Woods grouped with Mickelson and Scott at U.S. Open
The USGA announced on Wednesday that the top three players in the world -- Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott -- will play together next Thursday and Friday at the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines.
The top 12 players in the world ranking will combine to form four groups. In addition to the top three, the groups will be: Ernie Els (No. 4), Geoff Ogilvy (No. 5) and Justin Rose (No. 6); Steve Stricker (No. 7), Jim Furyk (No. 8) and K.J. Choi (No. 9); and Vijay Singh (No. 10), Sergio Garcia (No. 11) and Stewart Cink (No. 12).
Woods and Mickelson have not played together at a U.S. Open since the third round at Pinehurst in 1999. The Woods, Mickelson and Scott group will tee off at 11:06 Eastern on Thursday morning. The rest of the groupings are here, and yes, they're as whimsical as ever.
** Cameron Morfit thinks this is a good idea. Farrell Evans disagrees. Tell us what you think.
Posted by: jt woodall | Jun 14, 2008 7:06:31 AM
There is no contest to be had between Tiger and Phil. I've always been a Phil fan, but, as long as Tiger Woods is alive, and wants to win, Phil has little to no chance. Forget the hype about rivalry. Tiger wins, so forget it.
A golfer who puts 5 wedges in his bag is planning on missing a lot of greens. A golfer who is scared of hitting the driver should not even be allowed to play in the US Open. Phil needs to get away from that idiotic Dave Pelz who wants to insist that golf is some kind of science! He needs to play regular golf if he wants to keep me as a fan i.e. hit the driver and stop the gimmickery.
Posted by: Bill | Jun 12, 2008 8:35:17 AM
I think it's a bad idea. I can barely stand the Tiger love fest when I am watching a tournament when they aren't paired together now I have to watch every bit of it. Besides this is just a effort to make sure Tiger and Phil play under the exact same conditions. That was never an issue until Tiger came along. Now it seems like we raise the cutoff to ensure he plays the weekend (when he has a bad Thursday and Friday), We move giant boulders, whatever it takes to make sure the media darling is playing 24/7. Frankly I have enjoyed the last 6 weeks of golf on TV more than I have in years.
Posted by: Brad | Jun 10, 2008 3:28:53 PM
It's a great idea. If Phil and Adam Scott can't play well against Tiger on Thursday or Friday, what makes us think they can on Saturday or Sunday? (And past history says they can't.)
Posted by: Sean | Jun 10, 2008 12:55:10 PM
I think they're taking a shot at Tiger and Phil playing all 4 rounds together... THAT would bring some high TV ratings. It's all about the money.
Posted by: GEORGE | Jun 10, 2008 5:44:58 AM
GREAT IDEA. WE SHOULD SEE MORE OF THE PAIRINGS...IT WILL ADD TO THE ATTRACTION OF TUNING IN....MAYBE PHIL WILL FINALLY SEE SOMETHING THAT TIGER DOES WHEN HE PUTTS....DOES PHIL HAVE YET ANOTHER PUTTER????
Posted by: Doc McLean | Jun 9, 2008 9:19:20 PM
Wow, I must say I am looking forward to watching Tiger and Phil this week for the US Open Championship and watching maybe Tiger winning his 14th Major. We could also be watching another sort of unsung hero winning. Being a spectator and being right there on the golf course rooting for either of the two is a spectators dream. But I would be the first to say this would not in the long run be good for golf. If you had this type of match up week after week, this would not give much recognition to all the other golfers that make up this great game. There would be no sponsors for the tour, or other golfers because the media, and the networks would only show, and interview Tiger and Phil. There was a comment that Phil beat Tiger during the FedEx cup run last year. Maybe an accomplishment that Phil or those that rooted for him had a chance to cherish. If you were able to ask Phil, which would have been the most importance to him; to beat Tiger on that day, or win the FedEx cup? To win any tournament, or the FedEx cup it is going to take more than one day. The PGA tour has four rounds for a PGA event if rain or any bad weather doesn't shorten that event. The leader at the end of the four days wins the tournament. The PGA tour has the greatest golfers in the world. Even though Tiger has brought a change in the golfers and the game, we still need all the players to make it work. If we only had two golfers playing on that tour, we as fans would not watch much of it. Thanks US Open for making us all love this game.
