Woods and Mediate paired again at Torrey

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- The last time Tiger Woods played Torrey Pines was in June of 2008, when he defeated Rocco Mediate in a thrilling 19-hole Monday playoff to win the U.S. Open.  The two will be paired together again this week for the first two rounds of the Farmers Insurance Open, a place where Woods has won five consecutive pro tournaments. Mediate discusses the famous battle and more in an interview with Rich Lerner in the March issue of Golf Digest.

Woods, who will make his 2011 PGA Tour debut, knows Torrey Pines as well as anybody, excelling in junior events on the ocean-flanked South and North Courses as a teenager. That's why he's not arriving in San Diego until Tuesday night and his lone practice round will be in the pro-am on Wednesday.

Interestingly, Woods usually tees off first in pro-ams, but that won't be the case Wednesday or in upcoming tournaments. Players who finished lowest on the 2010 PGA Tour money list have priority in picking their starting times. Woods finished 68th and most likely will draw late morning or early-afternoon times this year. The first tee time Wednesday is 6:50 a.m. local time, but Woods will begin play at 11 a.m. on the 10th tee of the South Course.

-- *Mark Soltau

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