Expert Picks: The RSM Classic

CHICAGO, Ill. – So far, so good for Phil Mickelson. Mickelson has won the TOUR Championship at East Lake twice (2000, 2009) but if he is to make it a third time he must first negotiate his way into the FedExCup top 30 at the BMW Championship. With an opening 5-under 66 leaving him tied 10th and just four off the lead at Conway Farms the veteran has put himself inside the projected top 30. Now he has to stay there. Mickelson, who found form in Boston two weeks ago with a T6 finish, started 36th and now projects to 29th. It’s been a frustrating year for the Hall-of-Famer who feels his form hasn’t translated to good scores. “I don’t know if validation would be the word I would use. Certainly encouragement and it would be a real positive given the lack of results,â€� Mickelson said when asked if a berth at East Lake would validate his year. “If you watch on the range and through the round it looks better than the score is. Now the score in the last five rounds have matched up. So, to make it into East Lake would be great.â€� Mickelson, who suffers from arthritis, has recently revealed a tweak in his medications and how he deals with it have helped unclog his mental game. The 47-year-old is able to focus more, particularly on the greens. He was 10th in strokes gained: putting in the opening round. “I was able to get my energy back up, get my focus back up and I think going bogey-free it shows that I’m much more in tune with each shot and really only hit one or two tee shots that I wasn’t happy with and then from there was able to recover and play a good, solid round,â€� he explained. “You have to be able to get connected to the hole (when putting) so that no matter how perfect the stroke is if you don’t tie in the speed with the line that you’ve chosen and get it connected to the hole you’re not going to make putts. “And that’s one of the things I’ve really struggled with on the greens is getting connected to the hole.â€� BUBBLE WATCH Here are the players who are projected to move inside and outside the top 30 that will advance to the final leg of the FedExCup Playoffs, the TOUR Championship. QUOTE OF THE DAY We have so much to play for every week but especially in these FedExCup Playoffs. All of a sudden you have a really good week, you could legitimately have a chance of winning the FedExCup. TOP 5 WATCH The Top 5 players entering the TOUR Championship will control their own destiny at East Lake. Here’s a look at how the current top 5 fared Thursday at the BMW Championship. 1. Jordan Spieth (65). Needed just 24 putts in a solid bogey-free 65. Spieth is protecting his top spot at the moment nicely. Projected first. 2. Justin Thomas (67). Bounced back from a double bogey to stay in contention for another Playoff win. Projected to second. 3. Dustin Johnson (71). Scrappy opening but Johnson showed character after falling to 3-over through opening six holes. Work to do from here but remains projected third. 4. Hideki Matsuyama (72). The Playoffs have not been too friendly to Matsuyama thus far. A tough day with the putter left him floundering. Projected to fifth. 5. Jon Rahm (69). Looked likely to make a surge after three straight birdies to close front nine. But an even par back nine stalled his push. Projected to sixth. FEDEXCUP NOTES • Danny Lee’s season officially ended on Thursday after the Kiwi was forced to withdraw early in his round with a lower back injury. Lee tried to get treatment on the course to continue but was unable to power on. At 69th in the FedExCup entering the week he will not advance to the TOUR Championship. • Team USA could have an early “winâ€� in the Presidents Cup with Phil Mickelson projected inside the top 30 and Louis Oosthuizen projected out. The TOUR Championship represents another competitive week to keep the game in sync. Mickelson was a captain’s pick for the U.S. team while Oosthuizen is a member of the Internationals. As it stands all 12 USA members project inside the Top 30 now. Just 5 Internationals project there. “To make it into East Lake would be great and also great to play the week before the Presidents Cup and help me keep my games sharp,â€� Mickelson said. • Jason Day, the winner at Conway Farms in 2015, came in ranked 28th and in danger of missing Atlanta. A 7-under 64 to be tied second projects him inside the top 10. • Charley Hoffman continues to flirt with wins. His 64 left him tied second and projected to 8th in the FedExCup standings. He and Paul Casey (projected 9th) remain the highest players without victories this season. • Marc Leishman started the week ranked 7th in the FedExCup and, after his opening 62, projects into the all-important top 5 at 4th. But he needs to remain in the top 2 to keep his spot, such is the impressive seasons of those above thus far. • The biggest potential mover of the week is Jamie Lovemark. At T2 after his -7 64 Lovemark projects up 39 spots from 58th to 19th.

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