By Dave Shedloski
Phil Mickelson being Phil Mickelson—an inveterate and incorrigible mischief-maker—he wasn’t about to forego a chance to own his longtime rival Tiger Woods and singer Jake Owen with a single post on Twitter, which he did last week. Nov. 23 to be specific, the first anniversary of Mickelson earning $9 million, the most lucrative Black Friday payday in golf history.

“It’s been exactly one year today since I won 90,000 $100 bills. I still have 89,999. Jake Owen has the other one,” Mickelson tweeted along with a photo of the cash, ostentatiously stacked in front of the two competitors that chilly night in Las Vegas after Mickelson defeated Woods in the much-ballyhooed pay-per-view showdown, “The Match.” The photo shows a smiling Mickelson displaying his signature thumbs-up gesture, while Woods forces a tight grin but looks clearly annoyed.

It’s been exactly one year today since I won 90,000 $100 bills. I still have 89,999. Jake Owen has the other one ? pic.twitter.com/nC7SDwnZMz

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) November 24, 2019

Woods had nine million reasons to be miffed. Mickelson had nine million and one reasons to be elated after beating his nemesis in extra holes at Shadow Creek. He had the cash and some bragging rights.

“Winning was a lot more meaningful to me than it would have been to Tiger,” Mickelson said by phone from California this past weekend. “He’s gotten the better of me in so many areas, and his records set him apart. But just to get one up on him, as small as that might’ve been, was something. And I know it bothered him to have me essentially take $9 million from him, from him or because of him. And, so, I know that got to him a little bit, and, yeah, that felt really good to finally get just a little bit back for the majors and so forth that he has up on me.”

Owen inserted himself into the narrative by confronting Mickelson at Jordan Spieth’s wedding in Texas the day after The Match and offering a personal critique. Owen shared the story with Barstool Sports in April, admitting that, bolstered by alcohol, he walked up to the left-hander and demanded a refund of his $29.99 pay-per-view fee for “wasting four hours of my life with some of the sh—est golf I’ve ever seen.”

Ben Jared
Mickelson tees off on the 10th hole during the first round of the WGC-HSBC Champions in October.

As Owen tells it, Mickelson peeled off a C-note, gave it to Owen, and told him to “go f— himself.” Upon further review, Mickelson remains proud of that story. His response to Owen was tongue-in-cheek, he said, but he obviously enjoys having the last word, which he reiterated in that latest barb on Twitter.

As for the sequel to The Match, it didn’t happen this year for a variety of reasons, mostly scheduling, and in deference to Woods, whose Hero World Challenge is this week followed immediately by the Presidents Cup in Australia, at which he is serving as both captain and competitor for the U.S. team. It all would have been a bit much in a compacted time frame, Mickelson said.

Mickelson, of course, doesn’t have such scheduling issues or travel challenges right now. For the first time since 1993, he is not playing in the Presidents Cup or the Ryder Cup, a streak almost as impressive as his run of 1,353 weeks ranked in the top 50 in the world that ended Nov. 3. Until this year, he had played in every Presidents Cup.

While disappointed to be omitted from this year’s team—and he candidly admitted that he didn’t deserve a captain’s pick from Woods after failing to make the team on points—he assessed his coming weekend at home in typical Mickelson fashion.

“I’ve always thought this would be one of the most exciting events to watch,” he said. “No, I’m excited. I’m pulling for the guys. I want to see us get another win.”

Truth be told, it’s a blessing in disguise to be homebound, according to Mickelson. His wife, Amy, has battled a series of health challenges this year (non-life-threatening and not related to her treatment for breast cancer a decade ago) that have weighed heavily on Phil, though she is better now. He wouldn’t deny that his wife’s health was paramount in his thoughts throughout a season in which he captured his 44th PGA Tour title in February at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am but then struggled thereafter. Other than a T-18 finish at the Masters, he wasn’t competitive, and he admitted he was having trouble focusing on the course.

