Nightmare pair could make Ryder comeback
PHIL MICKELSON has raised the remarkable possibility of resuming his failed Ryder Cup pairing with Tiger Woods — regarded as one of the biggest mistakes in the tournament’s history. Mickelson and Woods lost their opening fourball and foursomes matches in 2004, after being sent out together by US captain Hal Sutton — and it was considered a blunder that would never be repeated. But the golfing greats’ relationship has vastly improved in the last few years and when asked yesterday about them teeing off together 14 years on, Mickelson said: ‘I think we would both welcome it. And I do have an idea of what Captain (Jim) Furyk is thinking.’ Woods and Mickelson have been practising at Le Golf National in the same pod — groups of four players Furyk is expected to pair together in different combinations. Joining the Woods/Mickelson group are Patrick Reed and Bryson DeChambeau. Mickelson traced his new friendship with Woods back to the last Ryder Cup in Hazeltine when Tiger was a vice-captain, sidelined by his chronic back injury. He said: ‘We started to really work together to succeed. I think we realised we both have a lot more in common than we thought — the way we go about things, the way we look at things, our work ethic and so on.’ Mickelson’s issue with the ill-fated pairing at Oakland Hills in 2004 was that they were given only two days’ notice. And in foursomes play then, the same model of ball had to be used throughout. Woods played with a high-spin ball and Mickelson a lowspin one. Mickelson was forced to spend a five-hour session getting to grips with Tiger’s ball, neglecting his normal tournament preparation.