The South African won the 1994 US Open and has been regularly in contention at the majors

The South African won the 1994 US Open and has been regularly in contention at the majors. He is No 4 in the world rankings to the American's 14th place Mickelson's major record is sketchy. So in the past, if I ever said things that made me sound arrogant, I didn't mean to, and I've tried to knock that off."Mickelson got the "next Nicklaus" tag after becoming the first man since the great one to win the US Amateur and NCAA college title in the same year, 1990. When he turned pro at the 1992 US Open, a $500,000 deal was handed to him by Yonex.The performance prompted one American journalist to write: "Mickelson is the kind of guy parents love and kids hate.

There are some who think the Mr Perfect routine is a bit much."The question became whether Mickelson was the "Bear Apparent", or just unbearable? Now he admits: "The more I've played, the more I've realised that the only thing that matters is what the clubs and the balls do, what scores are shot That's what tells other people how good you are. The magazine also predicted that Mickelson's "in-your-face cockiness suggests Cup stardom is inevitable". Despite playing in only three of the five series of matches in the Ryder Cup, the 25-year-old left-hander was the only player on either side to remain unbeaten. When the young American moved into the professional ranks, he was preceded by an impressive amateur record and an ear-to-ear, teeth-flashing smile. For Phil Mickelson, it read: "Opened 1991 Walker Cup at Portmarnock by splitting first fairway, then tossing driver disdainfully to caddie." Peter Alliss described it as the "most arrogant thing I've everseen". But this turbulent man is capable of anything as he showed in winning the Open at St Andrews. Augusta suits his style and his temperament has a rare evenness at the moment. Couples is the choice to get America's revenge for the Ryder and Walker Cups but Daly, the man they didn't pick for their Ryder team, is capable of wreaking double vengeance..

AS PART of its team profiles for last year's Ryder Cup, an American magazine included a section entitled "Defining moment" for each player. His spectacular victory at Sawgrass last week may have been aided by a fortunate bounce but there's nothing wrong with being lucky. He has every claim to being the best golfer in the world, certainly the most charismatic. Greg Norman is officially the world No 1 but there are others to be fancied ahead of him and they are all Americans.If you had followed John Daly on his final round last year you would have written him off forever as a potential Master. He hasn't even mildly frightened Augusta in his four previous outings but he appears confident he can introduce the necessary draw into the shape of his shots, while changes to a diet which was once as big a threat to our food industry as BSE has helped produce aggressive form.But the Americans are able to call on a formidable home guard headed by the hugely gifted Couples who won thrillingly in 1992 and was well in the hunt last year until he blew up in the last round. Ballesteros is liable to resemble a lumbago advert at any minute and Langer, too, has fitness problems.

As only the second back-to-back winner in Masters history, Faldo can never be dismissed as a contender but hasn't been on his game of late. Woosnam had a brilliant start to the year and is very well suited to the course but even he would have to admit that Colin Montgomerie carries the bulk of the European challenge. Sherry, who will be 22 tomorrow, proved last year that he can cope with pressure but he will find it difficult on the Tiger's own patch.The rest of Europe is not in good shape collectively. The fact that the US were beaten on their own soil will do nothing to ease the week's nationalistic undertones which will reach even into the race for the silver cup for the best amateur.Last year, this trophy was won in style by the prodigy Eldrick "Tiger" Woods who was later to feature in America's Walker Cup team unexpectedly defeated by GB and Ireland at Royal Porthcawl.

The giant Scot Gordon Sherry, who more than anyone epitomised our spirited performance in the Walker Cup, is competing in the Masters by dint of being the British Amateur champion and will find himself in a re-enactment of the Walker Cup. Ben Crenshaw won the event in scenes of heavy emotion because his mentor Harvey Penick had passed away on the eve of the tournament It was a thoroughly American climax. The nearest representative of the old continent was Olazabal who tied for 14th place. Since the Masters has practically become America v The Rest, this was interpreted as a comforting pointer to the Ryder Cup due to be played six months later in Rochester, New York. This leads to a certain possessiveness that erupted a few years ago into excessive patriotism. There was an understandable reason; before 1980 the only non-American who had won their coveted title had been Gary Player who they took to be one of theirs anyway Then Seve Ballesteros won it and did it again in 1983.