But he declined to make excuses. “I can do better, and I’m really working on a lot of things to be ready to play a full schedule,” he said.

Failing to qualify for the U.S. Presidents Cup team, he said, “is a good motivator for me to get back to playing the way I did early this year and sustain it and make [the 2020] Ryder Cup team. I don’t want last year’s Ryder Cup [a loss in France] to be my last team event.

“I’m very optimistic to have a great next couple of years,” Mickelson said. “I’ve had some really good things happen. As far as physically, I’m in the best shape of my life, and also my game feels a lot better. I’ve also been doing a few things to kind of help my focus and my mental sharpness and acuity. And if I can do that, I know I can play some really good golf again.”

Question him if you like and doubt him if you must. Just don’t be surprised if he replies with a very sharp comeback like the one he uttered to Owen. He still has $89,999, hundred-dollar bills with which to talk smack.

The post Phil Mickelson, missing his first team competition since 1993, says he’s ‘excited’ to watch the Presidents Cup appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

No, I won’t reveal what we were talking about. That’s private. I also can’t remember because it was such a blur. But basically, it was just two dudes yucking it up over golf. No big deal. Kidding. It was a BIG deal. And Tiger, I was also kidding about not washing my hand since our encounter. Totally kidding … I swear … so let’s do it again sometime. In the meantime, here’s what else is going on in the world of golf.

WE’RE BUYING

Cameron Champ: I wasn’t expecting the end of the Safeway Open to get me to cry, but there I was tearing up watching a young golfer hug his father in celebration while on the phone with his dying grandfather, PaPa Champ, who got him into the game. What a moving scene. As someone whose own grandfather did the same (RIP Poppa Myers), it hit me about as hard as Champ hits a golf ball.

Daniel Shirey

Speaking of which, Champ became just the eighth golfer in the past 20 years to win a PGA Tour event while leading the field in driving distance and scrambling. And he showed off both those aspects of his game on the 72nd hole with a 369-yard drive down the middle and a beautiful chip to set up his winning birdie.

All the emotions.

The winning moment for @Cameron__Champ and his family @SafewayOpen. pic.twitter.com/FzM6nqokVK

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) September 30, 2019

That was a special moment, and Champ is a special player. And with the Sanderson Farms rooster to go along with the Safeway Open wine barrel, he’s got quite a special trophy collection already.

Tony Romo: I’ll admit, I thought the Tony Romo PGA Tour experience had worn out its welcome a bit with him accepting his fourth sponsor’s exemption into an event where he had no local ties. But Romo had the sports world talking (Hence, why tournaments keep inviting him) following an opening 70 that put him in great shape to make the cut. Romo beat his first-round playing partners—PGA Tour members Beau Hossler and Michael Gellerman—by a combined 10(!) shots on Thursday. How ‘bout that Cowboy!

Jonathan Ferrey

Of course, his Friday performance, a four-over 76, wasn’t quite as spectacular, but Romo did beat a dozen tour pros even while missing the cut. He returned to his day job for CBS on Sunday, and after watching parts of that Bears-Vikings game he and Jim Nantz were forced to sit through, I can see why the former QB wanted to get out of work so badly.

Rory’s bunker lessons: A couple of weeks ago, Rory McIlroy gave Justin Timberlake a bunker lesson. Now Timberlake is doing things like this:

In a pot bunker. Over a burn. @jtimberlake has game. ?#DunhillLinks pic.twitter.com/Rdg5ckJU9T

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 26, 2019

Sign me up for a lesson, Rors.

WE’RE SELLING

Rory’s “course setup” complaints: I love Rory McIlroy. I love that he speaks his mind. I just think in this case, he’s not properly representing the whole story. McIlroy roasted the European Tour for its easy setups, but the timing was bad considering he had just finished the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, which is a pro-am. A pro-am in which Rory played with his dad, Gerry, who shot a gross 69 (three under) at Kingsbarns!

