Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson maybe weren’t top of mind when Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker talked about potential players for next year’s team at Whistling Straits. But Stricker would not be surprised if either veteran played their way on to the team.
“I think they both are very capable of making the team,” Stricker said Monday morning at a news conference marking the one-year countdown to the Ryder Cup. “Tiger probably will make his own team this year in the Presidents Cup. He’s played well again.
“It looks like Phil’s building up his calves and getting thinner and hitting more bombs. Anything’s possible with Phil.”
Mickelson has played on every Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup team since 1994. To make it to Australia for the Presidents Cup team in December, he’ll need to be one of Woods’ captain’s picks. Mickelson, who is in the field this week in Las Vegas after missing the cut at the Safeway, finished 16th in the standings.
“Tiger we know what kind of player and competitor he is,” Stricker said. “I didn’t mean to leave anybody out. … They are both unbelievable in the team room. They’ve obviously played on a number of teams and have had so much experience.”
