Phil Mickelson ranks 30th on TOUR
on approach shots from 75-100 yards.
By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM The last time Phil Mickelson
took a shot worth this much, he nearly jarred it to beat Bubba
Watson at the 2011 Farmers Insurance Open. Mickelson’s caddie
tended the flag from 72 yards out that day as one of the
game’s best wedge players tried to hole the shot for birdie
to tie Watson and force a playoff. This time, Mickelson will be
attempting a similar shot from 100 yards out. At halftime of
tonight’s Broncos-Chargers game at Qualcomm Stadium in San
Diego, the left-hander will be located in one end zone, aiming for
a target in the other end zone, which will have a green and three
rings ranging in the $1 million “KPMG Chip4Charity”
shot to benefit First Book, a non-profit organization that provides
books for children in need. Hitting the green is worth
$50,000/20,000 books, the outer ring $100,000/40,000 books and the
center ring bulls-eye $1 million/400,000 books. Since 2003, Phil
Mickelson has hit 13.5 percent of his approach shots from 95 to 105
yards (from the fairway) within 5 feet of the pin. His average
proximity to the hole from this distance is 16 feet, 9 inches. On
average, Mickelson hits one in five approach shots from this
distance within 7 feet of the pin and one in three within 10 feet
of the pin. This year, Mickelson ranks 30th in approach shots from
75-100 yards. KPMG’s Family for Literacy partnered with
Mickelson and First Book to create KPMG’s “Blue for
Books” program in March 2012. The program encourages fans to
purchase Mickelson’s authentic blue KPMG Tour hat at
PhilsBlueHat.com
. KPMG donates 100 percent of the net proceeds to First Book,
which provides deserving children three books for each hat sold.
“My wife, Amy, and I, feel strongly that literacy and
education are critical to the future success of today’s
youth," Mickelson said. "I am extremely proud to be part of the
Blue for Books campaign and it’s just great to know that for
every blue hat I see out in the gallery each week, three new books
are in the hands of kids who need them most.” Complete
information about the “Blue for Books” program can be
found by following KPMG’s Mickelson sponsorship Twitter
handle
(@MickelsonHat
) or by visiting
PhilsBlueHat.com
. Do you think Mickelson will hit the green? The outer ring? Or
the bulls-eye? Discuss below.