Golf's youth movement of Jason Day, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, along with the emergence of a consistent Dustin Johnson, have taken over the sport, but an older star like Phil Mickelson could surprise as a contender at the 2017 Masters.Mickelson has played well in major tournaments throughout his career, which resulted in three victories at Augusta, Georgia, and a runner-up finish in 2015. He has not won a major since the 2013 Open Championship, and this weekend could be his best chance to snag one more major at the tail of his career. However, he will need a strong opening round to avoid having to play from behind.Here is a look at Thursday's first-round schedule, including television and live-stream information. Keep in mind, certain groups can be viewed at Masters.com starting at 9:15 a.m. ET, and holes 15 and 16 can also be seen live starting at 11:45 a.m. A full list of Day 1 pairings and tee times can be found here.Despite his last major win being his only victory since 2013, Mickelson is still viewed as a threat to take the green jacket. According to OddsShark.com, Mickelson is tied for the seventh best odds of any player in the field. This makes him more of a favorite than younger big names like Adam Scott and Bubba Watson.The 46-year-old Mickelson could match Jack Nicklaus' mark as the oldest player to win the Masters. Nicklaus would not be surprised to see Mickelson challenge that mark either, as he explained to Joseph Person of theCharlotte Observer."I don't think he's probably playing his best golf right now but sometimes that changes very quickly," Nicklaus said. "Honestly, age is not an issue to him. He's a big guy and he's a long guy and he's got a great short game. I wouldn't be a bit surprised to find him in contention."In 2017, Mickelson only has two top-10 finishes in nine events, but his putting deftness and his history at Augusta gives him a chance to pull an upset this weekend.Mickelson is currently third on the tour in putting average at 1.69, according to PGATour.com. This means that he is converting when presented with birdie and eagle chances, and he is not losing strokes on the green. In major tournaments, this type of play keeps players relevant into Sunday.The main issue with Mickelson is how consistently he can earn these chances. He ranks a putrid 190th in the PGA with a 54.1 percent driving accuracy. As a result, he is only hitting 62.8 percent of greens in regulation, which is good for 195th on the tour.However, he feels Augusta suits his game well. He should be able to avoid landing himself in tough spots, which he explained to the Golf Channel's David Feherty, via his hat sponsor KPMG:On a course that features 14 Par 4 or 5 holes, hitting fairways and finding the green for quality putting opportunities will be the key to Mickelson's performance this weekend. He should do well in putting situations, but the quality of those chances could be damaged.The other aging player to watch this weekend is Sergio Garcia, long considered one of the best players to never win a major title.Garcia is flying under the radar at the Masters, as the 37-year old has not had the strongest start to his season. He has one top-10 finish in five PGA events, although he has a win on the European Tour.Augusta has not been kind to Garcia over his career. TheSpaniard has just one top-10 resulteighth place in 2013in his last 12 Masters appearances, which is a far cry from the fourth-place finish he garnered as an upcoming star in 2004.Garcia has finished within the top-four at all four majors, but he still has not broken through with a victory. Time is running out, and he knows it.He told Kirk Bohls of theAustin American-Statesmanthat although he is happy with his life and career, the major drought still lingers in his mind.I am satisfied with my career.Now, winning at least one major will be better.[...]I've had a great career that not many players can say. I've been in the top 10 probably 80 or 85 percent of my career. Obviously, I've seen other guys win a major but have done nothing else. I'd rather have my career than theirs. I'm healthy. My game's still in great shape. Now, when I'm 45, 46, maybe I'll worry if it hasn't happened.Unless Garcia can improve his putting game of late, his fruition will not come this weekend. Garcia ranks 137th in the PGA with a 1.78 putting average, which could be costly at a tricky course like Augusta. His poor drives and approaches could also snowball, as Garcia sports a save percentage of 51.5, which is 116th on the tour.If Garcia were to somehow break through this weekend with a victory, it would arguably be the story of the year in golf. However, his history and recent play suggest that any initial major will likely come elsewhere.Statistics are courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise noted.
Click here to read full news..
