Annoying and frustrating as golf undeniably is, sexist and racist as it might also be, its participants don't half show humanity when called upon to do so. I don't mean that the game donates considerable sums to charity, though obviously as the PGA Tour in the US has given $1bn since the Second World War, then it does that very generously. I am thinking of the current case of Phil Mickelson, the world No 2, who announced recently that Amy, his wife, who is 37, has breast cancer.

At the first tournament after this news became public, everyone wore a touch of pink in tribute to Amy and Phil. Earlier this week, Mickelson was close to tears when explaining the extent of the reaction to their news. "It was incredibly powerful," Mickelson said of the e-mails, letters, text messages and other gestures of support that the family have received.

Golf is divided between those who like Mickelson and love Tiger Woods and those who love Mickelson and like Woods. The Spike Bar is firmly in the camp of the latter, believing Mickelson to be the same sort of engaging, bright, articulate fellow - if a little flaky at times - that he has always been: one who does a lot of charity work, and is approachable. This is not to say that Woods doesn't do any of the aforementioned (nor that he doesn't have pressures on him that Mickelson does not) but TSB's view is he doesn't do them to the same extent as Mickelson.

Now, though, is the time to suspend rivalries and support Mickelson as he competes in Memphis this week and in the US Open in New York next week before returning to be with his wife and children. "I don't know when I'll play again," Mickelson said on Wednesday. "I don't know what our treatment schedule will be like after surgery."

Mickelson took his first look at Bethpage Black on Tuesday, scouting the course in a seven-hour reconnaissance with Dave Pelz, his short game coach, and "Bones" (Jim McKay), his caddie. Tiger Woods had been there the day before. Paul Casey was present at the same time.

Mickelson had huge support when he finished second, three strokes behind Woods, in the 2002 US Open at the same venue. He is not sure why New Yorkers took him so much to their hearts. But it was extraordinary to hear such vocal support. When Mickelson arrives on the tee for his first round in the US Open one thing is certain. The level of noise will be intense. Bring ear plugs.

In this there are echoes of Darren Clarke, who lost Heather, his wife, to cancer three years ago. The outpouring of support for Clarke was striking when he competed in the 2006 Ryder Cup only a few months after Heather's death. Expect similar noises for Mickelson in New York. And were Lefty to go on and win - well, who knows what the New Yorkers would do to him?

Tiger pulls in the viewers

We have said this before and no doubt we will say it again. When Tiger Woods plays in tournaments the TV ratings are high. When he does not they are low. This was brought home at the Memorial tournament in Columbus, Ohio, at the start of this month. Ratings for the Sunday transmission of the event that Woods won were double the figures achieved the week before when Woods was not playing.

Montification of the Olympics

In Lausanne, Switzerland, on Monday, golf has 30 minutes to make its case for inclusion in the 2016 Olympics - 20 minutes for a presentation to the International Olympic Committee that includes a short film, and ten minutes for questions. No time here to debate whether it should be in the Olympics. This is the time instead to explain what will happen in that 30 minutes.

Ty Votaw, an executive vice-president of the PGA Tour in the US, has masterminded the campaign and will speak, as will Peter Dawson, the chief executive of the Royal and Ancient golf club of St Andrews. Annika Sorenstam will represent women golfers and Colin Montgomerie the men, while Tim Finchem, commissioner of the PGA Tour in the US and Hisako 'Chako' Higuchi, chairman of the JLPGA, will be available to answer questions.