Posted by Jason Sobel
MEDINAH, Ill. -- I've told this story before, but it's worth recounting in light of this week's groupings in the first two rounds here at the PGA Championship:
One of my favorite moments covering professional golf over the past few years occurred at the champions' press conference following last year's Presidents Cup. All 12 United States team members -- plus captain Jack Nicklaus and assistant captain Jeff Sluman -- convened at the podium together, many toting bottles of their favorite beverage, all possessing giant grins on their faces.
The questions started pouring in for Nicklaus, who led the team to victory; and for Fred Couples, who defeated Vijay Singh in an all-important match; and for Chris DiMarco, who clinched the Cup with a final-hole birdie.
Conspicuous in their absence from the gabfest, for the most part, were Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, on this day mere bit players who were enjoying a rare instance away from the spotlight. While their teammates hammed it up for reporters, the world's two most popular golfers sat together on the far left side of the dais, whispering into each other's ears and giggling like schoolgirls (OK, schoolboys) throughout the proceedings.
When I caught up with Mickelson afterwards and asked him to let me in on the inside joke, he flashed that famous Cheshire-cat smile and said no, he just couldn't allow such a conversation to become public consumption. Of course, this private exchange between Tiger and Phil came just days after a few heated, yet friendly, ping-pong matches between the players. "We go at it every year when we're on these teams, whether it's Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup," Woods reminisced on Tuesday. "Phil and I went at it quite a few times. ... We had fun."
The point is, while there will be much conjecture about the relationship between Woods and Mickelson as the two traverse the opening 36 holes together at Medinah (along with fellow '06 major winner Geoff Ogilvy), most of it will be overblown. Here's the real deal: These guys are bitter rivals, but hardly bitter enemies. Sure, it will be intriguing to see how they act and react toward one another on the course this week, but any student of the game who's sat in on Professional Golf 101 knows the conversations will be minimal yet cordial.
"You're out there just handling your own business," said Woods, who will compete in the same group with Mickelson in a major for just the second time in their careers (2001 Masters). "Obviously, I get along with some players better than others, and that's just the way it is. Sometimes I talk, sometimes I don't.
"I don't really talk a whole lot in major championships. I'm out there trying to put my ball where I need to put it. I stay in my own little world and try and handle my own business. ... I've played with some of my best friends, played with, obviously, Marko [Mark O'Meara] in a major before and don't say a word to him all day except, 'Here's your card.' That's just the way it is."
And isn't that the way it should be? Yes, it was fun to see Mickelson and Couples yak it up like a couple of pals at the local muni in the final round of this year's Masters, but we should root for elite players to have rivalries, own a game face, dial it up a notch.
Roger Clemens wouldn't high-five Albert Pujols following a home run. Dwyane Wade wouldn't chest-bump LeBron James if the latter dunked on him. So why should Woods and Mickelson put on their happy faces while taking part in a major competition?
If, in the famous sports vernacular, each player normally gives it 110 percent, expect, oh, about 115 percent when these guys face off mano a mano this week. And though they might not mind each other's company off the course, don't look for much banter around Medinah. Like Tiger said, that's just the way it is.
