MICKELSON, HYFLYERS GC COME UP JUST SHORT IN SEMIFINALS
MIAMI – Phil Mickelson had the fans cheering early and often. It started on the first tee, continued when he hit driver from the rough and persisted when he made a late charge in one of the best match play competitions in recent memory.
And while it came up just short for Mickelson, conversations about the remarkable shot-making will continue for a long time.
Mickelson and Dustin Johnson squared off in a dream match at the Team Championship in Miami with plenty of partygoers, celebrities and diehard followers in attendance, and it didn’t disappoint. In the end, Johnson, the captain for 4Aces Golf Club, defeated Mickelson, the captain for HyFlyers Golf Club, by a narrow 2&1 score.
“I've played a lot of golf with Phil and I knew it was going to be a good match,” Johnson said. “It always is.”
Mickelson and Johnson played together in match play during the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor in Wales but lost both of their matches 3&2.
This time, the match play format was the same, but they were competing against each other. And before they even made it to the first green, it was clear this would be special.
On the par-5 first hole, Mickelson pushed his drive into the left rough, then with trees in front of him and a LIV Golf sign nearby, he hit driver – yes, driver – well up the fairway and went on to eventually win the hole. It was classic Phil.
Meanwhile, HyFlyers GC’s Cameron Tringale continued his sparking play and won four of the first five holes against 4Aces GC’s Patrick Reed to go 4-up. Tringale rarely wavered and held the same 4-up lead with four to play before closing out the match 4&3 to earn HyFlyers GC a point.
But it would be the lone point for Mickelson’s team. HyFlyers GC’s James Piot and Brendan Steele found themselves 3-down through seven holes against 4Aces GC’s Pat Perez and Peter Uihlein. The hole was too big to climb out of, and the Perez/Uihlein tandem went on to win 4&3.
It was then up to Mickelson to try and beat Johnson to earn his team’s critical final point, which would earn the right to compete for the season-long team title on Sunday. Mickelson won the 14th hole to climb back to 1-down, then Johnson hit a shank on the par-3 15th, leading to Mickelson winning again and squaring the match with three to play.
“It was solid,” Johnson said with a smile as he talked about the shank. “Right square on the hosel.”
Johnson quickly put it out of his mind and made birdie on the 16th to regain a 1-up lead. He ended it on the next hole by drilling a 5-footer for birdie.
Sunday’s format for the finals will be stroke play. All 48 players will compete in a shotgun start, and all four scores will count toward the team’s score.
The four semifinal winners from Saturday will be in Tier 1 for the finals and the team champion will come from that group. The four teams eliminated after Saturday’s semifinals, which includes HyFlyers GC, will be in Tier 2, fighting for 5th-8th place. Lastly, the four teams that were eliminated after Friday’s quarterfinals will be in Tier 3 and will compete for 9th-12th place.