NAPA, Calif. -- Phil Mickelson rarely has sounded so excited to start a new PGA Tour season, even with the old season ending just three weeks ago.Then again, he doesnt have a lot of experience winning the Ryder Cup.Still gushing over the U.S. victory two weeks ago at Hazeltine, Mickelson gets one last chance to win something for himself at the Safeway Open. Its the first event in the 2016-17 season. Its also the last event of the year for the 46-year-old Mickelson.Im still on an emotional high, and even though Ive been running around this last week, my energy level is up and Im optimistic about having a good week, Mickelson said. I love the golf course and the feel. Its in California and Im excited to play.The excitement was tempered earlier in the week when Tiger Woods withdrew.Woods had said a month ago he planned to play at Silverado and officially entered the tournament on Friday. The tour decided to put Woods and Mickelson in the same group, along with defending champion Emiliano Grillo, for the opening two rounds.And then Woods said his game was vulnerable and not where it needed to be for him to return to the PGA Tour for the first time in 14 months. Mickelson and Woods had not played together since the opening round of the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla. Woods was replaced in the group by Bill Haas.Mickelson said he has texted Woods a few times, though he understands the decision.We all want Tiger to come back, but we want him to come back when hes ready, Mickelson said. If he doesnt feel like hes ready, then he should wait. Well all wait in anticipation and were excited, but I understand theres a lot of pressure not just to come back but to perform when he does come back. So you want to make sure that your game is right because look at how much scrutiny hes going to be under.Mickelson playing is rare occurrence, too.This is the first time he has played a domestic PGA Tour event in the fall since the FedEx Cup began in 2007, which moved the Tour Championship from the last week in October to the end of September. Mickelson also was on the task force that chose not to award Ryder Cup points to this tournament or the others in the fall, arguing that it would give the bottom half of the tour a head start in the standings.Safeway is in its first year as the title sponsor, and Mickelsons management company runs the tournament.Mickelson is among only four of the top 25 in the world ranking at Silverado, joining Paul Casey, Matt Kuchar and Grillo. The star power Wednesday came in the pro-am, where Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry played with Harold Varner III, who also was raised in North Carolina. Curry was supposed to play with Woods.I wouldnt call it disappointment because obviously thats a huge opportunity just to begin with, Curry said. Well be happy to have him back whenever that time is. Its unfortunate that hes not here, but Ill be watching whatever tournament he does come back.Mickelson had one of his best years without winning. He finished No. 12 on the money list and went over $4 million for the first time since 2013, the year of his most recent victory at the British Open. He ended last year at No. 34 in the world and now is up to No. 15.He even challenged to win the Vardon Trophy for the lowest adjusted scoring average until falling too far back over the last three tournaments of the season.But hes still lacking a victory.The Ryder Cup helped to feel that void, mainly because of how much Mickelson had invested in it. He was the catalyst for change when he publicly challenged the captaincy of Tom Watson in 2014, which led to the task force and significant changes to the U.S. model. Lefty backed it up on the golf course, going 2-1-1 for the week and finishing with a 10-birdie round that earned a half-point against Sergio Garcia.Mickelson raved about the performance of the entire U.S. team, and had to be reminded that he performed better than anyone on the final day.I played some of my best golf, too, because when you feel that kind of support and you play for a bigger purpose, it brings out some of your best golf, Mickelson said. I was certainly a beneficiary of it, as well.Now hes back on his own, though it was clear the Ryder Cup was enough to carry him into the offseason. Womens Nike Air Vapormax . Halladay signed a one-day contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday that allowed the veteran right-hander to retire as a member of team with which he broke into the majors and spent the bulk of his distinguished 16-year career. White Nike Air Vapormax . The defending champion beat Gael Monfils of France 7-6 (6), 6-3, while second-seeded Andy Murray of Britain dispatched Edouard Roger-Vasselin, also of France, 6-3, 6-3. Making his first appearance since injuring his wrist a month ago, Del Potro had difficulty with his