Woods and Mickelson dream draw is U.S. nightmare

13 April 2012

The first U.S. Open to be held in southern California for 60 years will get off to a suitably dramatic start next week when two local boys - they go by the names of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson - play together for the first two days.

It is an unprecedented move by the United States Golf Association and, depending on your viewpoint, is either a fantasy draw made flesh or a logistical nightmare. In reality, it will probably prove to be both.

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Big guns: Woods (left) and Mickelson will see plenty of each other

Certainly, inside the ropes it will be fascinating. But outside? Controlling the crowd at Torrey Pines in San Diego for either of the sport's top two attractions is hard enough.

Now they're shaking hands on the first tee and on home turf to boot. If rounds take forever then we will know who to blame.

Certainly, you have to feel some sympathy for the third member of the group, Australian Adam Scott.

He will have to cope with the continual movement of the crowd racing to the next tee when Tiger and Phil have finished up, just when he is staring over those three-footers that have long been his achilles heel.

It will not be much fun either for Englishman Oliver Wilson, playing in just his second American major and in the group in front. Every time he settles over a putt he will hear the stampede coming up behind.

USGA official Mike Davis admitted to trepidation but he added: 'We got to thinking how crummy it was that they never got to play together. If ever there was a right year to do it this was it, given their background at Torrey Pines.'

The unprecedented draw will not only feature the world's top three playing together, but also numbers four to six (that places Justin Rose with former U.S. Open champions Ernie Els and Geoff Ogilvy), seven to nine, and 10 to 12.

The traditional grouping of the defending champion, Open champion and U.S.

Amateur champion has been preserved because Padraig Harrington, holder of the middle of those two titles, has dropped to 14th.

He will play with defending champion, Angel Cabrera, and American Colt Knost. Another unique grouping sees three Englishman together for the first two days - Ian Poulter, Luke Donald and Paul Casey.

Groupings for the first two rounds of next week's U.S. Open (listed times are all local - for GMT add seven hours, a- denotes amateur, U.S. unless stated).

Thursday, June 12, first hole - Friday, June 13, 10th hole

0700 - 1230 - D.A. Points, Patrick Sheehan, David Hearn (Canada)

0711 - 1241 - a-Kyle Stanley, Casey Wittenberg, Hunter Haas

0722 - 1252 - a-Kevin Tway, Jason Bohn, Dean Wilson

0733 - 1303 - a-Jeff Wilson, Fredrik Jacobson (Sweden), Brett Quigley

0744 - 1314 - a-Rickie Fowler, Chris Kirk, Dustin Johnson

0755 - 1325 - Mark Calcavecchia, Oliver Wilson (Britain), Joe Ogilvie

0806 - 1336 - Adam Scott (Australia), Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods

0817 - 1347 - Lee Janzen, Steve Flesch, Rich Beem

0828 - 1358 - Michael Campbell (New Zealand), Jesper Parnevik (Sweden), Todd Hamilton

0839 - 1409 - Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain), Boo Weekley, Shingo Katayama (Japan)

0850 - 1420 - Anthony Kim, Andres Romero (Argentina), Ryuji Imada (Japan)

0901 - 1431 - Mike Gilmore, a-Jordan Cox, Brian Kortan

0912 - 1442 - Jeffrey Bors, Sean English, Travis Bertoni Thursday (June 12), 10th hole; Friday (June 13), first hole

0700 - 1230 - Robert Garrigus, Peter Tomasulo, Craig Barlow

0711 - 1241 - a-Derek Fathauer, Scott Piercy, Justin Hicks

0722 - 1252 - K.J. Choi (South Korea), Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker

0733 - 1303 - a-Michael Thompson, Rocco Mediate, Brad Bryant

0744 - 1314 - Craig Parry (Australia), Robert Karlsson (Sweden), Tim Clark (South Africa)

0755 - 1325 - Stuart Appleby (Australia), Jerry Kelly, Lee Westwood (Britain)

0806 - 1336 - Woody Austin, Pat Perez, Thomas Levet (France)

0817 - 1347 - Matt Kuchar, Mathew Goggin (Australia), Nick Watney

0828 - 1358 - Rod Pampling (Australia), Heath Slocum, Niclas Fasth (Sweden)

0839 - 1409 - Carl Pettersson (Sweden), Soren Hansen (Denmark), Daniel Chopra (Sweden)

0850 - 1420 - Johan Edfors (Sweden), Eric Axley, Ben Crane

0901 - 1431 - Joey Lamielle, a-Michael Quagliano, Fernando Figueroa

0912 - 1442 - Chris Devlin (Northern Ireland), Yohann Benson (Canada), Brian Bergstol Thursday (June 12), first hole; Friday (June 13), 10th hole

1230 - 0700 - D.J. Brigman, Jonathan Mills (Canada), Jarrod Lyle (Australia)

1241 - 0711 - a-Nick Taylor (Canada), Charlie Beljan, Rob Rashell

1252 - 0722 - Stewart Cink, Sergio Garcia (Spain), Vijay Singh (Fiji)

1303 - 0733 - Trevor Immelman (South Africa), Zach Johnson, Mike Weir (Canada)

1314 - 0744 - Retief Goosen (South Africa), Scott Verplank, Aaron Baddeley (Australia)

1325 - 0755 - Stephen Ames (Canada), Robert Allenby (Australia), Ben Curtis

1336 - 0806 - Angel Cabrera (Argentina), Padraig Harrington (Ireland), Davis Love III

1347 - 0817 - Bubba Watson, J.B. Holmes, Brett Wetterich

1358 - 0828 - Brandt Snedeker, Nick Dougherty (Britain), Jonathan Byrd

1409 - 0839 - Michael Letzig, Ross Fisher (Britain), Steve Marino

1420 - 0850 - Brandt Jobe, Phillip Archer (Britain), Jason Gore

1431 - 0901 - Kevin Silva, Bobby Collins, Jay Choi (South Korea)

1442 - 0912 - Bob Gaus, Philippe Gasnier (Brazil), Garrett Chaussard

Thursday (June 12), 10th hole; Friday (June 13), first hole

1230 - 0700 - Michael Allen, Jonathan Turcott, Scott Sterling

1241 - 0711 - Kevin Streelman, Artemio Murakami (Philippines), Robert Dinwiddie Britain)

1252 - 0722 - Bart Bryant, D.J. Trahan, Chad Campbell

1303 - 0733 - Sean O'Hair, Richard Sterne (South Africa), Hunter Mahan

1314 - 0744 - Ian Poulter (Britain), Paul Casey (Britain), Luke Donald (Britain)

1325 - 0755 - Henrik Stenson (Sweden), Toru Taniguchi (Japan), John Rollins

1336 - 0806 - Justin Rose (Britain), Geoff Ogilvy (Australia), Ernie Els (South Africa)

1347 - 0817 - Camilo Villegas (Colombia), Charles Howell, Martin Kaymer (Germany)

1358 - 0828 - Jeff Quinney, Justin Leonard, Mark O'Meara

1409 - 0839 - Rory Sabbatini (South Africa), David Toms, Colin Montgomerie (Britain)

1420 - 0850 - John Mallinger, Alastair Forsyth (Britain), John Merrick

1431 - 0901 - Chris Stroud, Ross McGowan (Britain), Ian Leggatt (Canada)

1442 - 0912 - John Ellis, a-Jimmy Henderson, Andrew Dresser

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