Ross Kinnaird

Can you imagine being so good at golf that you complain about a course being too easy? Must be nice, am I right? Also kudos to Gerry for carrying his son to a T-1 finish in the team competition. Sadly, the McIlroys lost on a tiebreaker to Tommy Fleetwood and his partner because Fleetwood shot a lower score (64) on Sunday than Rory (67). Way to let your dad down, Rory. Kidding. Sort of.

“Spitgate”: Romo’s score had sports fans abuzz on Thursday, but a shot he hit on Friday wound up setting Golf Twitter aflame. The QB accidentally hit into triple coverage (the threesome in front) on a par 5 with a 3-wood from 278(!) yards to five feet. Then this happened:

pic.twitter.com/X9QPuUNIUA

— Jason Parnell (@jasondean2000) September 28, 2019

Here’s how PGA Tour rookie Kristoffer Ventura explained it:

I definitely did not spit here. I moved my head to see if I had left any spike marks because I knew I was close to his line, hate to disappoint you guys

— Kristoffer Ventura (@krisventura95) September 28, 2019

We’ll take your word for it, Kris. A (OSU) Cowboy wouldn’t do that to another Cowboy.

“Flipgate”: Former PGA Tour pro and current Korean Tour money leader Bio Kim was suspended for three YEARS for flipping off a fan whose cellphone made noise during a tournament he eventually won:

A THREE-year ban, for this! pic.twitter.com/O3HZPueY2s

— Ryan Lavner (@RyanLavnerGC) October 1, 2019

Allow me to echo Ryan’s sentiments. A THREE-YEAR ban for this?! Wow. That is harsh. And how about that photo of Kim kneeling before the Korean media begging for forgiveness? Geez, it’s not like he killed the fan with the cell phone. Anyway, let’s just say it’s a good thing Sergio Garcia doesn’t play on the Korean Tour …

ON TAP

The PGA Tour heads to Las Vegas for the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, AKA that tournament Smylie Kaufman won. Man, I can’t believe four years have passed since that. Keep grinding, Smylie. Hopefully, you’ll be back on tour full-time next year.

Random tournament fact: Patrick Cantlay has won and finished runner-up the past two years in Vegas. That’s a lot of money to play with at the blackjack tables.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

—Someone will spit on Brooks Koepka’s golf ball this week: 1 MILLION-to-1 odds

—Phil Mickelson will win the Shriners Open: 100-to-1 odds (Actual odds. Wow.)

—Vegas casinos will get a boost this week: LOCK

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Jonathan Ferrey

Again, what a scene. All the best to the Champs during this bittersweet time.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

This compilation of PGA Tour stars hitting tee shots over the corner of the Old Course Hotel on the famed Road Hole is mesmerizing:

Which line are you taking on the 17th hole at the Old Course at St. Andrews? ?pic.twitter.com/xcHHv0XGvr

— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) September 29, 2019

Juuuuust a bit different from this video that made the rounds a couple of weeks ago:

How NOT to play the famous Road Hole at St Andrews…?? pic.twitter.com/DtFCPBHRSO

— Golf Unplugged (@golfunpluggedhq) September 10, 2019

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“No matter if I win one more tournament, 10 more tournaments, whatever it may be, this will be the greatest moment in my golfing career for sure.” —Cameron Champ

THIS WEEK IN CELEBRITY GOLFERS (NOT NAMED TONY ROMO)

Michael Strahan participated in Tiger Woods’ newest charity golf event, the Nexus Cup, and challenged the host to a putting contest on Liberty National’s 18th green. Not only did Woods roll a 20-footer in on his first attempt, but he celebrated as he had just won the Masters. Check it out (40-second mark):

.@TigerWoods is back on top of his game, so @michaelstrahan thought it would be a good time to challenge the golf great to an epic re-match.

The golf legend talks #NexusCup, his legacy and what he wants his kids to learn from him. https://t.co/i9rZzYNwW0 pic.twitter.com/Mz4Zz9fJ7X

— Good Morning America (@GMA) September 27, 2019

That and Strahan arguing with Lawrence Taylor over QB sack supremacy were the highlights of the event. Well, other than meeting Tiger. Did I mention I met Tiger?

THIS WEEK IN PHIL BEING PHIL

Mickelson struggled at the Safeway Open, missing the cut in his first event of the 2019-’20 season, but he really stepped up his game when it came to his latest “Phireside With Phil” video.

Paying tribute to Larry David and all the people who continue to love and play the game – even if their childhood dreams of being a hall of fame golfer were ripped away by a jealous brother. Enjoy this special #PhiresidewithPhil on #TributeTuesday. pic.twitter.com/SoHYgpVbP2

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) September 24, 2019

Larry David?! After playing golf (Would that be called a “Round and chat”?) with the comedic legend? Pretty, pretty, pretty good. Yeah, yeah, everyone else already made the same joke, but I don’t care. The part when they talk about Phil’s Hall of Fame jacket was particularly good. Netflix, pick up this show already!

THIS WEEK IN EDDIE PEPPERELL BEING EDDIE PEPPERELL

"I would actually ban children and have dogs instead."@PepperellEddie never holds back. ?pic.twitter.com/dWQhm4HjcE

— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) September 27, 2019

He should legally change his name to Eddie PeppereLOL.

THIS AND THAT

M.J. Hur won the LPGA’s Indy Women in Tech Championship by four shots at Brickyard Crossing Golf Club. You could say she “raced away with the title.” Get it? Sorry. … Congrats to Victor Perez on winning his first European Tour title at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Perez shot a final-round 70 and still finished (Look away, Rory!) 22 under par. … Five golfers, according to a Reuters report, had their drivers fail tests ahead of the Safeway Open now that the PGA Tour has really started to crackdown. Kinda makes you wonder how many hot clubs have been in players’ bags in recent years. … China’s Yuxin Lin won the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, earning an invitation to next year’s Masters. It will be the second trip to Augusta National for the 18-year-old. Impressive. … And finally, Costco had to refund its latest batch of golf balls because they were cutting too easily. Bad job making the balls, but good job reacting by my favourite store. And if they are looking to hire someone for quality control their golf balls, I have just the person:

My daughter needs to start earning her keep at some point.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Did anyone test Tony Romo’s 3-wood?

Is Costco ever going to bring back chocolate froyo?

Should I go for the bro-hug with Tiger next time?

The post Tony Romo’s wild week, Phil Mickelson’s funny chat with Larry David, and my meeting with Tiger Woods(!) appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

I’ve had trouble sleeping on Turkey Day ever since, getting night sweats in fear of another Woods-related scandal breaking and consuming my life (or maybe I just can’t handle eating that many mashed potatoes anymore). But hopefully, this “Skins Game Curse” has finally been lifted, and any tossing and turning this year will be out of excitement for THE MATCH. But we’ve still got three more months until THE MATCH, including a THIS IS MAJOR week this week. Here’s what else has us talking.

WE’RE BUYING

Justin Thomas: JT cruised to a four-shot win at the WGC-Bridgestone to tie current No. 1 Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson for the most victories on the PGA Tour this season. More importantly, this was his first PGA Tour title in front of his grandparents:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmHx4bbAgCW/?utm_source=ig_embed

Aww, how sweet. But Thomas was also aided by the presence of puppies:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl8NJ9sgOfa/?utm_source=ig_embed

AWWWWWWWW, HOW SWEET.

Georgia Hall: Congrats to the 22-year-old and reigning Ladies European Tour Player of the Year on claiming her first major at the Women’s British Open. Hall did it in dramatic fashion, chasing down Pornanong Phatlum in front of a home crowd at Royal Lytham. The only drawback to her success is that we will forever have to hear Nick Fado prattle on about her because she was kind of named after him (Georgia in honour of Faldo’s Masters win in 1996).

