Johnny Miller
- Text Size:
- Small Text
- Medium Text
- Large Text
U.S. Open
A Tiger-Phil showdown at Torrey?
By Johnny Miller
Photos By Getty Images
June 2008
There really is only one story line for this year's U.S. Open, and that's the potential for a showdown between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Sure, they've competed against each other before, including at Torrey Pines during the Buick Invitational in January. Since 1999, Tiger has six wins there compared with two for Phil. But with the course shaved and firmed up for the U.S. Open, it's a better matchup.
Tiger's game is better overall than Phil's, and he obviously is the favorite. But a few things could work in Phil's favor. For one, San Diego is Phil's hometown, and the majority of fans will be rooting for him. Phil is the kind of player (Arnold Palmer was another) who feeds off the positive energy of a gallery. It's the one course where he won't feel Tiger has an advantage.
If Phil's game is sharp -- and it must be for him to go against Tiger -- he has his best chance to win his first U.S. Open. Nobody knows the course better than Phil, nobody putts fast greens better when he's on, and he's Tiger's equal around the greens.
At some U.S. Opens the course is the star going in. That isn't the case here. It's the possibility of the game's two best players going at each other in the prime of their careers.
-
u.s. open
- Picking up the pace
-
Illustration By Chris Gash When guys on the PGA Tour play slowly, I can't help but be critical of them. I'm not alone; Tiger Woods has complained about the pace of play, too.
The problem? Players aren't ready to hit when it's their turn. During the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, for example, Sean O'Hair took nearly a minute and a half to play his shot at the par-3 17th after the green had cleared. That's too long.
The irony is that O'Hair didn't play college golf where the pace of play is deliberate and where players ingrain slow-play habits.
The tour has rules to discourage slow play, but it has been 16 years since a player was penalized a stroke (for two bad times). If we saw more penalties, we'd see faster play.
-
the game
- Recalling a curious old rule
In stroke and match play, the player has "control" of his ball. Meaning, you can mark your ball on the green as long as another ball isn't in motion.
From 1960 to 1983 the rule in match play was different. A player "controlled" his opponent's ball. If his ball was in a position to assist you (it might help your ball carom into the cup or slow it down, for example), you could ask your opponent to mark his ball but leave it in place. If your ball struck his, there was no penalty; he replaced his ball at his mark, and you played your ball from where it came to rest. The rule was changed to its current form in 1984.
- Text Size:
- Small Text
- Medium Text
- Large Text
