Mickelson calls time on his season

Edited by Anand Datla (Source: PGA Tour)

September 6, 2014: Phil Mickelson decided he had enough of the FedExCup playoffs after languishing in 63rd at the ongoing BMW Championships at the Cherry Hills Country Club. The American withdrew from the tournament, with barely any chance of his making the final 30 that qualify for the grand finale.

Mickelson was wayward on Friday, shooting a 6-over 76 to remain 14 shots behind the leader as a strong collection of golfers marched into the critically decisive weekend at the third of fourth play off events in the FedExCup competition. At the start of this week, Mickelson needed to finish inside the top four at Cherry Hills to ensure he remained inside the top 30 that qualify for the final bout. The lefthander is likely to finish in the mid sixties in the points race that decides the final contenders.

The Tour Championship by Coca-Cola, the event that decides the FedExCup winner will be played next week by the top 30 men in the FedExCup points race. Explaining the rationale for his sudden withdrawal, Mickelson released a statement earlier today, in which he reasoned out that his priority now was to prepare for the Ryder Cup.

“My primary goal is to rest and prepare for the Ryder Cup,” said Mickelson. “Without a chance to contend at the TOUR Championship, the most important thing for me now is to prepare for the Ryder Cup.” Mickelson has never missed the Tour Championship since its inception in 2007, besides Hunter Mahan and Steve Stricker – the only three men with the honour till now.

Mahan won The Barclays to assure himself of another trip to East Lake, but Stricker did not play in this year’s Playoffs and thus had already been eliminated. And now Mickelson is out. In his first seven trips to the FedExCup Playoffs, Mickelson had never finished lower than 15th in points. Mickelson entered this year’s Playoffs after finishing second at the PGA Championship, his only top-10 finish of the season. But he finished 78th at The Barclays and was one of the players who made the cut but did not play the final round.

Last week at the Deutsche Bank Championship, Mickelson tied for 45th. He opened this week’s event with an even-par 70 but triple-bogeyed the par-3 12th on Friday and suffered four more bogeys. Mickelson finished fifth in Ryder Cup points to automatically qualify for the U.S. team that plays against Europe later this month in Scotland. It will be a record 10th consecutive Ryder Cup appearance.

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