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FedEx Cup: Is Phil Mickelson mounting a late-season comeback?

By Yash Padhye

NORTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 04: Phil Mickelson of the United States plays his shot from the fourth tee during the final round of the Dell Technologies Championship at TPC Boston on September 4, 2017 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)
NORTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 04: Phil Mickelson of the United States plays his shot from the fourth tee during the final round of the Dell Technologies Championship at TPC Boston on September 4, 2017 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images) /
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Phil Mickelson hasn’t lived up to his usually high expectations much of this year. After making the Presidents Cup team as a captain’s pick, is he finally ready to turn things around for good?

Phil Mickelson has seemed to struggle over the past few years. But, over this year Mickelson has been playing decent rounds of golf.

Last week, U.S. President’s Cup captain Steve Stricker added Mickelson to the U.S. team’s roster.

Stricker told golfworld.com, “He’s been on 20-plus teams. He’s an important part of all these teams. He, too, is starting to play better. He guarantees me he’s on the right track.”

Mickelson has yet to miss a Presidents Cup roster, making all 12 for Team USA. He is getting back into the groove this season. He’s had five top-10 finishes this season, including a seventh place finish and a tie for fifth place at two World Golf Championship events.

Mickelson turning his season around in the FedEx Cup

Out of 21 tournaments that Mickelson’s played this season, he’s only missed two cuts. Along with his five top-10s, he’s had 12 top-25 finishes this season as well. Mickelson is also very consistent this season with shooting scores under par.

Over the last couple of years, Mickelson has had fluctuating rounds where he would shoot a round under par and then shoot another round over par.

At the Dell Technologies Championship, Mickelson was offered advice by a young golf fan on how he should hit his shot. Always a man of the people, Mickelson told the kid that he could caddie for him whenever he wanted. It remains to be seen if that offer will hold up, of course.

https://twitter.com/PGATOUR/status/904904956611878912

Mickelson has struggled with health concerns in the past and it has been no different this season. At the Dell Technologies tournament last week in Boston, he had a flare-up of his psoriatic arthritis, and seems to have gotten some good help from his doctors.

Mickelson told Golf Channel, “After the PGA [Championship], I went and addressed it and met with the doctor that helped me get through some of the arthritis conditions.”

Heading into the President’s Cup in a couple of weeks should give Mickelson some confidence about his game. Mickelson has been on every single U.S. President’s Cup team since 1994.

Mickelson is not too worried about the golf, but just to soak in the experience. He told ESPN, “There’s been some incredible experiences, and I think that what has been so fun, the relationships that have lasted, and going back to 1994, my first one.”

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The sky’s the limit for Mickelson. He seems to have put his recent struggles behind him and he’s playing more focused golf. Mickelson will bring experience and skill to this Presidents Cup team. Will we see the old, aggressive Mickelson at Liberty National in New York in two weeks?

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