Resurgent veterans redefining golf after 40 on TOUR

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Phil Mickelson (right), with young star Rory McIlroy, is still waiting for a win in 2010.

The season started with an eye on the kids.

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Flashy resumes and flashier smiles. Style. Quirks. Raw talent.

You know the names -- Rory McIlroy, Ryo Ishikawa, Rickie Fowler. Hard faces to forget, up-and-comers to get excited about.

Then came the youngsters -- anyone under, say, 35 -- who won. Pedigreed Bill Haas. Dustin Johnson. Ryan Palmer. Ian Poulter.

But as we turn the corner -- no pun intended -- toward the year's first major, it's the age-ed ones who are splitting attention with one Tiger Woods.

Steve Stricker takes a bow in California, then, on successive weeks, it's Ernie Els and Jim Furyk. And don't forget Phil Mickelson, who has muddled around this season looking for what's missing. No one doubts he'll find it. And well before his 40th birthday in June. Or Retief Goosen, who has four top-six finishes in his first five events. Or Vijay Singh, who has been lurking the last two weeks.

Stricker and Els are one-two on the TOUR money list and join Mickelson and Furyk, who turns 40 in May, in the world's top 9. Padraig Harrington -- No. 10 -- turns 39 this year. Enough said. They can win anywhere, any time.

Fortysomething never looked so good, unless you're comparing it to fiftysomething Fred Couples or ageless Tom Watson, who just keeps getting better. Couples has won twice on the Champions Tour and finished runner-up to Watson in a third. Watson started the year strong with a win and an eighth place in Dubai -- against the young guys.

You don't think any of the above could challenge at the Masters? Think again. Augusta National owes Els one. The only one with a mere nano-slice of a chance is Watson, who doesn't have enough length off the tee there, but still has the touch around the greens. Everyone else? More than half of them are on everyone's short list. And, lest you forget, defending champ Angel Cabrera is pushing 41.

Anyone else out there remember that 40 used to be all but over-the-hill? Headed the wrong way. One foot away from retirement or another career? Now? It's just another birthday and an opportunity to reflect, change gears and contend once again. Think Jack Nicklaus at the 1986 Masters. Ray Floyd a few months later at the '86 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. Hale Irwin at Medinah back in 1990. Or Jay Haas. Or Fred Funk.

Couples is simply continuing what's become a tradition of fiftysomethings who are still seriously competitive on the PGA TOUR. Heck, he tied for third at last year's brutally windblown Shell Houston Open -- at 49.

And Watson? Well, he redefined how we look at 60 last year at Turnberry -- just 12 months after 53-year-old Greg Norman came up justthisshort at Birkdale.

So, what do we have to look forward to in the coming weeks? Well, the Arnold Palmer Invitational is stacked with graying names, who also happen to have hot hands coming into this week -- Els, Furyk, Goosen, Mickelson and Stricker. And that's just a start.

Kenny Perry and Davis Love -- both in that timeless group -- are there, as is European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie, who holds the title -- in emeritus -- of Best Player Never To Win A Major. Of course, we know his major has always been the Ryder Cup. But we digress.

David Toms -- bum-soon-to-be-repaired-shoulder-and-all -- had us wondering at Transitions last week and will tee it up at Bay Hill too. No one questions Scott Verplank's chances -- he'll be 46 this year -- when he gets on a roll. The guy may still have a major in him. Toms might have a second.

Former Masters champ Mike Weir, who finished sixth at the Bob Hope Classic and came close to winning twice in 2009, turns 40 this spring and is working his way back up the ladder. Davis Love III has a top-five this season -- at the Sony Open -- and is always a thought in the spring and summer.

Defending Zurich champ Jerry Kelly is one of those sneaky how-can-he-be-fortysomethings. Six top-10s last year, three top-25s this year. A grinder who's never a surprise contender.

And what about Calc? Mark Calcavecchia is barreling toward his 50th -- and the Champions Tour -- this summer. His last win was at the 2007 PODS Championship, but he's had eight top-10s since then.

Even former PGA champ Steve Elkington, who has three top-16s and a T25 this year, but is taking the week off, is making us take notice. Keep an eye on him next week at his hometown event -- the Shell Houston Open. Ditto for K.J. Choi, who turns 40 in May.

That moment at Augusta in 1986? We thought we'd never see anything close to it again and ... see what happened?

So as the TOUR heads into spring and the season's first major, by all means keep your eye on Tiger and those kids lining up to nip at his heels. But don't dismiss the salt-and-pepper -- or shiny dome -- crowd. They're the heart and soul of the game right now.

Tiger, the one man who can win at Bay Hill without even thinking, isn't in the field this week, so he can't win a seventh time. Not this year. But don't be surprised to see one of the older guys come up big. Els, Singh, Perry and Mickelson have all won here and, well, it would make perfect sense.

Could be one of them. Then again, could be someone else.

All we know is it will be a lot of fun to watch.

Melanie Hauser is a columnist for PGATOUR.COM. Her views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR.