AUGUSTA, Ga. – What the world craves now
is Tiger and Lefty – but
not Carl Spackler – tied
for the lead at the Masters and
paired in the final round on Sunday.
Gangbusta at Augusta.
Cogitate the great duels: Ali vs. Frazier, the 2nd Duke of Buckingham vs. the 11th Earl of Shrewsbury, Hogan vs. Snead, Darrow vs. Bryan, Connors vs. McEnroe, Luke Skywalker vs. his father, Navratilova vs. Evert, Burr vs. Hamilton, Seabiscuit vs. War Admiral, Palmer vs. Nicklaus.
Tiger Woods vs. Phil Mickelson coming up the 18th fairway in a major, the last two men standing. Give us the heebie-jeebies.
It’s never happened.
How about this week?
Tiger & The Mick have played together six times on the final day of a tournament.
In the first five conflicts, Woods won three, and Mickelson none. (Somebody else took the tournament.)
“Pathetic,” Mickelson said of his performance in those situations.
Then, last September, in the Duel at Deutsche, Mickelson prevailed. He shot 66 in the second tournament (Deutsche Bank) of the FedEx Cup to beat Woods by two strokes. Tiger went on to win the inaugural Cup, though.
“The next step is to go head-to-head in a major,” Mickelson said then.
Here’s the chance.
Tiger has won four Masters.
Phil has won two.
Mickelson has put the green jacket on Woods once (2005), and Woods returned the favor the next year. There was a gritting of teeth, a rolling of eyes. They’re not best friends. They aren’t hanging out with each other this week. They don’t exchange gifts or, very often, pleasantries.
Both were putting on the practice green at the same moment on Wednesday before the par-3 contest.
It was a clash of the champions — Woods in purple, Mickelson in red (Tiger’s Sunday color). They briefly acknowledged one another. Good luck or good riddance?
Nicklaus and Palmer, who won a total of 10 Masters (six by Nicklaus), used to feel and act this way. They eventually, if not reluctantly, got over it. Palmer and Nicklaus, who have been paired a hundred times in their advancing ages, played together in the par-3.
Perhaps, in 2028, Woods and Mickelson will become honorary starters at Augusta. But, until then
Mickelson admits that in the battle of major numbers, Woods has run off and hidden — 13 to 3. To Woods, Mickelson has been out of sight, out of his mind in recent years.
But when they begin the Masters today, Tiger and Phil are on top of their games. Courses are made for horses, and these two thoroughbreds know, as well as Palmer and Nicklaus did, the nuisances and the complications of Augusta National.
Tiger tees off in the morning today, in the afternoon Friday. Mickelson is late in the afternoon the first round, early in the morning the second.
Every tournament Tiger touches turns to gold — four triumphs in five appearances this year. Mickelson has finished first once and second once. Guess who’s favored here? Guess who the second favorite is — and maybe the People’s Hope?
When they separately addressed the amassed media on Tuesday, neither mentioned the other’s name. Tiger was never asked about Phil, and he wouldn’t go there. Tiger’s name was brought up twice to Phil, but he answered in general terms about the tournament.
I arrived in Augusta late Tuesday, so I sought out Tiger and Phil on Wednesday afternoon to learn if they would utter the other’s name, and talk about a possible weekend date with destiny. Each is more than an acquaintance. I’ve played golf with, and had discussions about the NFL and other sports, with Mickelson over the years, and Tiger and I have shared several conversations and a few beverages.
Tiger said hello and shook hands outside the Champions locker room on the second floor of the august Augusta clubhouse.
“Good luck,” I said. “Thank you,” he said. “I’d like ,” I said. “Oh, azalea,” he said, only he didn’t quite say that. “I forgot my gloves and my golf balls.” He rushed off. When he returned, Tiger was Mad Hatter late.
Outside the clubhouse I found Mickelson’s caddy, Jim “Bones” McKay, said hi and asked about Phil’s whereabouts. “He’s having lunch with the family,” his wife, two daughters and a son.
When next I saw Mickelson and Woods, they were putting on opposite sides of the practice green.
So much for in-depth, exclusive interviews and a war of words.
Like you and the rest of the world, I must wish Rudyard Kipling was wrong — that twains shall meet at the Masters on Sunday.
Woody Paige: 303-954-1094 or wpaige@denverpost.com
