Phil Mickelson says he hopes he can put his disappointing start to 2012 behind him by recapturing former glories at the Phoenix Open this week (Mickelson – 25/1 Tournament Outright).

“Lefty” struggled badly in January , finishing tied for 49th at the Humana Challenge and missing the cut at last week’s Farmers Insurance Open.

Mickelson has been unable to pick up his game after a less than stellar 2011 for the American, his victory at the Shell Houston Open last April his only success since his Masters win in 2010.

Some have begun questioning whether at 41 his best years are behind him but Mickelson is hopeful that isn’t the case ahead of the Phoenix Open.

The four-time major champion won the Phoenix Open way back in 1996 and he has a soft spot for Arizona having been raised in Scottsdale and attended Arizona State College.

Mickelson is hopeful he can put on a show for the notoriously raucous crowd at TPC Scottsdale.

“I’m excited about this year and I’m ready to play,” Mickelson said on Wednesday after his pro-am round.

“I don’t know what happened last week. I’m going to put it as something I’m going to shrug off because my practice sessions have been really good.

“I was able to take it a little bit better to the course today.

“I hit a lot of good shots today, so bringing it from the practice session to the tournament, that’s my challenge right now.”

Mickelson is likely to have his work cut out if he is to win his first PGA Tour event of the year, with Webb Simpson (16/1 – Tournament Outright) and last week’s Farmers Open winner Brandt Snedeker (18/1) both standing in his way.