Days after promising a strong finish, Phil Mickelson now struggling to clear cut at Masters 2025
Despite arriving at the 2025 Masters with some promising form, Phil Mickelson had a rough start to the tournament. He posted a 3-over-par 75 in Thursday’s opening round, leaving him well behind the leaders and tied for 63rd place, ten shots off the pace.
Mickelson struggled early, carding three bogeys on the front nine. Though he managed to pick up two birdies during the round, back-to-back bogeys on the final two holes left him with a disappointing finish to the day. In total, he made just three birdies and five bogeys.
Expectations were higher for Mickelson heading into the Masters this year. His recent performances on the LIV Golf circuit suggested a return to form, highlighted by a third-place finish in Hong Kong and a sixth-place result in Miami just last week. Those finishes had raised hopes of a strong showing at Augusta.
The 54-year-old left-hander is a three-time Masters champion and one of the event’s most decorated players. He hasn’t missed the cut at Augusta since 2016 and famously finished runner-up two years ago after a record-tying final round of 65, becoming the oldest player ever to do so.
Now, Mickelson faces a challenge in the second round. To make the cut and play the weekend, he must either move into the top 50 or finish within ten shots of the lead after Friday’s round.
He’ll be playing alongside Jason Day and Keegan Bradley in the second round, with the group scheduled to tee off at 1:12 p.m. ET on Friday, April 11.
Justin Rose leads the tournament after round one, firing a 7-under 65 to take a three-shot advantage. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler, Corey Conners, and last year’s runner-up Ludvig Aberg are all tied at 4-under.
Day two of the Masters will begin at 7:40 a.m. ET, with the trio of Austin Eckroat, Cameron Davis, and Rafael Campos leading off. Rose will start his second round at 8:52 a.m. ET, paired with J.J. Spaun and Max Homa. The final group of the day, featuring Tony Finau, Maverick McNealy, and Thomas Detry, is set to tee off at 1:45 p.m. ET.