Akshay Bhatia: In case you haven’t heard the name, this kid’s legend is growing like a certain other phenom a little more than two decades ago. OK, so Tiger comparisons are never fair, but Bhatia basically wins every big junior tournament these days and he added to his incredible resume with a second straight Junior PGA Championship victory. And just look at the winning EAGLE chip this 16-year-old North Carolina native holed to win this time:

Earlier today, Akshay Bhatia won the #JuniorPGA at @ValhallaGolf … by doing this! pic.twitter.com/MeITpo4ufH

— PGA of America (@PGA) August 4, 2018

Hop on board the Bhatia bandwagon while there’s still room.

THE MATCH: Tiger vs. Phil with $10 million on the line?! OMG, this thing is really happening, folks! Let the hype — and trash-talking — begin!

This Phil-Tiger match can’t come soon enough. pic.twitter.com/DmNhW0EWme

— Skratch (@Skratch) August 3, 2018

WE’RE SELLING

Tiger’s PGA Championship chances: Firestone forced Tiger to hit more drivers this week. It did not go well. After playing himself into contention through two rounds, Woods had a disastrous weekend, posting two 73s, including a wild final round in which he made just five pars. It sounds like the PGA at Bellerive is going to be a shootout, and I’m not sure Tiger has the firepower anymore to hang. On the bright side, he’s still got a great chance to win THE MATCH.

Icon Sportswire

Sam Saunders’ storybook ending: Arnold Palmer’s grandson just can’t quite get over the hump to get that first PGA Tour win — and this missed opportunity might sting the most. Right in the mix through 54-holes at the opposite-field event Barracuda Championship, Saunders shot -1 on Sunday. With Modified Stableford scoring. That’s not good. And that dropped him to T-7 and left golf media everywhere shelving their best “King”-related headlines for another day. Congrats to Andrew Putnam for winning his maiden PGA Tour title, by the way. Sadly for Andrew, he’s not related to golf royalty so his victory didn’t get a lot of coverage. But he did get quite the congratulatory hug/kiss from his wife, Tawny:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmJF4lXjBJN/?taken-by=pgatour

Pretty sure he’ll settle for that.

Firestone: The coolest thing to do during coverage of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational was to criticize this Akron course.

Firestone is cool, I just don't get why they keep playing the same hole over and over.

— D.J. Piehowski (@DJPie) August 4, 2018

And I’m going to pile on. As much as I’d like to see Tiger continue to play a course he (usually) dominates on, I’m over it. I used to think of it fondly because my grandpa told me he parred the final four holes there once, but I get the feeling that’s all he remembered from his one round there. Farewell, Firestone.

ON TAP

It’s PGA Championship week, and for the last time, this will be “Glory’s Last Shot” when it comes to being a major. The PGA will move to May beginning next year and you will magically see a lot more heat/humidity-adverse media members in attendance. We are not a tough bunch.

Random tournament fact: After an even hotter than usual heat wave in the St. Louis area, some of Bellerive’s greens aren’t looking so, um, hot:

There were rumors that Bellerive’s greens were burnt out this summer. It appears those rumors were true. That said, not in an unplayable state, mostly just fuzzy around the edges #PGAChampionship pic.twitter.com/NVZNtvlv1o

— Joel Beall (@JoelMBeall) August 6, 2018

And PGA Tour pros aren’t a particularly tough bunch either.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

— The PGA Tour is thrilled about THE MATCH: 10 million-to-1 odds

— Justin Thomas took those puppies to St. Louis: 10-to-1 odds

— This isn’t the last you’ll hear about Bellerive’s greens: LOCK

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Pretty cool shot of Rory hitting a shot by St. Louis’ Gateway Arch at an OMEGA event:

If you look quickly, it looks like Protracer.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Say what you will about wearing a dress shirt on the golf course (I still think it looks ridiculous), but give credit to Mizzen and Main for one of the most-talked-about golf commercials ever.

