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Five-time major winner Phil Mickelson insists he can play his way into Tom Watson’s US Ryder Cup team, despite being outside the qualifying spots as things stand.

The American hasn’t had the best of seasons thus far, and sits in tenth place in qualifying with the top nine automatically going to Gleneagles. He began the 2013/14 PGA Tour season ranked third in the world but, with only one top ten to his name at the moment, the 44-year-old has dropped ten places to 13^th.

However, Mickelson is aiming to build on his excellent score of 62 posted in the final round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Sunday, and hopes he can take that form into this week’s PGA Championship at Valhalla.

“It’s been a while since I felt confident heading in.” – Phil Mickelson

“I’ve got five more days here,” said Mickelson. “I really do believe that after the way I played on the weekend, I think I’ll continue that play into this week and I’m confident that I’ll get on the team on my own and won’t require that pick.”

“It’s been a while since I felt confident heading in, and I didn’t know I was going to feel this way after the first two rounds last week.

“It’s a nice turn of events. I feel like I’m not searching, and I’m trying to keep that momentum going.”

If he is to contend over the weekend, Phil Mickelson will need to improve on his form in 2014’s majors, and his recent ventures in the PGA Championship. He missed the cut at the Masters in April, finished tied 28^th in the US Open, and came 23^rd at the Open at Royal Liverpool last month.

His record in the last two PGA Championships doesn’t make for much better reading. He finished 36^th in 2012 and 72nd last year.

Phil Mickelson :: Ryder Cup veteran

Mickelson is a two-time winner of the Ryder Cup, and a stalwart of nine US Ryder Cup teams. With the final major of the year, and the FedExCup Playoffs ahead of him, Mickelson is determined to make September’s match and keep his impressive run going.

“I want to keep that streak going of two decades that I have,” he said. “I want to keep that going of making the team on my own and not needing a pick.”