FedExCup Final 30 preview: No. 14 Phil Mickelson

text size

Badz/PGA TOUR

Sep. 17, 2009

The top 30 players in FedExCup points have advanced to THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola and now have a chance to win the FedExCup. Here's a detailed look at each player and how he made it to East Lake:
FINAL 30 PREVIEWS: Previous | Next | Archive | MORE FEDEXCUP: Points standings | How the reset works

Season in review

PHIL MICKELSON: 14th in FedExCup points (420 after reset)
Mickelson defended his 2008 victory at the Northern Trust Open, which was the 35th of his career. Weakened and dehydrated by a stomach virus that sent him to the hospital on the eve of the final round, Mickelson closed with seven straight pars for a 3-under 69 to win the World Golf Championships-CA Championship by one stroke over Nick Watney, whose 30-foot birdie try on the final green barely missed. His second victory in his last three starts moved him to No. 2 in the FedExCup standings. Mickelson remained in the top 10 for most of the season until he took time off mid-summer when his wife, Amy, and mother, Mary, were diagnosed with breast cancer. At the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black, Mickelson finished two strokes behind Lucas Glover in a tie for second. It was his fifth runner-up finish at the U.S. Open, a record. Mickelson has a total six top-10 finishes in 17 starts and has missed only two cuts this season. He will make his eighth appearance for the U.S. Team in The Presidents Cup, as the only American to play in every staging of the event. Mickelson is one of six players (Steve Stricker, Ernie Els, Stewart Cink, Jim Furyk and Hunter Mahan) who have made it to THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola in each of the three seasons of the FedExCup. In 2008, he finished tied for third at East Lake Golf Club and No. 7 in the final FedExCup standings. In 2007, he finished 20th at East Lake and No. 3 in the FedExCup standings. Mickelson has 10 additional starts in THE TOUR Championship, including a win in 2000.

Quick analysis

The mere fact that Mickelson is playing at THE TOUR Championship is good news. He wouldn't be at East Lake if the private battles his wife, Amy, and mother, Mary, are waging with breast cancer were not going well. Mickelson hasn't regained the form that marked the early part of his season when he won twice but given the circumstances, that's completely understandable. He's taken two extended breaks to be with his family, and he'll be looking forward to another after THE TOUR Championship and The Presidents Cup. -- Helen Ross

How Mickelson got here

Breaking down the FedExCup points won and rank after each start in 2009

Rank	Change in rank	Tournament	Finish	Points earned	Points for year	Points behind
14	-2	BMW Championship	T30	187.5	2,110	5,086
12	-2	Deutsche Bank Championship	T27	210	1,922	3,683
10	-4	The Barclays	T52	82.5	1,712	2,669
6	-1	PGA Championship	73	0.94	1,630	1,801
5	-4	World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational	T58	12.5	1,629	1,472
1	6	U.S. Open Championship	T2	230	1,616	0
7	-5	St. Jude Classic presented by FedEx	T59	9	1,386	223
2	0	THE PLAYERS Championship	T55	14	1,377	54
2	0	Quail Hollow Championship	T5	90	1,363	24
2	0	Masters Tournament	5	120	1,273	77
2	0	Shell Houston Open	CUT	0	1,153	137
2	5	World Golf Championships-CA Championship	1	550	1,153	51
7	0	World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship	T9	68.25	603	573
7	129	Northern Trust Open	1	500	535	181
136	-1	AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am	T55	9.5	35	631
135	0	Buick Invitational	T42	25.5	26	621

Previous Playoffs results

Year	Barclays	Deutsche Bank	BMW Champ.	TOUR Champ.	Final FEC Position
2008	T19	T73	T17	T3	7th
2007	T7	1	DNP	20	3rd

Previous results at THE TOUR Championship

Year	Finish	Rd. 1	Rd. 2	Rd. 3	Rd. 4	Total	To par	Money won
2008	T3	68	68	69	69	274	-6	409,500
2007	20	68	66	70	71	275	-5	134,400
2004	T19	71	72	67	74	284	4	112,500
2002	T5	70	69	67	69	275	-5	190,000
2000	1	67	69	65	66	267	-13	900,000
1999	T21	73	68	70	71	282	-2	91,000
1998	17	73	74	69	70	286	6	81,600
1997	T22	69	72	73	72	286	2	72,800
1996	12	67	75	68	73	283	3	76,800
1995	24	79	73	68	75	295	15	52,800
1994	T17	68	71	70	74	283	-1	60,000
1993	28	71	75	74	74	294	10	49,200