JACK NICKLAUS believes that Killeen Castle in Meath could one day host the Ryder Cup — well he would say that, he’s designing the course.

After three shaky starts and a dismal second half of 2006, Phil Mickelson finally answered the critics to win the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am by five strokes last night.

After wildly contrasting starts Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson ended honours even in the opening round of the US PGA championship in Chicago today – but now they have some catching up to do.

In the blue corner, weighing in at 185 pounds, with 68 wins in 241 fights, 11 of them majors, from Cypress, California, and living in Orlando, Florida, the Open champion Eldrick ‘Tiger’ Woods.

Phil Mickelson won the Masters in April after romping to a 13-shot victory the previous Sunday. Things are rather different for his attempt to make a successful defence of the US PGA championship at Medinah in Chicago this week. He has just missed his first halfway cut of the year.

Phil Mickelson today showed just how serious he is about next month’s British Open at Hoylake, flying in by private jet with his caddie, short-game coach Dave Pelz and his father for a first practice round.

If ever there was a hard act to follow in recent golfing times then Phil Mickelson’s duel with Ernie Els at last year’s Masters was it.

TAKE a bow, Tim Herron. You are the man. You took on the feared seventh hole at Shinnecock Hills and lived. Timbo, you rock.

CAN this finally be the year Phil Mickelson overcomes his demons and wins a major championship?

Stephen Gallacher’s late decision to stay on for an extra week in Australia paid off today when he charged into a share of third place at the ANZ Championship in Sydney.