Haas picks son, Mickelson with Presidents Cup wild-card picks
American Presidents Cup captain Jay Haas filled out his 12-man, Korea-bound team on Tuesday with two familiar names.
The nine-time PGA Tour winner picked his son, Bill, with one of the picks and then surprised in adding Phil MIckelson to the American team.
Bill Haas finished 11th in Presidents Cup points, coming up short of earning one of the 10 automatic berths. Haas won early in 2015, taking the Humana Challenge, but was has been mediocre in his last six starts. A pair of top-six finishes at the Quicken Loans National and the Wyndham Championship, both of which are typically good events for Haas, kept him within striking distance of the top 10.
The younger Haas had said throughout last week’s Deutsche Bank Championship that he hoped to avoid forcing his father into the awkward situation of picking him, but a T-60 finish in Boston kept him from catching Chris Kirk, the last automatic qualifier.
Haas has played in the last two Presidents Cups, both American wins under captain Fred Couples, going 3-5-2.
The first man out typically finds a way onto American teams. It’s a runner-up trophy of sorts. However, Jay Haas reached to pick Phil Mickelson, who finished 30th in points, skipping over players like defending FedEx Cup champion Billy Horschel, 2012 U.S. Open winner Webb Simpson, Kevin Na and up-and-comer Brooks Koepka.
Haas loved what Mickelson brings to the American team room.
“If anyone deserves a pick, it’s Phil Mickelson,” Haas said in announcing his picks. “He is without question the leader of our team in the team room, on the golf course. I think the guys trust him 100 percent. The guys on the team were adamant that Phil is the guy, and I think between the captains and team members, Phil was an overwhelming choice to be a pick.”
Perhaps Haas didn’t consult 2014 Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson, who may not have given the same glowing recommendation. Nonetheless, Mickelson, who didn’t lobby for a pick, continues his streak of being the only player to compete in every Presidents Cup since its inception in 1994 and a member of every American team — Presidents or Ryder Cup — since 1993.
As for the International team, captain Nick Price went with Australian Steven Bowditch and Korean Sang-moon Bae. Bae, who won the Frys.com Open in October for his second PGA Tour win, will return home for one last golf show for his home nation before he steps away from golf for two years to complete military conscription.
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