Posted by: Brian | Jun 9, 2008 9:13:32 PM
Golf has become what it is because of the fans. I think the pairings are great for the fans. It makes the earlier rounds that much more interesting. I know I'll be watching more intently on Thursday and Friday.
Posted by: Skippy | Jun 9, 2008 5:22:12 PM
I like the NASCAR like "front row" matchups. However,if these pairings were intended to "level the playing field" for weather and competitive reasons, then the top 24 players should all go off the front and back tees within a 33 minute time span (4 threesomes on the front and 4 more threesomes on the back, consecutively).
The losers will be the galleries. The fans will be 20 deep around the premier matchups, and the fans will only get a glimpse of their heroes. But if you want to actually see some golf up close, then you will have to follow the other 132 golfers.
Posted by: Jack Cookfair | Jun 9, 2008 4:35:21 PM
I think this is an excellent idea, given that the best players in the world should play under the same conditions,i.e tailwinds and the wind in your face can make a difference. They could also play one after the other and get the same conditionand ease up congestion
Posted by: Bill W. | Jun 9, 2008 3:29:05 PM
Why not? It shouldn't make any difference who plays with whom. If you're a professional, you are playing primarily the course. For the golf fans, I think this will be entertaining.
Posted by: Doug Latimer | Jun 9, 2008 1:43:54 PM
Jon Smith, clearly you are missing chromosomes. What a dumb post. Get off the Tiger bandwagon, I'm sure he's embarrassed to have you.
Posted by: Mark B | Jun 9, 2008 12:49:42 PM
I disagree with Farell. Tiger couldn't play with Barkley. He'd be laughing so hard he'd probably pull an ab muscle and have to get carted off the course. In all seriousness, the Thurs/Fri pairing is meaningless, except to the networks. It's a 4 day tournament and nobody has ever won the U.S. Open on Friday.
Posted by: Jim M | Jun 9, 2008 2:31:53 AM
Why doesn't someone ask Phil if he likes it. I marshalled the PGA at Medinah when Tiger, Phil and Geoff Ogilvy teed off together in Round one. That one didn't live up to the hype, but after that group left the tee box you could have stood almost anywhere you wanted.
Posted by: Jim M | Jun 9, 2008 2:30:34 AM
Why doesn't someone ask Phil if he likes it. I marshalled the PGA at Medinah when Tiger, Phil and Geoff Ogilvy teed off together in Round one. That one didn't live up to the hype, but after that group left the tee box you could have stood almost anywhere you wanted.
Posted by: Crandall | Jun 7, 2008 8:49:09 PM
The pairings sound real good because it'll increase the probability of a real green to final green showdown on Sunday
Posted by: John | Jun 7, 2008 8:08:11 PM
Why put players together who don't like each other? The USGA, as always, is the height of arrogance.
Posted by: Danny | Jun 7, 2008 3:27:43 PM
This is a stupid gimmick. It really stinks for spectators at the course and for TV, who cares?? You could edit any telecast to make it seem like they are virtually playing shot for shot. It's just playing into the media's hands and I do not like it.
Posted by: Nate Stiles | Jun 7, 2008 10:29:33 AM
It is a good thing that most working people don't have a mob following them around every day they go to work. TV can cover it well and advertisers and networks pay big for the priviledge, so take a page from the highway workers....Let 'em work...let 'em live.
Posted by: J. D. Hudson | Jun 7, 2008 10:07:28 AM
I like seeing Tiger and Phil going head to head in the first two rounds.....Should make for some great drama, if both are on their game.
Posted by: Bob | Jun 7, 2008 7:09:31 AM
this is all about TV but it could backfire if the top groups play poorly.Click off
Posted by: Gustavo Millan | Jun 7, 2008 6:08:34 AM
Earl decía que la competencia para Tiger no tenía importancia. Tampoco sus compañeros de grupo. El mundo está esperando que regrese y gane.
Posted by: Ruben | Jun 7, 2008 1:37:27 AM
Made for ratings golf. I'll be watching.
Posted by: charles | Jun 6, 2008 6:12:27 PM
This is great idea so I can time myself just to see only the best players...hahaha
Posted by: BeenThereSeenItBefore | Jun 6, 2008 1:25:45 PM
Michelob Ultra at Kings Mill on the LPGA Tour (mothers day) has been doing this for several years. Every fan on the course ends up following 3 or four groups and the rest of the golfers might as well be practicing. Having Marshalled the event before and after they started grouping in this manner, its dead silence punctuated by the passing of a cattle herd and does not improve the fans view of the game. It's sad.
Posted by: KP | Jun 6, 2008 12:13:49 PM
This is what it's all about. If you can't compete head to head with the best and rest the field, then why are you out there? Great for fans and TV.
Posted by: Hill | Jun 6, 2008 11:25:12 AM
It's a TV sell out and unfair to the grouping in front of them, or any other grouping close to them. There will be a lot of commotion created by fans jockeying for a good position on the next hole Tiger/Phil/Adam will play. Plus, I don't think it's right to intentionally pair two people together who don't like each other. That said, I can't wait!
Posted by: Shane | Jun 6, 2008 11:12:26 AM
This could go either way. The only drawback I see is this is Tigers first tournament back comming off knee surgery. I feel it will be great for ratings, but I dont expect to much flare in the first 2 rounds anyway. I think you will see conservative play from all groups no matter what the pairings are. But if you think about it, this is such a moneymaker for the USAGA and the Open. More viewers, larger crowds and more hype.
Posted by: Eduardo Cu Unjieng | Jun 5, 2008 9:04:14 PM
All the comments made here have a point. The smart spectators will realize the impossibility of following the "star" pairings and plant themselves somewhere on the course and enjoy the drama unfolding before them. For TV viewers, its a dream! Bring it on!
Posted by: Steve..Ontario Canada | Jun 5, 2008 7:22:33 PM
Another thought..This will give the talking heads another ATP (analysis to paralysis) point of view..Lemmee see, Did (pick one) Adam, Tiger, or Phil play bad because of the brutal conditions, or was it the pressure of being grouped to-gether ???? They will go on ad naseum about this..Please, just show us the shots...Please!!!!
Posted by: Steve..Ontario Canada | Jun 5, 2008 7:17:41 PM
It has to straight TV driven..If you are there, and don't camp out at a spot, you will never get close enough to watch them hit a shot..If you do camp out at a spot, you may see one shot, possibly two...lousy spectator idea, good TV..
Posted by: Shorty51 | Jun 5, 2008 6:17:24 PM
I agree with the post that they should at least have the highly ranked players within the same part of the day. That is what the majors should be about. Probably the worst problem for the guys with Woods, but they should all be accustomed to it, or why would they be that high in the rankings?
Posted by: J Dry | Jun 5, 2008 6:08:57 PM
When you grow up playing golf in High School and you are paired with a hack that can't break 90 your game gets worse throughout the day. You are waiting on everyshot the guy takes and it is frustrating. Even though this is the PGA tour there are still players who score and make cuts and there are players that go home on Friday. I agree that this will make crowds worse if you are at the tournament, but that is a small percentage compared to everyone watching from home. Tournaments now a days have turned into drinking contests between idiots who don't care about the game, they just want to be loud and annoying. Back to my point...I think it is a good idea, it allows the best players to play with the best.
Posted by: dizzle | Jun 5, 2008 5:40:56 PM
A very good idea, i believe this is the way it should be done. Initial pairings should be based on either money list or PGA/world rankings.
It will involve a little monitoring of the crowds to make sure there are no mob scenes (welcome to the real world PGA) but I never felt the crowds should be allowed to move around on the golf course anyway, it is too distracting and slows the pace of play.
You earn your way to play first and set the mark and let the lesser players follow you on the first two days, and then if you are not at your best, you join the lower ranks to finish the game.
Posted by: bk | Jun 5, 2008 4:46:09 PM
I like it. It's terrible for spectators, but I've never viewed golf as a "live" spectator sport...that much traffic is terrible for a course. This way the top players play in identical conditions and this will show us how much better one is than the other. Sure, it might increase the pressure, but that's golf (sorry for the cliche). This should bring the cream to top so to speak. As for those players not in the top tier...too bad...play better.
Posted by: Hank | Jun 5, 2008 4:34:25 PM
Great idea - we all want to see the highest ranked players matched up, and now we have Tiger coming off a knee operation, Phil coming off a recent win, and Adam Scott as the proverbial 'wild card' in the group. Besides, I won't be at Torrey Pines with the crowds, I will be stuck watching it live in high def -
Posted by: JN | Jun 5, 2008 4:12:54 PM
It doesn't matter who Tiger is matched up with. I'm going to watch Tiger anyhow.
But overall a good idea. Maybe the Open won't be as boring as the Masters this year.
Posted by: Drewski | Jun 5, 2008 4:08:39 PM
I've always thought that they should at least play in the same session (AM or PM). They have always faced different conditions in the first two rounds -- in 2002 this was extremely detrimental to Mickelson -- I recall that Woods had good weather one morning while Mickelson faced rain and wind in the afternoon.
Posted by: Scott Masingill | Jun 5, 2008 3:57:19 PM
great idea. they pair the big names anyway, and spread the feature groups amongst the rest of the field to smooth out the galleries. it is going to be packed in tiger's group NO MATTER WHO HE PLAYS WITH. the grouping will NOT change that dynamic.
Posted by: Tom W | Jun 5, 2008 3:46:21 PM
I agree with another poster on here and say this would be completely fine with me if it was done every year or every year after this. But just to do it for the hell of it really makes it a little weird. Don't forget also that the groups in front and behind them are going to have a circus too. Kind of seems unfair to me to have to deal with that on a Friday and Saturday just because the USGA felt like doing it and it's not rule or standard.
I think putting them together for no reason kind of takes a way of the feel it might cause on a Saturday and Sunday if they were to play together. I liked the idea that in order to see them play they both were either going to have luck of the draw or play well and meet on the weekend.......Obviously a dream scenario for the USGA if they were to play well and get in last pairing Saturday and Sunday too.
Anyways go Tiger
Posted by: Ronald Montesano | Jun 5, 2008 3:35:21 PM
The pairing is excellent. I do not remember with whom Woods was paired on Thursday/Friday at Winged Foot, but there was certainly no inspiration there to excel. In contrast, if you can't do it against your chief competitor and your Aussie twin, you're not trying! USGA nails it again.
Posted by: curt | Jun 5, 2008 3:24:17 PM
Absolutely a good idea, somewhat similar to ski racing. Grouping players together by rank insures that the top players all face similar weather conditions on the course. If # 6 is going to beat #1, it ought not to be because of a difference in wind conditions or green speed during the first 2 days of play.
Posted by: Al Hartzog | Jun 5, 2008 3:04:10 PM
I think that this a good idea. Why not have the best play heads up? As for as others comment about leaster players being inspired by playing with Tiger or Phil I say to you and them This the US Open and not your average tournament. So you bring your "A"Game and play the course and not the person or you will go home Friday afternoon. Like i said earlier a real great Idea. This also might bring some rating for Thursday and Friday rounds.
