Phil Mickelson loved every minute of the 2017 Presidents Cup matches.
Why not? It was a stress-free week for Lefty and the rest of the American team.
Another reason — Lefty needs “the action.”
The PGA Tour’s most famous gambler is showing up in Napa this week and there’s a reason.
These cross-over events have much weaker fields and here’s a chance for Mickelson to contend and score more Ryder Cup points.
Fact is, Lefty desperately wants a spot on the 2018 U.S. Ryder Cup team. He’ll tell you so if you ask him. No doubt about it.
So you’ll find Lefty at Johnny Miller’s home track this week out there in Napa. Show up early, get in some practice, go sample some fine wines.
Good work if you can get it.
Along with Mickelson you’ll find most all of the 50 guys who just got their cards through the Web.com season and the finals. You have the top 25 from the regular season, top 25 from the playoffs. There are recycled guys like Jonathan Byrd, who won the Web.com Tour Championship on Monday and Sam Saunders, who tied for second. They fall into that “lost their cards then got ’em back” category.
There’s solid up-and-comers like Tony Finau in the field. You’d think this kid is poised to get to the next level.
You have guys like Kevin Na who play because that’s what they do. Na doesn’t win much, but makes a helluva lot of money playing golf.
You have guys like Webb Simpson who made some noise in the playoffs but are still trying to regain their form from years past.
Then you have guys who make this field who have very limited status. Guys like Tommy Gainey. Yeah, whatever happened to old “two gloves?”
You’ll see a lot of players in this week’s field you haven’t seen in a while.
And therein lies the appeal for Mickelson.
If Lefty’s going to break through and get a win, it might be in an event like this.
6 Comments
beege
Hi Tom,
he still won’t win even though he sort of stacked the odds in his favor by pushing the pencil and playing in an event he normally would not even consider on his calendar–he wants that elusive win that i predicted almost two years ago that he would never get again and he won’t this week because someone like martin piller will—actually i like saunders or maybe even na this week but not philly. the con job he used on stricker–saying he all of a sudden regained his focus and energy tht has been lost for 4 years right before stricker needed to make his pick!!!
Tom Edrington
Bob, love you as my No. 1 Phil hater…lol…..don’t see Martin Piller winning, his wife will win before he does….something about Sam Saunders, he was at his home course last week, shot 59 but still couldn’t convert that to a victory and I expected him to win there, I think he will once again struggle to keep his card..
beege
so far philly looking good but he will botch it up he has done that successfully for over 4 years now.
my “hate” for him is the con jobs he pulls and expects everyone to buy into it. from billy walters to always playing the best of my life stuff. speaking of piller Gerina has so much game and yet come sunday never completes the task–i seriously wonder if she ever will. willing is such a mind game more than a playing game. amazing how that works
bob
Tom Edrington
Bob: Gerina’s problem is very simple. She can putt under pressure. Phil gave it a pretty good shot, bet you were nervous for a moment on Sunday.
beege
it was a fleeting moment–because i did not start watching until his tee shot on 17 went just where you could not hit it and then i knew it was over—by the way, can’t remember if you agree with me or not–but i did have the nerve to say it exactly two years ago–not two months ago like some people. One guy at the club where i play was so mad at me for saying this–i might have told you this before–that he now calls me phil. he violated the handbook and they didn’t even acknowledge it —and they gave as you have pointed out–250K to houston–they should have given nothing because the token is worse. they will not do anything about napa–watch
Tom Edrington
Bob, the tour is so stingy when it comes to writing checks yet they take credit for all the charity monies raised by such great organizations like the Salesmanship Club in Dallas and the Thunderbirds out in Arizona. As for Phil, he was close, close enough for a lot of people to think he just might get it all together for one week this season. That’s all it takes!