TOUR NEWS: One of golf's oldest adages testifies, "Form is temporary, class is permanent."

And, after enduring a year to forget in 2003, Phil Mickelson - a trimmer version than the one on view in the President's Cup in November - launched his season with a play-off win in the Bob Hope Classic on the US Tour on Sunday that had the immediate impact of reversing his slide in the world rankings.

In fact, he jumped from 16th to 12th in the official ranking, with Darren Clarke one of those losing out to the rejuvenated left-hander. In many ways, and especially given his form of last season, this win - beating Skip Kendall at the first play-off hole after the two had finished the 90-holes tournament on 30-under-par 330 - marked a quite extraordinary return to competitive golf for Mickelson, whose last tournament win came all of 19 months previously.

This success was Mickelson's 22nd win on the US Tour and the fourth time he had opened his season with a victory. It also extended an excellent record in play-offs, this being his sixth win in seven sudden-death head-to-head encounters.

"I drove it exceptionally well, was pleased with the distance control of my irons and thought I also putted exceptionally well," said Mickelson. "I am so excited to start this year. I really enjoyed working out in the off-season."

By his standards, Mickelson endured a terrible time last season. Although he had seven top-10 finishes, including a third place in the US Masters (his other major performances saw him finish tied-55th in the US Open, tied-59th in the British Open and tied-23rd in the US PGA), he finished the year winless and fell from number two in the world to 16th place.

"Last year my confidence just slowly, slowly dwindled," he admitted. "I really don't even want to think about last year. I've started this year with a ton of confidence, with the feeling that I could play well. I can't wait to get to Phoenix (for this week's Phoenix Open). This is the most fun I've had in a long time playing golf." He continued: "I'm in a more positive frame of mind. I've been working on a certain direction and knowing what I want to do with my mechanics, with my short game and with my putting, as opposed to searching last year and trying to fix things and working out of the negative. The biggest area mentally is I'm working from a more positive frame of mind."

Mickelson and Kendall matched similar birdies on the 18th in regulation play to force a play-off, both players hitting their second shots to the par five about pin-high in rough on the right adjacent to the green and then pitching to within 18 inches of the hole. In the play-off, Mickelson secured almost an identical birdie, denying Kendall - who once worked as a waiter in order to earn enough money to keep his golf career alive - a first tour win.

Mickelson's win moved him ahead of Clarke - who is on a family holiday in the Seychelles - in the world rankings. Clarke has dropped one place to 13th, while Harrington - on holiday in Barbados - remains at number 10.

Meanwhile, Gary Murphy and Graeme McDowell make their seasonal debuts on the European Tour in the Johnnie Walker Classic, in Bangkok this week. The duo are joined by Peter Lawrie, last year's rookie of the year, who opened his campaign with a top-20 finish in the Dunhill Championship in South Africa.

The Johnnie Walker is a tri-sanctioned event - with money counting to the European Tour, Asian Tour and Australasian Tour - and it would seem the cheque-book has been well and truly used to attract big names with Ernie Els, who successfully defended his Sony Open title in Hawaii last week, defending his crown in a field including two of last year's major champions, Ben Curtis and Shaun Micheel.

Curtis, the reigning British Open champion, makes his debut in the event having taken up membership of the European Tour for 2004, while fellow American Micheel - the 2003 US PGA Champion is also making his debut in the Johnnie Walker Classic but is more familiar with Asia, where he played on a regular basis earlier in his career before he managed to secure his US Tour card.

A total of 20 winners from last season's European Tour are playing in Thailand, including England's Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, both two-time winners in 2003, and Adam Scott, who won on both sides of the Atlantic last year. Colin Montgomerie and his Ryder Cup team-mate, Thomas Björn of Denmark, making his seasonal debut, are also in the field.

ORDER OF MERIT - Irish positions: 3, P Harrington €94,205; 16, D Clarke €27,248; 31, P Lawrie €12,347; 64, P McGinley €6,481; 85, M McNulty €4,718; 123, D McGrane €2,068.