service games in the first set. http://www.cheapairvapormaxsale.com/ . They were putting most of their energy into a record-setting offensive display. Youth Nike Air Vapormax . Zvonareva, who won the tournament in 2009 and 10, couldnt handle her opponents big groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17 months out with a shoulder injury. Zvonareva made her comeback in January in Shenzhen and played in the Australian Open but lost her first matches at both tournaments. Nike Air Vapormax Discount . Each of Houstons starters scored in double figures as the Rockets improved to 2-0 against the Spurs this season, with both victories coming on the road. They also moved within 3 1/2 games of San Antonio (22-7) for the lead the Southwest Division. METAIRIE, La. -- Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints waited until the 11th hour. But they finally agreed to a contract extension Wednesday -- four days before the quarterbacks self-imposed Week 1 deadline.The extension was announced as a five-year deal but contains an automatic void at two years, sources told ESPNs Ed Werder. That means Brees is contractually committed to the Saints for only the 2016 and 2017 seasons.?His $20 million salary this season and $24.25 million for next season -- a total of $44.25 million -- is fully guaranteed, the sources said.The deal also includes a no-trade clause and forbids the Saints from using their franchise tag on the quarterback. In essence, the Saints get Brees under contract for one additional season, but by spreading the contract over five years, they significantly reduce Brees $30 million cap hit for 2016, which was the highest for any player in NFL history.The extension reduces Brees cap number from an NFL-record $30 million to $17.25 million for 2016, sources told Werder.Brees said Wednesday he is humbled and honored to continue his journey with Saints. He said both sides are very happy with the contracts structure and wants to finish his career in New Orleans.Ill be here as long as theyll have me, he said.Brees said the contact process is probably a bit more complicated than it should be but said he understands the job everyone has to do. One thing everyone is very much aligned with is what puts this team in the best position to win, he said. The salary-cap savings for the Saints was an important aspect of the deal for him.My approach is the same regardless, regardless of whether I have a five-year deal or I have a one-year deal. In my mind, youre always playing on one-year deals, he said. Playing on one-game deals, you know? I mean, youve gotta prove it each and every week. Youre only as good as your next performance. So that will always be mindset.Brees, 37, acknowledged that he would have preferred a long-term deal.I plan to play for longer than two years, so yeah, I think my mindset going into this was to bee able to secure a deal that would take me for as long as I plan on playing, he said.dddddddddddd But this is what was in the best interest of the team. And so thats why it was a two-year deal.This is Brees third contract with the Saints after he originally signed with the team in 2006. In 2012, he became the highest-paid player in NFL history to that point, thanks to his five-year, $100 million contract.Brees was headed into the final year of his previous contract.His decade in New Orleans has been the most prolific of any quarterback in NFL history. His 48,555 yards and 348 touchdown passes are the most of any quarterback in any 10-year span, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.Brees has won exactly 100 games with the Saints -- including the only Super Bowl victory in franchise history, a 31-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts after the 2009 season.He could pass Peyton Manning for No. 1 on the NFLs all-time passing yardage (71,940) and passing touchdown (539) lists before his next deal is up. Hes on pace to do so within three or four years.Brees ranks fourth in NFL history with 60,903 passing yards and will likely pass Dan Marino for third in Week 2. He and Tom Brady are tied for third in NFL history with 428 touchdown passes.And he is still thriving at age 37. Brees has led the NFL in passing yards in four of the past five seasons -- including last year, when he threw for 4,870 yards in just 15 games played.Re-signing him was easier said than done for a Saints team that has been spinning its wheels at 7-9 in each of the past two seasons, stretching the salary cap to its limit.Re-upping with Brees signals a desire to get back into playoff contention quickly rather than going into a full rebuilding mode. Because of Brees age, it was expected that the length of his contract and the total amount of guaranteed money was would be sticking points in negotiations between Saints general manager Mickey Loomis and Brees agent, Tom Condon. ' ' '