Posted by: J | Jun 5, 2008 2:46:15 PM
Are you kidding me? Did anyone else watch the 2007 Deutsche Bank Championship? That answers your question Scott, in regards to the last time they were paired together and both played well (paired 3 of the 4 days). That was an unbelievable week for the game of golf. As golf fans we ask/wish for these pairings. It is what we want to see, and typically different factors do not allow pairings like this to occur. GREAT move by the USGA to try something different and give the fans what we want to see. I also feel bad for those that will be on site, but even when Tiger and Phil are not paired it is usually impossible to get give views/spots when following them. I have tried both on two different tournaments. Go back and look at the 2007 Deutsche Bank and the 2005 Ford Championship at Doral and still tell me these pairings will not be great for golf. Great move USGA!
Posted by: Jerry Oram | Jun 5, 2008 2:02:40 PM
Gold is kind of odd in that you rarely get a chance to see the top players play head to head, so yes, it was a great idea putting the together in the "weeder" rounds and they really ought ot to that more on Thursdays and Fridays...
Posted by: rosco | Jun 5, 2008 1:10:50 PM
This is BS. Apparently they don't give a thought to how this might affect the competition. This is a PR stunt of the highest order.
Posted by: Deep | Jun 5, 2008 1:04:47 PM
I think this is a bad idea. What happened to the normal groups? How often have you heard a not so famous player comment on how their round was inspired by playing with one of the world's best. I thought this type of first off the tee was reserved for those deserving on Saturday and Sunday. I believe you should work to get there.
How does this make Angel Cabrera look - he is only the defending champion. What is he - chopped liver?
Posted by: TJ | Jun 5, 2008 12:56:37 PM
I think we have to give them a chance because they are matching the top 12, not just Tiger/Phil. If this becomes a mandatory pairing each year then that would make the USGA look better. At the very least it will be great for TV and when it boils right down to it that is all that matters.
Posted by: don't worry about it | Jun 5, 2008 12:51:57 PM
this is a good idea for the people watching the open on tv, but for the spectators at it, it is a bad idea. This will be hard for Scott because of all the talk about Tiger and Mickelson these days.
Posted by: Scott | Jun 5, 2008 11:40:24 AM
This is Good for TV, but bad for the on the course fans, unless you sit in one place and let them come to you. I agree with others posting here, don't be surprised by unimpressive scores by Woods, Adams and Mickelson. By the way, when as Woods or Mickelson EVER played well when paired together?
Posted by: Steve | Jun 5, 2008 11:16:39 AM
Tend to agree with Ben & Hugh. Assume nothing can be done at ths point since what we think doesn't matter anyway. Its just too bad that the USGA doesn't have enough common sense to see this could be a mistake.
Posted by: Brian | Jun 5, 2008 11:16:04 AM
This might be crazy, but after a 2 month gap with Tiger on the shelf, this is exactly what "goft tv" needs. I do feel sorry for the spectators though...no chance of getting close what-so-ever. Follow Boo, and hope for the best.
Posted by: Herb Sewell | Jun 5, 2008 10:58:35 AM
Maybe Azinger should pair them together in the Ryder Cup, too.
Memo to the USGA - stop dropping turds into ny punchbowl.
Posted by: Hugh | Jun 5, 2008 10:49:05 AM
This is going to be a distraction for all players in the group. I bet all 3 have lousy rounds due to the madhouse behind the ropes. Bad idea!
Posted by: Ben | Jun 5, 2008 10:34:04 AM
I'm actually going to attend the U.S. Open and while this pairing might seem cute to the USGA, but us spectators it's going to be a joke. Why multiply the already expected congrestion another three-fold? Splitting them up would allow for Tiger fans to follow one group, Phil's in another, and so on. THE USGA is known for first-round Open pairings that often have some whimsy, but this is just egotistical BAD PLANNING.
Posted by: josh ante | Jun 5, 2008 9:57:25 AM
cool! this is way too good an idea :)