Phil Mickelson doubles down, says he doesn’t deserve a Presidents Cup pick even if he wins this week

Phil Mickelson knows his unbelievable streak of competing in team events will likely come to an end with the Presidents Cup this December. Mickelson could put on one last strong performance at this week’s WGC-HSBC Champions to plead his case to warrant a pick, but the 49-year-old believes it will be too little too late. Even if he wins.

“So I’ve played terribly this year, and even if I were to win this week, I do not deserve or warrant a pick for the Presidents Cup,” Mickelson said Wednesday when speaking to reporters in Shanghai, China. “There’s much better players who have played better throughout the year, and so I won’t be on the team this year. But I intend to come back strong, play well and get back on the Ryder Cup team next year.”

These comments are similar to what Mickelson said at the CJ Cup earlier this month. He hasn’t changed his tune since.

“Even if I were to win, I have not done enough to warrant a pick,” Mickelson said on Oct. 16, a few days before tying for 31st. “I’m not asking for one, I don’t expect one. I think there’s a lot better options for the U.S. side.”

Mickelson, on Wednesday, said he believes his lack of results can be chalked up to mental struggles instead of physical.

“I don’t really want to go into details; I just haven’t played well,” he said. “Just had a lot of stuff going on, and I just haven’t been really focused and into the mental side. I haven’t seen good clear pictures. I haven’t been as committed and as connected to the target. I just haven’t been mentally as sharp the last six, eight months.”

Mickelson has played in 24 straight team competitions, beginning with the 1994 Presidents Cup. Presidents Cup captain Tiger Woods will announce his four captain’s picks at 7 p.m. ET on Nov. 7.

Mickelson’s opening round of the WGC-HSBC Champions begins at 10:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday. He’s grouped with Matthew Fitzpatrick and Haotong Li.

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