Cut prediction: Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A week ago, U.S. Presidents Cup Captain Steve Stricker asked Phil Mickelson to show him something. To make a positive statement with his golf game. Stricker wasn’t entirely comfortable with the request. After all, Mickelson has played for his country more times in team competition than any other golfer. Oh, and he’s also won five majors and 42 PGA TOUR events, and already has a spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame. But when Mickelson – who has played in every Presidents Cup since its inception in 1994, as well as every Ryder Cup since 1995 — told Stricker he really wanted to make this year’s U.S. team, the captain had no choice but to respond the way he did. Mickelson was 17th on the points list in which just the top 10 automatically qualify. There was work to be done. “I told him I would like to see him play well here on out, to show me something basically,â€� Stricker said. “That doesn’t sound right coming from a guy like me talking to Phil. ‘Hey, show me something.’ That doesn’t sound right. That’s basically what I said. “Show me that you are playing good at the end of the year.â€� Unfortunately for Mickelson, he showed nothing this week in his brief stay at the PGA Championship. He followed Thursday’s 8-over 79 with a 3-over 74 that left him at 11 over. The 153 strokes he needed to complete two rounds is the second-highest total in the 13 major cuts he’s missed in his career. He shot 79-76—155 in the 1999 Open Championship. The good news (if you can call it that) was he made three birdies Friday after failing to make a birdie the previous day. The bad news is he missed the cut at the PGA Championship for the first time since 1995. The worst news is that at a key time of the season, with his U.S. team streak on the line, Mickelson is at a loss for answers. And has lost his focus. “It’s not like I’m hitting the ball crooked,â€� a glum Mickelson said outside the Quail Hollow clubhouse Friday. “I’m just hitting it in the wrong spots. Not really controlling my thought process, where I want the ball to go. “I’m not real focused out there. I’m having a tough time visualizing the shot. I’m having a tough time controlling my thoughts and not letting it wonder to what I don’t want to have happen.â€� That’s not exactly what Stricker wants to hear. Unaware of when Mickelson played on Friday, Stricker was told of the missed cut. “He’s got a couple of events, probably in the FedExCup Playoffs,â€� Stricker said. “That’s all we’re going to have before we make the pick. Hopefully he can get hot in there.â€� Mickelson’s next start with be the FedExCup opener, THE NORTHERN TRUST, which starts Aug. 25 at Glen Oaks. Although Mickelson will likely drop from his current spot of 45th in FedexCup points, he’s guaranteed to advance to the second FedExCup event, the 100-man field at the Dell Technologies Championship. The top 10 players in Presidents Cup points after TPC Boston will earn guaranteed spots. Two days later, Stricker will announce his two captain’s picks. That means Mickelson has two events to climb inside the top 10. Otherwise, his fate – and that string of 23 consecutive years of representing the U.S. – will be left in the hands of others. “If I can play well in those, I have a chance to get on the team on my own,â€� said Mickelson, who won at TPC Boston in the inaugural FedExCup year of 2007. “If I play well in them and don’t make it, I have a chance to be a pick. “But I’ve got to play well in them is the thing.â€� Two years ago, Mickelson needed a captain’s pick from Jay Haas to make the U.S. team. At that time, Mickelson was 30th in Presidents Cup points and had not been particularly impressive in those first two FedExCup events. But he did have a couple of top-20 finishes in the last two majors that year … unlike this year, when he’s missed the cut at The Open and the PGA. It was the first time Mickelson had needed a captain’s pick since 1994, but Haas and his assistants recognized the value of Mickelson’s intangibles, as well as his experience. Mickelson rewarded them by going 3-0-1 and handily beating Charl Schwartzel 5 & 4 in singles to help the Americans retain the Cup. Stricker is well aware of those intangibles. While he has the final decision on the captain’s picks, he plans to have buy-in from his assistants as well as the 10 players who automatically qualify. If Mickelson is not one of those 10, then he must rely on support in the team room. “We need the best guys playing the best at the end of the year going forward,â€� Stricker said. “That’s what we’re going to be looking at. … “I think it’s important to get the whole team vested in those other two players that we’re going to pick.â€� The decisions won’t be easy. Stricker said he’s keeping a close eye on anybody inside the top 20 in Presidents Cup points, and even players beyond that. He specifically mentioned Zach Johnson, who is currently 28th and has played well in his last three starts – including a second-place finish at last week’s World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational. Johnson was creeping up the leaderboard Friday afternoon when play was suspended due to weather. “If he can have another good solid run here through the rest of the year, he’s a guy I’m looking at too,â€� Stricker said of Johnson, a four-time Presidents Cup team member – and Mickelson’s partner two years ago in Korea. “Anybody, if they can get hot, we’re all going to give a good look to.â€� Mickelson is not hot. But he will spend next week seeking to regain his focus. “I don’t feel like I did two years ago where I’m searching for my game or I’m trying to find it or trying to strike it well,â€� Mickelson said. “I have great practice sessions. Drove it fine. Just not real focused when I’m out there.â€� So, Mickelson was asked, how does he work on something mental like that? “That’s a good question,â€� he said. “I’ll have to figure it out.â€� Hopefully it’s soon. He’s running out of time.

