NORTON, Mass. – Phil Mickelson might need to coin a new cliché, just for his own sanity.
Maybe the 11th time is a charm.
After failing in every opportunity over the past four months to overtake struggling Tiger Woods as the top player in the world rankings, Mickelson is positioned to make yet another challenge this weekend at the Deutsche Bank Championship.
Yeah, we know the lyrics to this tune already.
In his last 10 starts, spanning two global tours, Mickelson hasn’t remotely threatened to win on the final day and Woods’ tenuous stranglehold on the No. 1 spot has remained, white knuckles or not. Worse, during some of those weeks, all he had to do was finish in the top four and the throne was his to claim.
Yet after shooting a 6-under 65 at TPC Boston on Saturday, his lowest score of the year, Lefty cemented a spot in the top 10 and is within striking range of taking over the rankings top spot for the first time in his 18-year, Hall-of-Fame-bound career.
“It was a fun day to see some putts go in and drive the ball in play,” Mickelson said.
Absolutely, especially when coming off a missed cut last week at The Barclays, where he was the de facto tournament figurehead and the only Lefty sightings all weekend were in the title sponsor’s commercials aired during the TV broadcast.
Mickelson can climb to No. 1 based on some admittedly crazy scenarios. In the most digestible permutation, he can claim the position by winning no matter what Woods does. Otherwise, Mickelson ascends if he finishes second and Woods is outside the top three, by finishing third provided that Woods is outside the top nine, or by placing fourth given that Woods is outside the top 24 and Steve Stricker doesn’t win.
Get all that? Let’s make it easy – just win, Lefty. Do it in style, not based on Woods’ slow attrition rate over the year.
Despite his utterly forgettable season, Woods has been ranked No. 1 for 273 weeks, and if you think he’s not aware of the reign, you’d be wrong. Just last week, a reported mentioned to Woods that he had been the top dog for five years when Woods interrupted him.
“Longer than that,” Woods said.
After the MC hammer last week in New Jersey, Mickelson flew home to Southern California for yet another session with Butch Harmon. Mickelson has been monkeying around with this driver for weeks, using more loft, shortening the shaft, and trying to keep the ball on planet Earth more consistently. Reviews have not always been positive.
“You know, I felt pretty good heading into the week because I went home and got some things dialed in and felt really good,” he said, echoing statements made at several previous tour stops. “I feel really good. I feel confident. But again, you've got to go shoot the numbers.
“It doesn't matter how you feel or how you're striking it, the most important thing is getting the ball in the hole, and today I was able to do that.”
So, now what?
He was within a shot of the lead and taking down Woods from the top rankings slot after 36 holes at the Bridgestone Invitational, but fell apart on the weekend and skidded to T46 after a closing 78. He was a solid T12 at the PGA Championship, but it was thanks almost entirely to a closing 67, the low round of the day.
His round Saturday in Boston was his lowest relative to par since a third-round 66 at the Players Championship. Despite fourth months of lackluster results, there’s still so much on the table for Mickelson, it boggles the mind. With a win, Mickelson not only could move to the top of the world rankings and tour money list, but move to the fore of the Player of the Year conversation. He’s never claimed any of those three honors.
Maybe the stars will finally align. The last time Woods was unseated as No. 1, Vijay Singh accomplished the feat by winning the Deutsche Bank title in 2004, though Woods reclaimed the spot a 32 weeks later.
Mickelson won the Deutsche Bank title two years ago, holding off Woods by two strokes in the process. Not surprisingly, he has been gushing all week about the layout, which never hurts mentally.
“This is one of my favorite courses we play on tour,” Mickelson said. “I think it's one of the best courses we play on tour. It's got a lot of character and definition.”
Maybe he can add some definition to the rankings picture, too. For the 11th time this summer, it’s pretty much up to him.
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