Phil Mickelson rediscovers putting touch

After 19 Masters Tourn­aments, Phil Mickelson still doesn’t feel like he knows Augusta National Golf Club’s greens well enough. And he’s won three green jackets.

“I wouldn’t say that I feel comfortable on those greens,” he said. “I think that the more you play them and the more you trust your reads you can putt them more confidently, but you’ll never feel comfortable on them, because you have to be so defensive or you’re going to have three or four 5-putts.”

Mickelson is again one of the pretournament favorites. He got his year off to a fast start with a win in February at Pebble Beach. Playing with Tiger Woods in the final round, Mickelson overcame a six-shot deficit Sunday to win by two and best Woods by nine.

Mickelson almost won the following week at the North­ern Trust Open, but lost in a playoff to Bill Haas.

“As far as Pebble, that was a big week for me. That was a big final round, because I really had not played to the level I thought I was playing in practice, and it had been a while since I had won,” Mickelson said about his 40th career PGA Tour win. “It did a lot to boost my confidence. It also gave me a lot of motivation to work hard and excitement for the upcoming events.”

That includes the Masters, where Mickelson has a track record of success. Since 1995, he has posted 13 top-10 finishes.

“I just love playing there,” he said. “Augusta Nat­ional, with maybe a Cy­press Point, a St. Andrews, courses that I have this genuine love for, I get excited the night before just to go play it. I try to go as much as I can to Augusta beforehand. It gets me excited to practice and work hard.”

Mickelson is looking to rebound after last year, his worst showing since 1997, when he missed the cut.

Mickelson had plenty of momentum entering the 2011 Masters. Coming off a win at the Houston Open the week before, he was bidding to become the No. 1 player in the world by defending his title in Augusta. He also was vying for a fourth green jacket.

But Mickelson never got on track. After opening rounds of 70-72, he trailed leader Rory McIlroy by eight at the halfway mark. Lefty struggled with his putting (he took 122 putts) and finished in a tie for 27th.

Mickelson said after his play on the West Coast earlier this year he has figured out his putting. And now he might be able to solve the tricky Augusta greens.

“I hit the ball great the last couple of years, and this year I can roll it again and it feels terrific. And I believe I’m going to make them even when I don’t,” he said. “I feel good; the putter just feels good in my hands. I just feel really good on the greens. I’m just happy to be back in the mix.”