Nine things learned from The 2009 Presidents Cup

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Tim Clark, who's never won on the PGA TOUR, went 2-2-1 in The Presidents Cup at Harding Park.

Education never stops in life. Here are the nine things I learned from the Americans' 19 ˝-14 ˝ win over the International team in last week's Presidents Cup at Harding Park:

1. Tiger is the dominant player again.

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Forget about his 5-0-0 record, the first time Woods has thrown a no-hitter in international team competition, and the fact he blasted PGA champ Y.E.Yang 6 and 5 to clinch the Cup for the U.S. (How's that for a calling card for next year?) By going undefeated, he finally lifts his career record in The Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup to a winning mark (28-24-3).

The lasting image anyone should have of Woods' return to his dominant self was his startling reaction Saturday after he striped a 229-yard 3-iron at the 18th hole to enable partner Steve Stricker and Woods to steal a Foursomes match over Tim Clark and Mike Weir. Sure, we've seen Woods spin his club with his left hand when he knows he's hit it pure, but this time Woods added a surfer-like balancing move with his right arm to show how well he had hit it. It might have looked cocky, but it showed how much confidence Woods has in his game -- the ball stopped 10 feet from the hole.

With majors next year at Pebble Beach and St. Andrews -- where Woods won his last two majors by a combined 23 shots -- anyone thinks he won't add to his 14 pro championships in 2010?

2. Mickelson is recovered in so many ways.

Much has been written the past month about Phil Mickelson's improved putting after his work with Dave Stockton. But Lefty showed at Harding Park he's doing just well emotionally after a year in which his wife and mother have battled breast cancer.

Mickelson seemed to enjoy every minute of this Presidents Cup, and he passed this joy onto his three different partners, leading each of them to victory. With a 4-0-1 mark -- six years after he went 0-5-0 in this competition -- Mickelson has just about every golf fan looking forward to 2010, wondering if next year will be when he and Woods really renew their rivalry.

3. Stricks isn't going away.

Is there a quieter star on the PGA TOUR than Stricker? All the two-time Comeback Player of the Year did was go 4-1-0 while playing alongside Woods, which he seems to have done most of the year.

The 42-year-old Stricker did more than keep company with Woods during the four days -- he showed why he's the third-ranked player in the world with the type of golf and low-key personality that fits Woods to a tee. This won't be the final time they're paired together.

4. This won't be Freddy's last captaincy.

Just like everybody always wanted Fred Couples on their Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams, now they'll all be clamoring for him to be their captain.

You knew Freddy was going to keep things loose by doing such things as having Michael Jordan as his assistant captain. But Couples put his own touch on the job. He spoke beforehand of how so many times he had been on international teams where the captain said players could play with whom they wanted, but usually that never happened. Couples made sure it did this time.

"I've always wanted to play with Justin (Leonard)," said Mickelson, who teamed with Leonard to win a Four-ball match on Friday, "and this is the first time it happened. "

5. FedExCup helping the Americans.

PGA TOUR officials were simply trying to get their best players in more tournaments together after the majors when they devised golf's version of the postseason.

But it's obvious with the Americans easily winning the last three international competitions (two Presidents Cups and a Ryder Cup), the FedExCup has helped the top U.S. players by keeping their games sharper later in the year.

Who knew?

6. Ryo is for real.

There were some who wondered if Japanese's Ryo Ishikawa was a Captain's pick to the International team simply to help TV ratings in Asia. Nobody is wondering that anymore.

Not after Ishikawa was one of just three International players to post a winning record (3-2-0). He may not be the player who supplants Woods as the No. 1 player in a decade, as Johnny Miller suggested, but the 18-year-old already can putt with the big boys.

7. Tim Clark is a stud.

How is it that Tim Clark has yet to win on the PGA TOUR in 193 starts?

Despite a 2-2-1 record, Clark was a stalwart for the Internationals, winning a match with a clutch eagle on the 18th hole and making buckets or birdies. At least we know how he's made the most money ($13.6 million) in his career without a PGA TOUR win.

8. Kenny Perry needs a break.

It's been a difficult year for the Kentucky native. He bogeyed the last two holes to lose the Masters, had to bury his mother recently and looked deflated most of the week at Harding Park.

He was 1-3 and asked Couples to rest him in the Four-balls Saturday. Perry may not be ready to join the Champions Tour full-time next year, but his goal of six more PGA TOUR wins to reach 20 seems more unlikely.

9. The South Americans went south.

On the same week that South America landed the 2016 Olympics -- when golf makes its debut in the Summer Games -- things didn't go so rosy for the two South Americans on the International Team.

Colombia's Camilo Villegas was 0-4 and Masters champion Angel Cabrera of Argentina was 1-3.

Craig Dolch is a freelance columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR.