Mark McMahon's Masters diary: How unflinching Phil Mickelson contributed to Rory McIlroy's slower-than-expected Augusta start
A fast start to his 17th Masters appearance was top of Rory McIlroy’s agenda as he teed off in the afternoon sunshine at Augusta National on Thursday.
But as we all know, it was more a case of best laid plans - not just with his opening day level-par 72 score, but also the time spent out on the course on day one.
McIlroy and playing partners Ludvig Aberg and Akshay Bhatia weren’t back into the sublime comfort of the Augusta locker room until near 7pm local time, after an exhausting five-and-a-half hours in the field of battle.
Slow best describes the pace set - a pedestrian level that even Tiger Woods would have been comfortable with amid his well-documented back problems.
Every shot, either from the tee or the fairway, took what seemed like an age - ensuring Augusta is just not a test of golfing ability, but staying power and endurance.
Just in front of McIlroy & Co were Xander Shauffle, Adam Scott and Vitkor Hovland, who were also caught up in the afternoon plod around the pristine Augusta National, which, in fairness, helped lessen the often tedious nature of the round.
But the trio must have thought at one point it was a Sunday fourball up ahead when a mysterious figure appeared on the seventh green ahead of their second shots.
To the untrained eye, some might have thought it was one of those imposters we see now and again at, for example, football matches, where a member of the public - in full kit - breaks the security line and gets himself pictured in the pre-match team shot.
On this occasion, though, the ropes hadn’t been breached as the well-groomed and unflappable man in front of the packed gallery took stock of the situation he found himself in - and despite Schauffler & Co studying the line for their forthcoming putts.
Indeed, it was only six-time Major winner and three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson - and it wasn’t as if the LIV Golf stalwart had decided to crash the party. Well, not in that respect.
As the proud holder of three green jackets, the 54-year-old has lifetime playing privileges at Augusta and was one of the earlier starters on day one. Yet it appears his expert knowledge of the Georgia course and skills needed to run out a winner here, temporarily got lost on him.
Indeed, a stray - no, make that obscenely stray - tee shot from the 17th, ended up well off line that it needed a different post code and just short of the green that McIlroy was approaching - causing an extra halt to proceedings.
It was the kind of shot that we’ve all hit at some point, resulting in embarrassing apologies to those around. Yet Mickelson remained cool, calm and collected in his Aviator shades - arrogant even - and amid sarcastic shouts from the patrons: ‘Are you lost, Phil?’, ‘Do you need a guide to help you round?’
Remaining unflinching, though, the American took his time to select the best route back from danger without a nod of acknowledgement to those he was holding up.
In fairness, Big Phil escaped with a bogey on his way to a three-over-par 75.
Yet he was slow to catch on that his unexpected presence was far from welcome - especially as the pace of play remained stuck in second gear throughout.