Mickelson's return, though welcome, has odd timing

MIAMI --- His return to competition was long overdue. After an absence of more than eight months, as speculation intensified whether his best golf was behind him, he looks as good as ever and has helped bring some buzz back to the PGA Tour. He might even be considered the favorite at Augusta National.

Welcome back, Lefty.

The only thing better than the return of Tiger Woods is the revival of Phil Mickelson, renewing this generation's best rivalry with the Masters Tournament right around the corner.

He wasn't really gone, but it sure seemed that way. He was the one player who had the most to gain when Woods had knee surgery after winning the U.S. Open and disappeared for eight months. The stage was set for Mickelson to win a PGA Tour money title, be voted player of the year, perhaps move up to No. 1.

Mickelson didn't win a single tournament the rest of the year.

Few other players truly relish competition against Woods, and you have to wonder if golf is as much fun for Lefty without Woods around. He doesn't buy into this. Asked at the 2004 Masters what it was like to have the lead with Woods nine shots behind, Mickelson smiled and said, "It doesn't suck, I can say that."

Even so, the timing is peculiar.

The week Woods announced his return to competition, Mickelson had rounds of 63 and 62 at Riviera to win the Northern Trust Open, his first victory since the month before Woods won his 14th major at Torrey Pines. Playing in the same 72-hole event with Woods for the first time since the U.S. Open, Mickelson went wire-to-wire at Doral to win the CA Championship.

After Sunday's victory -- his 36th on the PGA Tour -- someone asked Mickelson if he felt Woods would be in peak form sooner than some expected.

"I don't think anybody is concerned about that," he said. "He's the greatest player of all time, arguably, he or Jack (Nicklaus). And he'll get back to that level. I'm hoping it's in five weeks and not four."

Mickelson had history in his grasp three years ago at Winged Foot, when Woods' father died and he sat out two months, returning at the U.S. Open only to miss the cut. Mickelson had a chance to win his third consecutive major until a double bogey on the last hole.

Woods is on the rebound again, and Mickelson is hitting his stride. Golf was without its biggest star for eight months. Now it has two of them back.

TAVISTOCK CUP

Tiger Woods finally made some meaningful putts, even if they were for par, as he teamed with John Cook to win a fourballs match Monday in leading Isleworth to a 6-4 lead over Lake Nona in the Tavistock Cup. Woods and Cook shot 9-under 63 to defeat Henrik Stenson and Chris DiMarco in the opening match.

The Tavistock Cup is between two high-profile golf clubs in Orlando, Fla. The event concludes today.

With 62, Augusta native Charles Howell and Nick O'Hern gave Isleworth a victory over Lake Nona captain Ernie Els and 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman.