CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE — Phil Mickelson has decided to withdraw from the BMW Championships for the final two rounds to rest for the Ryder Cup matches later this month, it was announced Saturday morning.
Mickelson, who won the 1990 U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills Country Club, wanted to return to the course, which is part of the FedEx Cup four-week playoffs to end the PGA Tour season.
“My primary goal is to rest and prepare for the Ryder Cup,” Mickelson said in a news release Saturday morning. “Without a chance to contend at the TOUR Championship, the most important thing for me now is to prepare for the Ryder Cup.”
His Ryder Cup teammate Keegan Bradley, who was a captain’s pick announced earlyer this week, also withdrew Saturday morning. Bradley dropped out after he had a rules question about an embedded ball he moved on No. 18 in Thursday’s round.
“I just feel withdrawing is the right thing to do to protect the field in the BMW Championship and the TOUR Championship next week,” Bradley said. ” It’s eating me alive. I didn’t call my fellow competitors for help in the first place and that bothers me. I know the official approved the drop, but I just can’t be absolutely sure if was the right spot.”
Bradley entered the week ranked No. 23 in the standings, and likely won’t make the 30-man cut for next week’s Tour Championship.
Mickelson is ranked No. 56 in the standings, and PGA Tour projections suggested he would have needed to finish fourth or higher this week to advance and make the Tour Championship field.
With a large gallery following him in the first two rounds, Mickelson was 6-over after shooting 70 on Thursday but 6-over 76 on Friday. He was tied for 63rd, 14 shots back.
in a row, but his goal was to return to Cherry Hills, where he won the Amateur title when he was at Arizona State.
“I’m not real high on playing four in a row, so it doesn’t — I’m just excited to be here,” Mickelson said Wednesday. “This is the one, of the all the four, that I wanted to play, was Cherry Hills.”
Bradley was at 3-over after two rounds at the BMW Championship, tied for 41st and 11 shots back.
The Ryder Cup is in three weeks in Scotland.
Tee times for Saturday’s third round begin at 9:30 a.m. It’s another cool and grey morning but fans were at the gates as soon as they opened. Officials are expecting a near-sellout. Sunday’s final round is soldout.