The dress shirt brand @MizzenAndMain is buying its first ever TV commercial today (on the Golf Channel) and its spot with spokesman Phil Mickelson will at least get people talking pic.twitter.com/4J2PDI6sVA

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) August 2, 2018

It also spawned this fantastic spoof by the guys at No Laying Up:

Hey @MizzenAndMain: Here's a 60-second version for TV. (Must credit NLU) pic.twitter.com/FLFHQrg3R5

— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) August 3, 2018

And thanks to CBS’ Amanda Balionis, we know Phil didn’t use a stunt double for these moves:

He's got the moves.

Phil Mickelson breaks down some of his new dance routine with our @Amanda_Balionis. pic.twitter.com/VHpYNPohNJ

— Golf on CBS (@GolfonCBS) August 5, 2018

“Look at the movement. The attitude,” Phil says. “It’s a little bit more difficult to pick up than most people would think, but I do privates.” Classic.

TWEET OF THE WEEK

Starting my journey to St Louis as 1st alternate for this years @PGAChampionship
??#letstreelsplay

— Kevin Streelman (@Streels54) August 6, 2018

Great hashtag and good luck, Kevin. Although, if you don’t get to play, I’ve heard St. Louis in August is just dreamy.

THIS WEEK IN DUSTIN JOHNSON-PAULINA GRETZKY-JANET GRETZKY-TATUM PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION

Gotta admit, I thought this was Paulina posing with Tatum at first, but it’s grandma:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmH6eimF7ky/?utm_source=ig_embed

Initially, I also thought she was naked from the waist down so it might be time to get my eyes examined. . .

THIS WEEK IN TOUR PROS ARE JUST LIKE US!

Again, we present Phil dancing. On the course!

Phil dancing on the course has now become a thing… pic.twitter.com/nXPoB2W2jG

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) August 5, 2018

Who among us hasn’t done a little jig after hitting a great recovery shot? Of course, we shouldn’t be surprised. This is a man who did this at last year’s Presidents Cup:

What a birdie!
What a celebration!

Phil Mickelson and @K_Kisner win the fourth match of the day for the U.S. Team.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/St7JGFqhpI

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) September 29, 2017

Always a showman.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“I would argue [Tiger] got the least out of his talent of any player in history.” — Brandel Chamblee. Well, that’s one way of looking at it.

THIS AND THAT

Tyler McCumber won a PGA Tour Canada event on a course designed by his dad, 10-time PGA Tour winner Mark McCumber. I’ve heard of parents pulling strings to help out there kids, but jeez. Anyway, we’re glad an American athlete played well in Canada following Johnny Manziel’s disastrous CFL debut on Friday. . . . $40,000 worth of marijuana was found in some abandoned golf bags in Texas. Has anyone seen Snoop Dogg lately? . . . After going winless for five years, my man Dave Coupland, who I own a couple shares of, won for a second time on the PGA EuroPro Tour. Keep this up, Dave, and we’ll both be able to retire early. . . . And finally, I documented my recent Scottish golf adventure and offered some takeaways in case you needed any motivation to ever take a golf trip to Scotland around the Open Championship. Basically, you watch great golf, play great golf (courses), and drink great whisky.

I know, it’s a really tough sell.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Has Johnny Miller trademarked Johnny Golf?

Who would win a Tiger vs. Phil dance-off?

Can I buy shares of Akshay Bhatia?

The post Phil Mickelson’s on-course dance moves, Justin Thomas’ puppy-aided win, and a golf curse gets lifted appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Though the years change, the complaints remain the same. It lacks the spirit of the Ryder Cup. The competition is nonexistent. There’s no history, the players don’t care, and—perhaps the worst of all—what’s the point of it?

Make no mistake, the Presidents Cup is far from perfect. Yet it’s often noted only for what it’s not. A myopic view, for we take the contest—and its impact—for granted.

Most of the Presidents Cup’s bad press comes from Ryder Cup comparisons. Mainly, its perceived failure to reach the same emotional and performance plateaus of the American-European rivalry. The parallel is fair; those with a vested interest in the Presidents Cup aspire to reach these levels, and to get there, the Internationals need to step it up.

