Little clicks for Mickelson in final-round 72

Following a round where he's "fractionally off," as he dubbed Saturday's at the Masters, Phil Mickelson said the ensuing round is where his game typically clicks.

Aside from a four-hole stretch, however, Sunday was more of a clunker.

Mind you, Mickelson didn't blow up, but he also never really took off for a second straight day where he felt a really low score was attainable.

Mickelson made eight straight pars to finish his round and posted a final-round 72 to finish at 6-under 282 for the tourney, tied for 18th with Patton Kizzire and Adam Scott.

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Needing something historic to chase down a crowded leaderboard ahead of him, Mickelson instead delivered something rather ordinary.

"I don't know how to say it, but you have to go for it out here, attack this golf course," Mickelson said. "When you're dialed in, hitting your numbers and making putts, you can really light it up and a lot of guys have been doing that. It just didn't quite come together this week."

Mickelson opened the week with a 5-under 67 that put him in his favorite position, in contention at the Masters. But he couldn't capitalize.

After making seven birdies in the first round, Mickelson made only nine the rest of the week.

"Certainly it makes the moments you do come through and play your best that much more special because it's just not that easy to do," Mickelson said. "I've enjoyed the four- to six-week lead up to this tournament. I've enjoyed the process of trying to play my best here. Unfortunately, it didn't click this week, but it was a fun week and it was fun to be in contention on the weekend."

Mickelson made bogey to start his round Saturday and couldn't cash in for birdie on the par-5 No. 2. But starting on No. 3, the 46-year-old started a roll that made a charge seem possible.

He rolled in a 20-foot putt for birdie and nearly drained a 35-footer for birdie on No. 4, leaving it a foot short. Following that par, Mickelson made birdie on No. 5 when he nearly stuffed his approach from 215 yards, the ball coming to rest seven inches shy of the cup.

Riding the momentum, he stuck his tee shot on No. 6 to 10 feet and made his third birdie in four holes to get to 2 under for his round.

But just as he got rolling, Mickelson hit the brakes. He didn't make another birdie the rest of the way and gave back both strokes in the red with his double bogey on 10 when he drove it into the left trees and couldn't punch out on his first attempt.

"I drove it left there twice this week and made a five and a six," Mickelson said. "It happens."