Phil Mickelson, who made the 36-hole cut on the number at 5-over par on Friday, doubled that number in Saturday’s third round of the PGA Championship at Oak Hill.
The 52-year-old Mickelson, two years removed from his PGA Championship victory at Kiawah Island to become the oldest player to a major championship, shot a 5-over-par 75 on Saturday to stand 10-over for the tournament, 16 shots behind leader Brooks Koepka.
Mickelson, who finished runner-up at the Masters last month despite not having distinguished himself in any of the LIV Golf tournaments he’s played, on Friday insisted there was a low round out there.
Yet he simply never got anything going and never birdied a hole Saturday.
He took a double bogey on No. 2 and bogeyed Nos. 6, 9 and 16.
“I thought it was a fun, fair test,’’ Mickelson said after his round. “I really enjoyed the challenge. We saw some good scores out there. It’s doable. I mean, there’s birdie holes out there. It’s not impossible. It’s just playing difficult. But if you play well, I think you can shoot under par here.’’
For Mickelson, this has been somewhat of a milestone week.
Friday marked the 100th career cut he’s made in a major championship. He’s tied with Jack Nicklaus and Raymond Floyd for most made cuts at the PGA Championship at 27.
The first cut in a major championship Mickelson ever made was in 1990 at Medinah outside of Chicago.
He’s won six majors in his Hall of Fame career, missing only a U.S. Open, a which he’s finished runner-up six times.
