Mickelson trying to find his game in playoffs

Published 5:00 am Friday, August 29, 2008

NORTON, Mass. — Phil Mickelson’s star presence at the Deutsche Bank Championship was evident Thursday by the company he kept at the TPC Boston.

He played the pro-am with tournament host Seth Waugh, the CEO of Deutsche Bank Americas; New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft. Such is the VIP treatment typically afforded the highest-ranked player in the field.

FedEx Cup playoff standings aside, that honor still falls to Mickelson.

He is No. 2 in the world ranking, although it’s easy to forget that. Because while Tiger Woods has been out of sight for two months after his season-ending knee surgery, Mickelson at times has been MIA.

Some thought he would take advantage of Woods’ absence by piling up victories, perhaps another major or two, and giving himself a chance to win the money title or PGA Tour player of the year for the first time in his career.

But it hasn’t worked out that way.

Mickelson has played four times with only one serious chance at winning, when he had a one-shot lead until bogeys on three of the last four holes at Firestone to tie for fourth. He had to rally to make the weekend at the British Open, was steady but not spectacular in his tie for seventh at the PGA Championship and opened the PGA Tour Playoffs for the FedEx Cup last week with a tie for 19th.

“I’ve played the same way I’ve played throughout the year,” Mickelson said. “I just haven’t been scoring the way I would like. Even though I feel like I’m playing better, the little shots around the greens have cost me. But I’m starting to get that turned around, and I expect to have a much better week.”

By most standards, Mickelson has had a good year. He won at Riviera and Colonial, and he is third on the money list, a little more than $1 million behind Woods. With three more $7 million events, a money title is not out of reach.

This would be a good place to turn it around, even if the cast of characters has changed.

A year ago, Mickelson surged into FedEx Cup contention with perhaps the most exciting playoff event at the Deutsche Bank Championship. He played the first two rounds with Woods and Vijay Singh, then hooked up with Woods in the final round and closed with a 66 and beat Woods and two others by two shots.

As much focus as there is at the top, equally important this week is the bottom. The second round of the playoffs is for the top 120 players, with only 70 advancing to the third round next week in St. Louis for the BMW Championship.