ATLANTA — No matter how much they tinker with the FedEx Cup, there's never going to be a system that pleases everyone.

That said, it's hard to argue with this photo op from the PGA Tour's season-ending moneyfest: Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson standing side-by-side on the 18th green at East Lake Golf Club, each of them posing with a trophy of his own.

Woods won the FedEx Cup — and, oh yeah, another $10 million for his overflowing bank account. Mickelson won the Tour Championship to close an emotional roller-coaster of a year with a flourish.

Golf's two biggest stars, each of them a winner Sunday.

Just what PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem had in mind when he came up with a playoff system to spice things up after all the majors were done.

"Had I put myself in a position to where we had the entire FedEx Cup on the line coming down the stretch, that would have been even more exciting," Mickelson said. "But I felt like the day turned out well."

Woods didn't win a major in a year for the first time since 2004, but it's hard to complain about a season with six wins and three runner-up finishes — all after recovering from major knee surgery.

"To be as consistent as I have been all year is something that I'm very proud of," Woods said. "I certainly wouldn't have expected that."

Mickelson closed with a 5-under 65 to go from four shots behind to a three-stroke victory, his first since his wife and mother were diagnosed with breast cancer in the spring.

"It means a lot to finish the year off on such a good note," he said. "We've been through a lot, and I'm very proud of my wife and my mom on the fight that they've been through."