Phil Mickelson’s triumph in Mexico – really, a month’s worth of excellence – leaves him in a position to play his way onto the U.S. Ryder Cup team and not have to rely on a captain’s selection.
The 47-year-old Hall of Famer jumped to No.4 in the latest U.S. Ryder Cup points standings, a rise of seven spots from a last week. Just four weeks ago, he stood 21st on the list after a share of fifth in Phoenix.
That proved to be a springboard for Mickelson, who followed up with a share of runner-up honors at Pebble Beach and a tie for sixth at Riviera to close out his West Coast Swing. It’s the first time since 2005 that he’s strung together four consecutive top-10 finishes.
(BTW, that burst also has lifted Mickelson back into the top 20 of the world rankings, now sitting at No.18.)
Mickelson’s gain was Rickie Fowler’s loss, dropping outside the top eight slots that are guaranteed berths. However, he’s part of a four-man logjam for the No.8 spot that’s separated by just 167 points.
POSITION – PLAYER (LAST WEEK) – POINTS
1. Justin Thomas (2nd) 5,235.023
2. Dustin Johnson (1) 4,439.389
3. Brooks Koepka (3) 3,434.658
4. Phil Mickelson (11) 3,157.205
5. Jordan Spieth (4) 3,012.542
6. Matt Kuchar (5) 2,494.087
7. Brian Harman (6) 2,488.327
8. Gary Woodland (7) 1,876.379
9. Rickie Fowler (8) 1,797.387
10. Bubba Watson (10) 1,763.719
