Mickelson could be USA's trump card

Until this year, Phil Mickelson had a weight on his shoulders which he looked unlikely to shift.

The mantle of "Best Player Never To Have Won A Major" seemed in danger of crushing this natural talent from San Diego.

But on a Sunday afternoon in April at Augusta, Mickelson played like a man without a care in the world to complete one of the greatest final rounds witnessed at a major championship.

His prize was the green jacket of a U.S. Masters winner and an end to jibes about nerves of jelly.

That final-round 69, which edged out a late charge by Ernie Els, culminated in an 18-foot birdie putt at the last. A career's worth of doubt and frustration accumulated from a series of near-misses disappeared with the ball.

Mickelson went on to finish second at the U.S. Open a couple of months later, third at the British Open in July and then tied for sixth at the U.S. PGA Championship last month.

The 34-year-old's form is bad news for Bernhard Langer's relatively inexperienced Ryder Cup defenders when battle commences at Oakland Hills outside Detroit on September 17.

Mickelson's record in golf's premier team competition since playing in the first of his four Ryder Cups in 1995 has been mixed.

He ended up on the losing side in his first two matches, despite winning his singles rubbers, and helped the U.S. to victory in the controversial 1999 encounter at The Country Club in Brookline.

Two years ago, Mickelson and a highly-fancied U.S. team skippered by Curtis Strange seemed on their way to a successful defence of the trophy in the Sunday singles.

But Mickelson suffered a stunning 3 and 2 reverse by the unheralded Welshman Phillip Price and the Americans surrendered the cup to Europe.

The likeable left-hander will be determined to put the record straight next week in Michigan and, with his side again starting as favourites, few would bet against him doing it.