[77rexulceme]

Mental fatigue? Hahahaha...

http://espn.go.com/golf/story/_/id/8...age-being-hand

DUBLIN, Ohio -- The biggest distraction Jack Nicklaus ever faced on the golf course was from a helicopter.

It's an old story, but Nicklaus chuckled while recalling the time he lost his concentration when a chopper flew over Cherry Hills in the 1960 U.S. Open and he three-putted for bogey. Two years later, Nicklaus had gone three rounds without a three-putt in the 1962 U.S. Open at Oakmont when a helicopter approached as he played the first hole of the final round.

"I reverted and thought right back about it," Nicklaus said over the weekend. "It was the only three-putt I had in the whole tournament."

The issue at Memorial was cellphones, which contributed to Phil Mickelson withdrawing after an opening round of 79. Mickelson, Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler mentioned the vast number of fans taking pictures with their phones, to the point players had to back off their shots.

Mickelson is not afraid to send a message to the tour -- in this case, literally.

According to four people with direct knowledge, Mickelson sent a text message to PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem from the sixth fairway at Muirfield Village suggesting that a lack of policing fans with cellphones was getting out of hand.

Watson and Fowler laid the blame for Mickelson's withdrawal on fans who continually distracted Mickelson by snapping photos with cellphone cameras.

"Phil's a great player and a great champion, and it just took him out of his game. It's sad. It's sad that cellphones can make or break a championship," Watson said Thursday after shooting a 75.

According to four people with direct knowledge, Mickelson sent a text message to PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem from the sixth fairway at Muirfield Village suggesting that a lack of policing fans with cellphones was getting out of hand.
Watson said the tour rule on cellphone cameras isn't working. Fans are allowed to have them on the course if they are put on vibrate and used only in specific areas.

"It makes it very difficult," he said. "Ever since they made that rule that cellphones are allowed, it's just not fun playing."

Fowler, the third member of the marquee threesome that was followed by a huge gallery, said the clicks and snaps of the phone cameras affected Mickelson in particular.

"There were a few times when we had to back off and reset. You could see Phil was a little fatigued and was having trouble blocking it out a bit."

Police said about 50 phones were confiscated from the Watson-Fowler gallery Friday. According to the Golf Channel, volunteers estimated they took more than 100 devices from the gallery following Tiger Woods, Fred Couples and Bill Haas on Friday.

Mickelson withdrawing for what he called "mental fatigue" is not a tour violation. Players can withdraw for any reason after completing a round. Using a phone to send the commissioner a text is another matter, though the tour doesn't disclose any disciplinary actions.

If nothing else, one official said it got the tour's attention.

Mickelson doesn't mind taking criticism, even for pulling out of Nicklaus' tournament. He skipped the Tour Championship during a debate over the length of the PGA Tour season and decided not to play a FedEx Cup playoff event in the inaugural year to protest the inequity of the pro-am policy. Those close to the tournament host said Nicklaus wasn't bothered by Mickelson's decision to leave and never brought it up.

Last year, the tour began allowing fans to bring phones to the tournament so long as photos weren't taken during competition. There are designated areas to make calls. That's not going to stop fans from taking pictures, and most annoying are the people who don't switch the phones to silent.

Banning the policy isn't an option. The tour is moving forward in the digital age with programs to enhance the gallery's experience. Plus, the increase in attendance has been tangible this year. Nowadays, if fans can't bring their phones, they're more likely not to come at all.

The solution is to add security or volunteers to the two or three marquee pairings, and to take away phones from fans caught taking pictures (giving them a claim check to retrieve the phone at the end of the day). That's what happened on Friday, and there were no big incidents the rest of the way.

Information from ESPN.com's Bob Harig and The Associated Press was used in this report.

[IvJlNwum]

mickelson is a crybaby because of this? i guess he should have had bones rip everyone's cell phones from their hands and throw them in the nearest body of water.

[popillio]

mickelson is a crybaby because of this? i guess he should have had bones rip everyone's cell phones from their hands and throw them in the nearest body of water.

Withdrawing because of it? Yes.

Are you actually suggesting you wouldn't be ripping on Tiger for this exact same thing?

[YmolafBp]

Withdrawing because of it? Yes.

Are you actually suggesting you wouldn't be ripping on Tiger for this exact same thing?

i don't care about tiger. he's a has been at this point.

[Toossehew]

Tiger has taken PLENTY of flack because he's been pissed about cameras, etc.

And he takes more flack than anyone when he withdraws from a tournament.

[teodaschwartia]

i don't care about tiger. he's a has been at this point.

Post = care.

[CKDIWEQ]

Not to mention the other players were going through the same thing and none of them withdrew because of it.

[kranfid]

Post = care.

i'm posting about phil mickelson.

[JulieSmithXIV]

Tiger has taken PLENTY of flack because he's been pissed about cameras, etc.

And he takes more flack than anyone when he withdraws from a tournament.

I was thinking the same thing when I heard about this.
Hard to believe there can be anybody out there who is having his picture taken as much as Tiger, though maybe Bubba w/ his admittedly goofy swing is drawing his share of "amateur papparzzi". He even made some comment to the effect of everybody wanted a shot of the dancing monkey playing the game.

[tweriaroats]

i don't care about tiger. he's a has been at this point.

Yeah, Lots of has beens make up 4 shots on Sunday to win their 73rd PGA tournament.

[Htb48JBf]

i'm posting about phil mickelson.

You've posted about Tiger in the past few weeks. Or at least during the Masters. I'd put money on it.

So he's become a has been in the past couple months?

[PareKeect]

i don't care about tiger. he's a has been at this point.

Your timing is excellent.
BTW kobe, I see what you did here.

[leijggeds]

Yeah, Lots of has beens make up 4 shots on Sunday to win their 73rd PGA tournament.

i guess he's back. just like he was after bay hill.

[shinesw]

You've posted about Tiger in the past few weeks. Or at least during the Masters. I'd put money on it.

So he's become a has been in the past couple months?

i was posting about how he had no chance. which he didn't. hey you guys want to get excited about him chasing down a bunch of no names last sunday, go ahead.

[Unoloknovagog]

i was posting about how he had no chance. which he didn't. hey you guys want to get excited about him chasing down a bunch of no names last sunday, go ahead.

Do I even need to say that post = care?

Too bad all those other big names weren't in the running to chase anyone down. Although it is hard to even chase down someone using a cell phone when you are mentally fatigued.

[Ygxejxox]

i guess he's back. just like he was after bay hill.

Two tour victories this year. How many other players have that? Not Phil, that's for sure.

[SueveDobe]

Two tour victories this year. How many other players have that? Not Phil, that's for sure.

He'll get there. He's just mentally fatigued right now.

Although one could say he's been dealing with that diagnosis for much of his career.

[LxtdK9i4]

Do I even need to say that post = care?

Too bad all those other big names weren't in the running to chase anyone down. Although it is hard to even chase down someone using a cell phone when you are mentally fatigued.

well, when the tour finally does something about it now because of what phil did, it won't be a problem in the future. again though, just have your caddy grab the phones and cameras and toss them in the nearest body of water. much more mature way of handling things.

[zttrftwsq]

i was posting about how he had no chance. which he didn't. hey you guys want to get excited about him chasing down a bunch of no names last sunday, go ahead.

The Memorial always has one of the strongest fields in non-Major golf. Try again.

[bestonline]

Two tour victories this year. How many other players have that? Not Phil, that's for sure.

but he was back after bay hill! oh and then he went back to royally sucking balls again.