Mickelson: Greens Are So Fast Only A Handful Of Guys Could Win

Now this is one statement that makes you certainly sit up and take notice.  My friends at Augusta have all reported one thing back to me; even in practice the greens are lightning fast, definitely cranked up a notch from last year.

Its an observation that hasn’t been lost on Phil Mickelson who says it takes a whole chunk of the field

out of the equation.  In fact he mentions that potentially one of only a dozen guys with huge course experience could win if they keep the speeds high. Here’s why.

What I saw today, were the greens getting back to what I call Masters speed.  If that happens, it's a lot less.  Because if that happens, the subtleties and the nuances and the penalty of Augusta National will come through.
And then players who have had multiple years playing here and know how to play certain holes, how to play certain pin placements will have a distinct advantage.  Players that don't have find the ball going to places they don't want it to go and fighting it and feeling like it's not fair and what have you.  When you're used to it and accustomed to it, you know that's what the ball is going to do and you have to go over here, just go over there and take your par and what have you; the course doesn't beat you up.  You feel more patient, take advantage of the other holes that are birdieable and you don't feel like you're fighting all the time and giving shots away.

If that's the case, if the scores plays firm and fast conditions, I think you're looking at less than a dozen.  But if it doesn't, I think you're looking at almost half the field.

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Now that it is very interesting indeed.  The question is who is Phil counting into that dozen?  Himself for sure, Lee Westwood, Angel Cabrera , Matt Kuchar, maybe even Hunter Mahan and co?

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