Off it goes: Tiger Woods of the US hits a shot during a practice round prior to the start of the 95th PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York, on Monday.
ROCHESTER (United States): World No. 1 Tiger Woods and new British Open champion Phil Mickelson are on a collision course, fighting for the year’s last Major golf crown at the 95th PGA Championship.
Practice began on Monday at Oak Hill Country Club with Woods coming off a seven-stroke triumph at the World Golf Championships Bridgestone Invitational, his eighth triumph at Firestone Country Club, and Mickelson still enjoying last month’s British Open win at Muirfield.
“When Phil and I have battled, it has been in big events and we’ve shot some pretty good rounds together and against each other,” Woods said.
Woods, a 14-time Major winner chasing the all-time record of 18 Majors won by Jack Nicklaus, has not won a Major title in 17 attempts since the 2008 US Open but says he feels no extra urgency to win the last Major before his 38th birthday.
“As far as wanting it more than any other, no. It’s the same,” Woods said. “Those are the events that we try and peak for and win. Each and every Major, I always want them. I’ve been successful 14 times and hopefully this will be 15.”
Mickelson, a US Open runner-up for the sixth time in June, captured his fifth Major crown in July and is confident he knows Oak Hill well.
“I’ve studied the golf course,” Mickelson said. “I know exactly how I’m going to play it. I just need to get my game sharp now.”
Nicklaus, who won the 1980 PGA at Oak Hill, sees Woods and Mickelson as favourites but warns a lot of players could be in the hunt because the course will force golfers to change their games.
“The player has got to suit his game to the golf course,” Nicklaus said. “Mickelson will adapt well to it. Tiger will adapt well to it.”
Woods, whose 79 career PGA titles are three shy of Sam Snead’s all-time record, practised on Monday afternoon but planned light work until Wednesday, having seen the 7,163-yard Oak Hill in a practice round last on Tuesday. — AFP
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