PHIL Mickelson’s attack on Tom Watson’s Ryder Cup captaincy still astounds me, a week on.

The image of the 65-year-old eight-time major winner squirming as every dagger left the lips of America’s most respected player made for uncomfortable viewing.

While Mickelson did not mention his skipper by name, the inference the USA had departed from a winning formula under his guidance was cutting.

From a European perspective, it is hard to appreciate whether the golfer’s remarks will have been met by applause or jeers on the other side of the pond.

He will find out the next time he swings a club in anger on the PGA Tour, but I doubt the galleries will turn on him.

If anything, American golf fans will want answers as to how their much-vaunted players have won just two of the last 10 Ryder Cups.

Mickelson reckons he knows the solution, and was not afraid to tell the international media in a press conference attended by every single one of his team-mates, as well as his captain.

Better communication was the gist of his argument – and if Paul McGinley’s successful stint as Europe’s number captain was anything to go by, he was probably not far wrong.

It is a theory that should not hold too much water, given the fact the European squad has a language barrier and culture clash to contend with.

McGinley was not helped by the fact a handful of his players live in America and do not regularly play on the European Tour, not to mention that two of his team – Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell – were in the middle of a legal battle.

But while America should hold all the aces when it comes to team bonding, it just goes to show how important the captaincy must be in moulding a successful Ryder Cup team.

McGinley racked up the air miles, spending time getting to know each and every one of his team members personally, even holidaying with French rookie Victor Dubuisson.

It is fair to say, no collection of air miles could have bridged the distance between Watson and Mickelson following Sunday’s crushing defeat.

It will be interesting to see is if Mickelson is able to mend his own bridges with the PGA, which he so publically set alight at Gleneagles.

Clearly something has to change to put America back on top and his outburst could have been an act of martyrdom to force the decision makers to act.

Alternatively, the assault on Watson, extolling the methods used by Team USA’s last successful captain, Paul Azinger, could just have been a very blatant attempt to throw his own hat in the ring before the two teams do battle at Hazeltine in 2016.