Woods, Mickelson Paired Together at PGA

[BAMAPHIN 22]

World number one Tiger Woods and defending champion Phil Mickelson have been drawn together for the opening two rounds of this week's U.S. PGA Championship, the fourth major of the season.Joining the American pair on the opening tee in Illinois on Thursday will be Australia's Geoff Ogilvy, pitting the winners of the first three majors of the season against each other for the first 36 holes.

Mickelson won the U.S. Masters in April for his third major title, Ogilvy claimed the U.S. Open in June, while Woods stormed to his 11th grand slam victory at the British Open last month.

The season's final major takes place at the ultra-long tree-lined Medinah Country Club's No. 3 Course, where Mickelson will be hoping to defend the title he won after going wire-to-wire for at Baltusrol.

The trio will tee off at 1330 GMT on Thursday and 1835 on Friday.

Woods will be seeking his third PGA Championship after winning at Medinah and 1999 and defending successfully at the Valhalla club.

http://sports.aol.com/golf/pgachampionship/story/_a/woods-mickelson-paired-together-at-pga/20060814142909990001?cid=1690

 

[finswin56]

For some reason I can't remember, is it normal for the three winners to be grouped together on the first two days?
Either way this news brings me great joy:couch2:
I can't freaking wait!

I am really curious to see how Phil responds with his play. He didn't play well this past weekend, and being paired with Tiger is the one thing most golf analysts wonder about for him. It's not the same as weekend pairing, but it's close.
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For some reason I can't remember, is it normal for the three winners to be grouped together on the first two days?

Yup, long course this year gotta back Woods for this one

 

[Roman529]

I don't think Phil and Tiger like each other. This is gonna be good. :D

 

[BAMAPHIN 22]

Tiger, Lefty three back after first round

Lucas Glover made a strong bid for his place on the U.S. Ryder Cup team, shooting an opening round of 6-under 66 and taking the clubhouse lead Thursday at the 88th U.S. PGA Championship.


Glover birdied three of the first five holes and was tied with Davis Love III, who was 6 under through nine.

"We're all chasing the same goal," Glover said. "It's just like looking at the leaderboard on the 18th tee on Sunday if you're in the hunt. You're all vying for the same thing, you all want it, and that's the goal."

Billy Andrade went from seventh alternate to the leaderboard with a 5-under 67. Andrade got into the tournament when Steve Elkington withdrew.

Stewart Cink and J.J. Henry, also in the Ryder Cup derby, were part of the pack at 4-under. Robert Allenby and Englishman Luke Donald, who went to nearby Northwestern University and still lives in Chicago, also shot 68s.
Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson were three strokes off the lead, shooting matching 69s.

"We both played OK today," said Mickelson, the defending champion. "But we both had chances to go lower."

Joining them at 3-under was a pack that included playing partner Geoff Ogilvy, the U.S. Open champion, and Billy Mayfair, who was playing two weeks after surgery for testicular cancer.

"I was just along for the ride," Ogilvy said. "I had the best seat in the house." Sergio Garcia, who made a name for himself with his runner-up finish the last time the U.S. PGA was at Medinah Country Club, was to tee off in the afternoon with Fred Couples and Ernie Els. Jim Furyk and Vijay Singh also had afternoon tee times.

http://msn.foxsports.com/golf/story/5876186?FSO1&ATT=HMA

 

[finswin56]

I really think Tiger is going to explode with a stupid low round on either Friday or Saturday (my money's on Friday). His -3 was as good as -3 can get. I can't even count how many birdie putts his either lipped out or rolled within an inch to the side of the cup. His speed was tremendous. These putts will start dropping soon. When Tiger's swinging like this (the putts will come as they always do for him) he is a force of nature.

Phil had another mind boggling round. He was everywhere but the fairway and green today. If he hadn't done this so many times before, I'd swear he works for a member of the clergy. I just don't see him being in real contention this weekend, though. He just can't keep up this pace, not to mention that Phil is only giving himself birdie chances on par 5's. The rest of the time he's just giving a Ripley's Believe it or Not short game demonstration.

 

[Tupac Shakur]

I really think Tiger is going to explode with a stupid low round on either Friday or Saturday (my money's on Friday). His -3 was as good as -3 can get. I can't even count how many birdie putts his either lipped out or rolled within an inch to the side of the cup. His speed was tremendous. These putts will start dropping soon. When Tiger's swinging like this (the putts will come as they always do for him) he is a force of nature.

Phil had another mind boggling round. He was everywhere but the fairway and green today. If he hadn't done this so many times before, I'd swear he works for a member of the clergy. I just don't see him being in real contention this weekend, though. He just can't keep up this pace, not to mention that Phil is only giving himself birdie chances on par 5's. The rest of the time he's just giving a Ripley's Believe it or Not short game demonstration.

pretty much right on as to what actually happened

 

[finswin56]

pretty much right on as to what actually happened

Did I say force of nature? -4 after eight holes... good grief. His will exploits the humanity and vulnerability of the rest of the field. He forces the field to play above their head's, and in turn they wilt.


I think Tiger will catch Jack's major total of 18 in the next 5-6 years, but I don't necessarily think that will vault him in front on Jack for many people. Jack finish top 2 something like 37 times! That's just unfathomable. I'm not sure Tiger can get there, although that may have more to do with difference in the depth of the competition between the two era's.