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Here are nine tidbits from the first two rounds of the OHL Classic at Mayakoba that gamers can use tomorrow, this weekend or down the road. Be looking for the Emergency 9 shortly after the close of play of each round of the tournament. That sound you heard?  Whew. That was the collective exhale the almost 30 percent of gamers who selected Pat Perez in the PGA TOUR Fantasy One & Done presented by SERVPRO. The cut was determined, finally, Saturday afternoon and ended up being 141 (-1). Perez was the only player with double-digit ownership (percentage-wise) this week. Whew. Started at the bottom, now we’re here: Chesson Hadley was the second-most picked in the PGA TOUR Fantasy One & Done presented by SERVPRO with almost 10 percent on board. All he needed to do on his final hole of the day was get up-and-down from hard pan next to the bleachers. He did and will have a chance in the final 36 holes to move up. It’s better than slamming the trunk, folks! Carnage or carnitas? Gary Woodland checked in as the third-most selected player in the PGA TOUR Fantasy One & Done presented by SERVPRO. He also made the cut on the number. The odds of the top three most selected making the weekend on the number has to be pretty slim. Gamers, remember this down the road when it doesn’t work out your way! Not as funky as Fred, yet…Brian Gay is only 45, so he wouldn’t pass Fred Funk (51) as the oldest winner of the tournament. The 2008 champ is playing the weekend here for the eighth time in eight starts and is looking to add his fifth top 30 in those starts. He sits one off the lead entering the third round, and two of his last three top 10’s have been on windy tracks (Harbour Town, TPC San Antonio). Kids these days…John Oda is 21 and turned pro in August after deciding to skip his senior season of college. The three-time All-American performer at UNLV was a last-minute addition and is taking full advantage of his first start on TOUR as a pro. He’s racked up 12 birdies in two rounds, including eight in Round 2 on his way to 65. Noted. Check mark so far for Alex Cejka this week. He fell short after a furious rally at the Shriners last Sunday but is right back in the action after two rounds at El Camaleon. His mixed bag of results at Mayakoba over time has me concerned but his current form trumps those concerns. Oh, and he won on Paspalum at the Puerto Rico Open in 2015. Charley Hoffman didn’t discriminate this week as he wiped out ALL gamers in every format. He was the fourth-most selected PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO and fifth-most selected in PGA TOUR Fantasy One & Done presented by SERVPRO. Write down that he’s been fantastic over the years at TPC San Antonio, TPC River Highlands and TPC Boston and save it for later. As is ALWAYS the case, as shown above, every week a big-name player fails to meet the loftiest of gamer’s expectations. After opening with 67 and stalking the lead, Kevin Chappell, the seventh-most popular selection in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO, followed up with 77 in round 2. I’m not the biggest fan of trying to make heads-or-tails of performances when big weather delays are involved. His recent record speaks for itself. Maybe I’m just BITTER because he was MY OAD this week. Just maybe… Glass half full or half empty? Gamers, keep your eyes on Charles Howell III and Chez Reavie as Round Three turns into Round Four. They are both off to flying starts late on Saturday and fit the profile of recent winners at Mayakoba. Howell is a LEGEND in the early part of the season, wins be damned, as he rakes from now until April. Reavie’s current form (T24 or better in his last five) and his T4 here last year suggests jumping in with both feet!

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