PARAMUS, N.J. - Hunter Mahan - whose rip of the Ryder Cup was only wrong because he compared the week to being a “slave” - may have just shot himself onto the team. Mahan just posted one of those crazy numbers he seems to put up more frequently than most top players, dropping a 9-under 62 on the field in the first round of the first FedEx Cup event.

When Mahan’s on, there might not be a better ball striker on the PGA Tour. Of course, he’s not on often enough to ever win anything big. At least not yet.

Except … well, a now likely Ryder Cup wildcard spot.

Mahan might have brought back visions of Latrell Sprewell’s I can’t feed my family on $10 million a year by comparing a week of Ryder Cup service to slavery. Mahan may not be able to feed any future kids he might have on the $200,000 to the charity of their choice that Ryder Cup players now receive either. But he’s still nice to other kids.

On the day before the Barclays started, three kids - none of whom could have been more than 7 years old - waited just off the putting green in a corner for autographs. And waited. And waited. Until Mahan came over and signed about three things each of them. Including an official FedEx Cup dodge ball (no kidding). This kindness move from Mahan brought a trickling of other pros who followed as well.

As karma goes, a 62 on a course where most of the Tour’s best thought no one would go more than 5 under in a round isn’t bad payback.