NORTON, Mass., Sept. 5 — Stop me if you’ve heard this one: The Deutsche Bank Championship could finally be the tourney that Phil Mickelson uses to vault over Tiger Woods and assume the title of the world’s top golfer.
More often than the punditry proclaims Woods’ game to be back on track, golf watchers anoint Mickelson as No. 1. And just as often as Tiger shows some old magic, only to disappoint in his next round, Phil comes up short when the brass ring is within reach.
12th time’s the charm? Yah, but this could really be the week that Lefty grabs the crown. Sure, he’s coughed it up in each of the 11 chances (by CBS Sports’ Steve Elling’s count) he’s had to dethrone Woods. That includes last month, when Woods tied for 78th at the Bridgestone Invitational and Mickelson needed only to close in fourth place after starting the last round four shots back. Mickelson proceeded to post a ghastly 78, which included a three putt from short distance on the ninth hole.
But, seriously, this week could be different. Mickelson’s only five shots off Jason Day’s tourney-setting 17-under lead after 54 holes. He would have been four strokes back (where have we heard that before?) but for that lone bogey on 16 at TPC Boston.
The beauty of it for Phil is that he doesn’t even have to win to sit atop the world rankings. Winning, of course, would be fine, but there are other ways he can shove aside the guy who’s been on top for the past five years. Barring a win, Mickelson can ascend to the top spot under the following scenarios:
- Finish second if Woods, currently at 7-under, ends up fourth or worse
- Finish third if Woods closes no better than 10th
- Come in fourth if Woods can do no better than 25th and Steve Stricker does not win
Game within a game. Speaking of Stricker, the defending Deutsche Bank champ will enter the final round in a share of fourth place, just one stroke better than Mickelson, and Woods in a tie for 23rd. Golf can’t get much more exciting than that, can it?
Oh yeah, about the Deutsche Bank Championship. Day has a one-shot lead over Brandt Snedeker, with Luke Donald just two strokes back. And there’s the whole FedEx Cup playoff thing, which moves to Chicago next week with Woods in tow unless he suffers a monumental meltdown.
But the action worth watching is the race for No. 1. And this is the week Phil’s going to wrap that sucker up. No, really.
(Emily Kay is a regular contributor to New England Golf Monthly. Check her out at the Boston Golf Examiner and National Golf Examiner websites.)
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