While cat's away, Lefty has shot to really play

Woods tops the ranking with 19.92 points, more than double Mickelson's current tally of 9.70. While the lead is effectively insurmountable unless Mickelson reels off victories in several of his remaining starts, Woods will continue to lose points when he isn't playing. So with a rush, Mickelson can certainly close the gap by next spring, when Woods seems likely to return, but there's no question that of all the awards and acclaim Lefty can potentially gather while Woods is out, this presents the steepest climb.

Apart from trophies and chart-topping honors, Mickelson also can shape his perception with the ultimate judge and jury -- the public. Even if he should fall short of the aforementioned four objectives, Mickelson won't be the oldest member of the Ryder Cup team in September but will serve as the roster's most decorated figurehead. Nobody has been on more international teams than Mickelson, whose record in cup competitions has frequently been abysmal.

He could, and rightly should, be a team leader, eschewing past practices such as the stunt he pulled at Oakland Hills four years ago, when he practiced by himself at a different course the day before the disastrous Ryder matches began.

Maybe he was just being cagey or coy, but Mickelson this week wouldn't concede that anything other than winning is on his radar at the moment. Of course, if he does enough of that, the rest will take care of itself.

He can do it with his sticks. The carrot at the end of the proverbial stick, however, there's no sense in worrying about it, he says.

"I'm looking forward to having a good couple month stretch, and I haven't thought about those other areas," he said, "but I'm sure it's an exciting opportunity for a lot of guys."

By now, at age 38, it should be enticing to him, too, no?