Jersey City, United States: The United States’ 19-11 romp over the International team in the 2017 Ryder Cup only whetted Phil Mickelson’s appetite for the 2018 Ryder Cup.
The 47-year-old American made his 100th match in team competition for the United States a win on Sunday with a 2 & 1 victory over Canadian Adam Hadwin.
Mickelson posted his 26th Presidents Cup match win — extending his record after tying and then surpassing the 24-win mark of Tiger Woods earlier in the week.
“This has been a fun, special week,” Mickelson said. “I’ve never been a part of a team all these years that’s this talented and gone out and lit the course up like this and had such a big lead going into Sunday singles.”
The United States, up by 11 points on Saturday night, needed just one point from Sunday’s singles to clinch the Cup.
“This was a stress-free day for us, and that’s just something we’ve never had,” said Mickelson, the only man to play in all 12 Presidents Cups and now a veteran of 23 straight US match play teams including Presidents and Ryder Cup appearances.
Mickelson would dearly love to make it 24 straight teams when the United States take on Europe in the Ryder Cup in France next year.
“Next year going to Paris and being part of The Ryder Cup Team — it’s been 25 years since we won a Ryder Cup over there. That would be a real big goal of mine,” he said.
Mickelson hasn’t won a tournament since his 2013 British Open triumph at Muirfield and only made the Presidents Cup team as one of US captain Steve Stricker’s wildcard picks.
He’s the same age as US Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk, but even on a team packed with 20-something talent — including British Open champion Jordan Spieth, US Open Champion Brooks Koepka and PGA Champion Justin Thomas — the player they playfully dubbed “Grandpa” showed just how useful he can be.
Mickelson finished with three wins and one halved match for the week, partnering with Presidents Cup newcomer Kevin Kisner to win one foursomes and one fourball and halve one foursomes match before his singles win over Hadwin.— AFP
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