Saturday, November 7, 2009

Woods vs Mickelson in Shanghai Showdown

WGC-HSBC Champions-Round Three
Tiger Woods will spot Phil Mickelson two strokes in the final round of the WGC-HSBC Champions event to be held later today in Shanghai, China. The pairing of the superstars in the last round isn't really a common occurrence. It should make for compelling viewing commencing on The Golf Channel at 11:00 PM, EST. Thoughts of Jones/Hagen or Nicklaus/Palmer come to mind in the set up for a rare late season match up worth watching. Let's hope it lives up to at least part of the hype.

Woods carried a one stroke advantage over Phil beginning yesterday's round, but Mickelson made short work of the deficit. His 67, including a back nine 33, gave him the two shot cushion at -14 over Woods and American Nick Watney. Ryan Moore remains within sniffing distance at -11. Woods' third round 70 was marred by a rather pedestrian back nine 36, reinforced by many players finding out that birdies were in short supply. In birdieing 3 of his last 5 holes Mickelson was the only player in the top 18 to break 70. Lee Westwood carded a stellar 65 to come in at -10 and place himself back in the conversation.

Dream pairings don't often match the build up, but if this one does it may set the tone for a very interesting 2010 season. A Mickelson victory over Woods in a head to head match up would be frosting on his 2009 cake and shoot him into 2010 with a confidence injection. It would come on the heels of his TOUR Championship victory in Atlanta and indicate Phil's back in good form after a personally tumultuous 2009 marred by his wife Amy's and his mother's cancer diagnosis. This will make the 25th time Woods and Mickelson have gone "mano y mano" in the final round of a tournament and the 1st time since 2005 at Doral. In the 24 previous meetings Woods has posted the better score in 12, Mickelson in 8, and 4 have ended in ties.

May the best man win.




Til' next,

2 comments:

  1. I think that this would be the dream team. If they should play together then they would be unstoppable. Good that Mickelson wood will do him the world of good.

    Is the tiger still under the weather or is he full recovered. Anyway all the best to him and Mickelson lets hope we have many more battles in the future.

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  2. Can I name the venue/comp... it needs to be a major... it really does. We need a titanic clash - not someone backing into a win as front runners fall back...
    I would like to see both head to head at The Masters.
    Love the site - keep up the good work!
    All the best
    Dave

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