.

Shobhit was a fan of Tiger Woods growing up, but of late, Nelly Korda, Scottie Scheffler and Ludvig Aberg have caught his attention.

He likes to spend his downtime singing and writing, while he is also an avid watcher of cricket and tennis.

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Edited by Shobhit Kukreti