Posted on 09/05/2007 11:19:02 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- One day after winning the Deutsche Bank Championship and taking the lead in the FedExCup points standings, Phil Mickelson has withdrawn from this week's BMW Championship at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club in Lemont, Ill.
"This decision was not an easy one to make," said Mickelson, "and in no way is meant as disrespectful to the TOUR or 'sending a message' to anyone. I've talked for weeks about needing to find a balance between my game, my business affairs and my family, and now is the time for me to take some time off."
Mickelson has played four events in the last 30 days and has steadily improved his performance on his way back from a debilitating mid-season wrist injury. Just prior to the Deutsche Bank win, he shared seventh place at The Barclays. Only the next four players on the FedExCup points list -- Steve Stricker, Tiger Woods, K.J. Choi and Rory Sabbatini -- can possibly overtake Mickelson this week.
"I'm really looking forward to returning to THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola next week in Atlanta with the momentum I've been building and, hopefully, winning the first FedExCup," said Mickelson. "While we are disappointed that Phil will not be playing the BMW Championship, we have - for the third consecutive week - a fantastic field, and we are looking forward to another exciting chapter in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup," said Ty Votaw, Executive Vice President of Communications and International Affairs. "One of the many storylines our fans will be following this week will be who will leave Chicago with the FedExCup points lead."
The PGA commissioner promised Phil that they would work with him if he would go along with them. Then they reneged and failed to keep their committment. Mickelson is doing the right thing for his family and himself.
I’m a lefty, I’ll play for him.
I usually shoot in the 70s. Any hotter and I stay home. :-)
lmao..........I’m in Phoenix..........played yesterday in 110 weather
After grinding out a win in a tournament that finished late Monday afternoon, it is good strategy for Phil to sit the next tournament out. Get some rest, fine tune his game, and get ready for a shootout in Atlanta where, if he finishes that tournament ahead of Tiger, he has a good shot at winning this FEDEX thingy.
I’m growing to like the Fedex Cup format, but it does seem like an excessive amount of tournaments so late in the season. Perhaps they could abbreviate by one week.
Phil was very clear and concise and stated publicly that he had his kids starting school, a soccer game to attend and was promised considerations by the commissioner. He has some good reasons. If the commissioner had given a verbal committment, the least they could do is live up to it.
If the top 2-3 don’t attend all the Fed-Ex Cup playoffs it will make it less interesting.
One has to almost read the entire article until you find out what the sport actually is.
Really, can you reference that story?
The complaint is that there are too many tournaments now. No one makes a big deal of it when Tiger Woods doesn’t compete, so why make a big deal of Phil Mickelson not playing?
The sponsors do, tiger is a huge draw.
Does he get fined? Should Phil Mickelson be fined? If they are meeting their minimum requirements, do they owe the game every single weekend out of their lives? I think not.
I usually shoot in the 70s... then I make the turn.
My bowling score would make a great golf score.............
That all sounds good except he busted Tiger’s chops for not playing in the first of the four qualifiers.
Now Mickelson is skipping the third leg at Cog Hill...
Truthfully, elites like Tiger and Phil rarely play four weeks in a row - they don't have to like the journeymen merely trying to pick up an elusive win or simply secure their status for next year. Between the World Series of Golf at Firestone the week prior to the PGA, the PGA itself, the Fed Ex playoff system , and the President's Cup, these guys are saying enough!
Now it's just golf so how can they be exhausted? Nevertheless that's how these players view their job, and what really matters to them is the majors - Master's, US and British Opens, and the PGA, not this made-up playoff system.
70 or 300?
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