NORTON, Mass. — If his prospects for a Presidents Cup berth were a stock, you might have judged them as being up after Friday’s first round of the Deutsche Bank Championship.
Not so much because of his play, though the 1-under 70 at TPC Boston was fairly solid and didn’t provide much to complain about.
Instead, what would have left Phil Mickelson investors encouraged were the words he delivered after his round. Offering thoughts on how his veteran leadership could be beneficial “with all the young guys on the team" and his passion for these team match tournaments (“It’s my favorite week of the year; I love the camaraderie in the team room, I enjoyed every thing about the event,”) Mickelson didn’t deny that he knows his scratchy season has left him 29th in the Presidents Cup standings and that it’s not enough to keep saying he’s on the verge of playing well.