Mickelson thinks Woods will have 'last laugh'

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 9:41 p.m. ET

foxsports

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Phil Mickelson says Tiger Woods will have the last laugh on critics talking about a short game in disarray.

Mickelson said Wednesday at Torrey Pines that Woods has one of the best short games of all time, and that his overall game is the best ever. Mickelson says the short game can feel uncomfortable when a player has been away from the game.

Woods shot 82 in the Phoenix Open, the highest score of his career. It was only his second competition in six months because he took time off to recover from back surgery.

Mickelson says everyone has stretches of feeling uncomfortable. He says chipping is such a short swing that it's not hard to fix. He doesn't see Woods' problems lasting more than few weeks.