Lefty ‘left too many shots out there’

Phil Mickelson believes he was putting two much strain on his short-game after a second-round 72 at the Masters.

Phil Mickelson believes he was putting two much strain on his short-game after carding a disappointing second-round 72 at the Masters on Friday.

The defending champion, whose class around the greens helped him save par several times in his opening 70, paid the price for a further loss of focus on his way to the greens on day two.

The left-hander birdied the second but missed the green at the third, fifth and sixth and failed to get up and down for a par each time.

He got back on track with birdies at seven, eight and 10, but then let another shot slip at 11 before closing with seven straight pars to remain at two under.

“I left too many shots out there,” he said. “I had six up and downs that were not hard and I didn’t make them.

“Fortunately I am not in that bad a position and I can get back in it, but I can’t afford this coming weekend to leave those shots out there.

“These next two days are my favourite two days of the year and you can make up a lot of ground.”

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