Mickelson wants shot at making Cup team

PHIL Mickelson only realised a few days ago his proud streak of qualifying for 20 consecutive Presidents Cup teams was over.

Even if he were to win the Deutsche Bank Championship this week, he could not finish among the top 10 players who automatically qualify for the Presidents Cup. That leaves him one important week to at least make an impression as a captain’s pick.

“I would love to be on the team,” Mickelson said yesterday after his pro-am round at the TPC Boston.

“If I can play well this week, hopefully I’ll have a chance to be a pick. And if I do, then I’ll keep playing to try to stay sharp. If I don’t play well this week and I’m not a pick, then I’m not sure what I’ll do hereafter.”

It’s one of the most impressive streaks in golf, a testimony to two decades of Mickelson consistently playing at a high level. He qualified for the first Presidents Cup in 1994, and then qualified for every Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup since then.

Tiger Woods was playing his third tournament as a pro during the 1996 Presidents Cup team. He missed the 2008 Ryder Cup with a knee injury and had to rely on a captain’s pick for the Ryder Cup in 2010 and the Presidents Cup in 2011.

Jim Furyk played on every US team dating back to the 1997 Ryder Cup, a streak that ended when he was left off the 2013 Presidents Cup team.

Mickelson knew he needed a win during the FedEx Cup play-offs and one other good finish. He shot 73 on Sunday and tied for 50th in The Barclays. The Presidents Cup is based on FedEx Cup points.

Mickelson is 1559 points behind the 10th spot, and the most he can earn this week is 1100 points.

The Presidents Cup is on October 8-11 in South Korea.

Mickelson was a runner-up at the Masters, tied for fourth at the Wells Fargo Championship and tied for third at the St. Jude Classic.