Phil Mickelson didn’t hide his feelings about the course setup for the Tour Championship as it relates to the Ryder Cup.
He wasn’t happy.
The golfer cited a disconnect and a lack of communication by the United States in regard to the international event.
Mickelson complained about the rough at East Lake Golf Club on Sunday with the Ryder Cup set to begin on Friday at Hazeltine National in Minnesota. Mickelson and other U.S. team members played a practice round at the course early this week. Apparently, there is no such rough.
Following a final-round 66 on Sunday, Mickelson was asked about his score. He took the opportunity to get his feelings off his chest.
“I’m going to point something out,” Mickelson said. “This is a great example of the disconnect that we have on the U.S. side because the Tour doesn’t own the Ryder Cup, let’s say, or doesn’t work in conjunction with the PGA of America.
“The European Tour would never have the setup be so different the week before the Ryder Cup. If we were in Europe and they were going to set up the course a certain way, the week before they would set it up a certain way. We’re not going to have rough like that – this is the worst rough I’ve seen in years. We’re not going to have that rough next week. Why the Tour set it up so differently from what we’re going to have next week is a lack of communication and working together. It’s those kinds of details that we have to sort through as a unit to bring out our best.”
Mickelson will be playing in his 11th Ryder Cup. The U.S. has failed miserably against the European team with a 2-8 record in the previous events. Mickelson’s thoughts were clearly on the Ryder Cup this week, despite playing in the finale of the PGA Tour playoffs, with $11.5 million on the line for the winner of the FedEx Cup. He spent the first two days experimenting with a longer-shafted driver in preparation for the length of the Hazeltine track.
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