With a perfect 5-0 and set the Presidents record with 18 match wins. Tiger Woods found his confort zone

October 20, 2009

At last week’s Presidents Cup at Harding Park, Mickelson and Stricker led the U.S. to a 19 1/2-14 1/2 victory over the Internationals that wasn’t as close as the score might indicate.

After inexplicably uneven play in his first five Presidents Cups — and, for that matter, his five Ryder Cups — Woods at long last had found his comfort zone, and he carried the momentum into singles, waxing Y.E. Yang 6 and 5 and clinching the Cup with a birdie on the 13th hole. “We won, and that’s the name of the game, whether you go 0-5 or 5-0.” Woods said. Especially when you go 5-0.

Mickelson, 39, solidified his role as the Americans’ elder statesman by guiding, cajoling and inspiring to victory three partners who were in varying states of fragility. Stricker, meanwhile, had to worry about pleasing only one very important teammate, Tiger Woods, who had handpicked the mild-mannered Wisconsinite to be his wingman. Over the Cup’s first three days they rolled to a 4-0 record together.