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SPORTS Wednesday 4 OctOber 2017
Mickelson’s final mission: Win a Ryder Cup in Europe

By DOUG FERGUSON And the opportunity has been feeling good about
AP Golf Writer never looked better. themselves after the Presi-
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) — The Americans suddenly dents Cup for the last de-
Phil Mickelson hasn’t had look a lot like Europeans cade and they have only
his fill, not when it comes to when only a gold trophy, two Ryder Cup victories to
the Cup. not cash, is on the line. They show for it.
Especially the next one. have developed a formula The Ryder Cup is a different
Mickelson saved some of of familiarity, and they have monster. Mickelson knows
his best golf in one of his relationships that go be- that better than anyone.
worst years for when it re- yond the team room. Not And that’s why he’s so des-
ally counted. Steve Stricker even Europe had that. Jor- perate to be there.
wanted to see some life dan Spieth, Justin Thomas “There will be a point
from Lefty before deciding and Daniel Berger grew up where I look back and I
to use a captain’s pick on together in junior golf and remember, cherish, talk
him for the Presidents Cup, graduated high school the U.S. Team member Phil Mickelson gets his ball back after put- about all the experiences
and Mickelson delivered same year. Thomas lives ting on the third hole during the final round of the Presidents Cup and memories that have
with four rounds in the 60s down the street from Rickie golf tournament at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, N.J., been created,” he said
at the TPC Boston to tie for Fowler. Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. of his 23 appearances in
which the players lobbed al team. “And we paid the
sixth. “You look at the camara- for consistency and con- price. Europe made Amer- the Cups. “Right now, I’m
The pick extended his re- derie of the young play- trol. ica better. ... Europe plays still trying to make more.
cord streak to 23 consecu- ers and how they support And it appears to be work- with such spirit, and that’s I have not been a part
tive teams, and Mickelson each other, even outside ing. what it is. What you see of a Ryder Cup victory in
delivered another strong of these team events,” “They got better at doing with that U.S. team, isn’t it a Europe. It’s a big goal of
performance on the course Mickelson said. “They have what Europe does than bit of that European spirit?” mine. We have the players,
and in the team room. He a support system where what Europe did,” said Does that translate to the the foundation, and the di-
went 3-0-1 at Liberty Na- they love competing Geoff Ogilvy, an assistant Ryder Cup? Not necessar- rection. I want to be part of
tional, one of four Ameri- against each other, love captain for the Internation- ily. The Americans have that team next year.”q
cans to go unbeaten. beating each other, but
But it was a passing com- are genuinely happy for
ment in Chicago, the week each other’s success. And
after he was chosen for the that leads to a very posi-
Presidents Cup, that shed tive, uplifting energy in the
some insight into his imme- team room.
diate future. He is starting “And I think that these
a new season this week at young guys ... really lay a
the Safeway Open, which solid foundation for the U.S.
was expected because his teams.”
management company The performance in the
runs the tournament. Presidents Cup — a 19-11
“Looks like I’m probably victory, a beating so thor-
going to go to China, too,” ough the Americans were
Mickelson said. one match away from end-
China? ing it on Saturday — made
Mickelson is a two-time it tempting to look ahead
winner at Sheshan Interna- one year to the Ryder Cup
tional, but he has played with the belief it will turn out
the HSBC Champions only the same way.
once in the last four years. If the Europeans were
Why now? One reason — watching, should they be
perhaps the only reason — nervous?
is because the World Golf “It’s more confidence for us
Championship in Shang- than anything they would
hai is the only tournament be worried about,” Spieth
in the fall that offers Ryder said.
Cup points. That alone might be
This is one team Mickelson enough to worry.
doesn’t want to miss. The Americans have fig-
He turns 48 next year and is ured something out, and
still trying to manage psori- Mickelson was behind that,
atic arthritis, which affect- too.
ed his energy and focus He’s the one who put his
this year. Mickelson realizes image on the line at Gle-
his time is running out as a neagles after the 2014 Ry-
player in the Ryder Cup. He der Cup with his passive-
has played on three win- aggressive criticism of the
ning teams, all in America. way Tom Watson ran the
Next year’s matches are in team and his incredulous
France. This might be Mick- tone when asking why the
elson’s last chance to win a Americans got away from
Ryder Cup in Europe. what had worked for them
“That’s the one thing I in Valhalla when they won
haven’t done,” he said in in 2008.
Chicago. That led to the task force, in