At long last, Tiger Woods has a true rival.

For the past decade, the knock on the rest of the PGA Tour has been that no other player in the Tiger Woods era has been able to fashion a significant major championship record. That all changed on Sunday when Phil Mickelson grabbed his second Masters green jacket in three years and his third major title in his past nine starts. Mickelson -- halfway to his own "Tiger Slam" -- is the only player other than Woods to win back-to-back majors since Nick Price took the British Open and PGA Championship in 1994.

Lefty's win at Augusta no doubt will add intrigue to the June U.S. Open at Winged Foot as he tries to make it three majors in a row. So will the dominating nature of his Masters victory, an impeccable march through the pines that Mickelson accomplished with two drivers, superb course management, rock-steady nerves on the greens and no small degree of swagger. The way Phil won at Augusta leaves no doubt he has finally reached his prime.

By the time Lefty and Tiger arrive at Winged Foot, Woods surely will have ironed out the problems that led to three final-round 3-putts and countless other missed opportunities on Augusta's undulating greens. The best-case scenario is Woods and Mickelson in the final pairing on Sunday.

Whatever the case, Woods will be watching his back, as well he should.

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