“It’s important,” said Jason Day, regarding the theoretical win. “I’m not going to put it past…sooner or later if we keep losing, you guys will get sick of it, you know what I mean?”

But those who defame the Presidents Cup don’t know their history. In the first 25 iterations of the Ryder Cup, the United States lost just three times. They weren’t exactly contested affairs, either, with the Americans winning most in blowout fashion.

Though the International squad has claimed just one Presidents Cup in 11 tries, maybe a bit of patience is needed.

“Remember, the Ryder Cup was nothing until the Europeans began winning it,” said Gary Player, who’s captained the International team on three occasions. “Give the Presidents Cup time. Just wait. Winning changes everything.” In Player’s assessment, as the President Cup ages, so will its prestige.

To David Toms, veteran of four Presidents Cup, there’s another facet to the Internationals turning the tables.

“For the American side, if they do lose, it’s, ‘I can’t wait to get revenge and get them again,’” Toms said. “It inspires a different feeling. That’s an important element.”

Scott Halleran

It’s not as if the Internationals are far from formidability: they lost by one point in 2015. Even in the matches where the U.S. won by three or more points, captain Steve Stricker insists it was closer than the scoreboard said.

“It’s always been very close, it always comes down to a match or two every year,” Stricker said at August’s Media Day. “We’ve seemed to flip it our way, but again, it’s gotten close and it came down to the very last match last time.”

The Americans—fronted by Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Dustin Johnson—are heavy favorites in Jersey City. But, while it’s hard to match the firepower of the U.S. club, the Internationals are finally starting to acquire the depth they’ve desperately lacked.

Just as importantly, the team knows it’s on the precipice.

“We know that we have a shot at winning if we play well,” said Day. “(Korea) was a huge indication of that, and I think we come into this week feeling a lot better about ourselves knowing that we do have an opportunity to beat the American side.”

“I think what happened in South Korea two years ago really was a shot in the arm for guys like Adam Scott and Louis (Oosthuizen) and Jason who have never been on a winning team,” said captain Nick Price. “The guys’ interest is a lot more piqued than it was before South Korea.”

Of course, to merely use the Ryder Cup as a barometer for success is missing the point.

Stuart Franklin

As it’s so often trumpeted, “growing the game” is the sport’s core aspiration. Aside from the Olympics, no other event puts this goal on such a global platform like the Presidents Cup.

The Masters is broadcast in more countries, and the Open Championship has the most worldwide prestige, but the Presidents Cup’s diverse field gives the world an investment in the proceedings. On this year’s International squad, eight countries from five continents are represented among the 12-man roster.

The opportunity to represent one’s country on one of golf’s biggest stages is not lost on the players.

“Anytime you can wear the red, white and blue and represent the United States of America, it’s an honor,” said Toms, who was part of this week’s Junior Presidents Cup. “Look at the number of players that are vying for those spots compared to how many actually make the team. It’s very, very small. To be a part of that group is a special thing.”

Added Player: “No doubt I wish the Presidents Cup was around when I was in my prime. Look around in the world of sport, people are more passionate about supporting their favorite team or their country than an individual.”

As for the belief that players don’t care, that the Presidents Cup has the same cadence as an all-star game?

“I tell you, if you guys could have been in the team room in South Korea on that Sunday night, it was a very humbling experience for me because the guys emotionally spilled their guts out to everyone that night how important it was to them and how much they enjoyed it and how much they enjoyed the competition,” said Price.

This fervor that has been evident all year, noted Price, stating the players and coaches have been shooting messages throughout the calendar in preparation for Liberty National.

And even if the atmosphere is more relaxed than the Ryder Cup, it can still be a stressful environment, according to Phil Mickelson.

“When Thursday comes and we tee off and we’re representing our country, representing our teammates, representing ourselves, you feel it,” said Mickelson, making his 23rd straight appearance for Team USA. “You feel that pressure.”

Chris Condon

Perhaps the apathetic perception held some truth in the event’s fledgling stages. Some of the venues were less than stellar, the competitors still trying to grasp the significance, consequence and reach of the event. However, two decades in, making the Presidents Cup is now a target on many players’ season’s goals list.

“It’s one of the things I’m most proud of, to continue to be a part of this, and one of the things I cherish most are these events,” said Mickelson.

“Don’t tell me you think a regular tour event is more important than these team competitions,” Player said. “What makes it special is the team format of the competition, and the camaraderie that comes along with being part of a team.”

Conversely, there are cynics who dismiss these comments, deeming it nothing more than lip service. So let’s strip it down, conceding the Americans might win again, and that a contingent of viewers don’t care about the international growth of the sport. Distilled to its core, it’s a professional golf tournament, no worse than a vehicle for entertainment.

In this fundamental state, the Presidents Cup is a showcase for the game’s top talent, competing in rarely seen team and match formats.

“The competition is so good and the venues are so good, and the fans get excited,” Toms said. “I think people really like team competition. It’s golf at a high level.”

In other words, it’s another chance for golf fanatics to quench their insatiable appetite. An order, like so many others, the Presidents Cup fulfills.

The post Why the Presidents Cup works appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By John Strege
Phil Mickelson’s streak of playing on every U.S. Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup since 1994 will continue, courtesy of U.S. Presidents Cup Captain Steve Stricker, who made him one of his two picks overnight.

Stricker also chose another native San Diegan, Mickelson’s friend Charley Hoffman, to round out his 12-man team. Hoffman, 40, will be playing in his first Presidents Cup.

The International team Captain Nick Price added Emiliano Grillo of Argentina and Anirban Lahiri of India.

“We all know what Phil brings to the table,» Stricker said. «He’s been on 20 plus teams. He’s an important part of all these teams. He, too, is starting to play better. He guarantees me he’s on the right track.

The Presidents Cup begins on Thursday, Sept. 28, at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, N.J., just across the Hudson River from Manhattan.

Mickelson, 47, seemed to have been a lock, notwithstanding his having finished 15th on the points list. His experience, along with the fact he’s beloved in the New York area, made him an easy choice. Moreover, he tied for sixth in the Dell Technologies Championship on Monday.

“It really has been special the way the people [in the New York area] have treated me and my family,” Mickelson said.

“They’re incredible sports fans. It’s a great place for the USA to play and complete. I don’t know what sparked it, but I’m certainly very appreciative”

This will be Mickelson’s 12th Presidents Cup. He also has played on the last 11 U.S. Ryder Cup teams.

“My excitement to be on this team is as great as it’s been for any team I’ve been on,” Mickelson said. “It means a lot to me. What means a lot to me this year is that they wanted me there even though I didn’t get the spot on my own. I really love being around these guys. I respect how great they are. This is a special team and to be a part of it is very meaningful to me.”

Hoffman, meanwhile, finished 11th on the points list, edged out by Kevin Chappell in the final round of the Dell on Monday.

“[Kevin] Chappell and I were sort of going back and forth that last day in Boston,” Hoffman said.

“I’m glad it’s finally over and I finally made an American team and I can’t wait. It’s a very special moment. Phil and I have played a lot of golf in San Diego and he talks a lot about it. It’s sort of one of the things that drove me to get on this team was sort of the ribbing he gave me put on the golf course out in San Diego and knowing how special it would be to be a part of this Presidents Cup.”

The International team has not won a Presidents Cup since 1998 and has lost six in a row after a tie in 2003.

“We can’t be complacent,» Mickelson said. «If we play our best and are prepared I believe we’ll come out on top. But they are an incredibly talented team and if we take some things for granted we’ll get beat.”

The rest of the U.S. team: Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler, Daniel Berger, Brooks Koepka, Kevin Kisner, Patrick Reed and Matt Kuchar.

The rest of the International team: Hideki Matsuyama, Jason Day, Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen, Marc Leishman, Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace, Si Woo Kim, Jhonattan Vegas and Adam Hadwin.

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