US confident as Lefty discounts recent form

GIVEN the amount of prominence Tiger Woods’ seemingly new-found leadership and bonding skills have been getting this week, it has been noticeable how little Phil Mickelson has featured in the fevered pre-Ryder Cup debate.

That all changed yesterday as Lefty emerged into the media glare with both his cheeky humour and his steely eye intact, a fact he underlined with his answer to the very first question on the issue of the relative lack of experience in the US team.

“Well, we’re hoping for a different outcome,” he rattled back rapier-like.