Mickelson: My game is back

PhilMickelson_high_s

Ahead of the opening event of the FedExCup play-offs - The Barclays - Mickelson revealed his "game" only returned at the US PGA Championship where he finished second, just a shot behind champion Rory McIlroy.

While the 44-year-old has endured a tough season, where he missed the cut at The Players Championship and The Masters and has failed to win a tournament, Mickelson believes he is raring to go with The Barclays set to begin on Thursday at the Ridgewood Country Club.

"The PGA was a big week for me because it was the first time this year my game was back," the veteran said at a media conference in New Jersey. 

"It gave me an excitement and energy heading into the FedExCup and Barclays here that my game is back and I'm ready to compete and get back into contention. 

"It was so fun being up there again, and the nerves and the excitement of it all, it got me excited."

Mickelson sits 45th in the FedExCup standings, 1,661 points behind leader McIlroy, but with 2,500 points on offer in all four play-off events, the American left-hander remains in the hunt for the overall title.

Bubba Watson is in a much better position, sitting third in the standings with 2,173 points, just 409 less than world number one McIlroy.

But the 2014 Masters champion believes even if he wins The Barclays, the FedExCup play-offs will still come down to the end-of-season Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, starting September 11.

"It's good [being ranked third] it shows that I had to have played halfway decent throughout the year," Watson said.

"[But] really the tournament that means the most is the last one but to get up there in the top five and trying to stay in the top five going into the last week is where you're going to have a chance to shine in the play-offs."

Watson was lambasted following the US PGA Championship for his boorish behaviour as he refused to take part in the Long Drive Contest before the event, while he treated his caddie Ted Scott poorly in the second round, at one point demanding Scott place his ball on the tee so he did not have to stand in the rain.

Despite being 35 years old, Watson claimed he is still "trying to mature".

"[Just] because I want something [success] so bad, that's not the reason to do that," he said.

"You still just bite your tongue and compete at a high level, don't show emotion, and I take it overboard because I want something so bad. I want to be considered a great player. I want to win golf tournaments and I've got to learn on that.

"And then my language was not good. That's a different topic, and childish again. It's all childish stuff and I'm trying to mature and become a better man."

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