Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson stole the show in Bethpage Black’s major debut at the 2002 U.S. Open. On Wednesday, the two icons toured the venerable Long Island property to see the test that awaits at next week’s PGA Championship.
Pictures surfaced on Instagram and Twitter of Woods and Mickelson, both former PGA champions, making their way around Bethpage Black. Though a video capturing the two together was ultimately deleted, others of Mickelson and Woods playing separately remained up as of Wednesday evening:
https://twitter.com/RiggsBarstool/status/1126153657244966912
Despite starting the final round five shots back of Woods at the 2002 U.S. Open, Mickelson—playing in the group ahead of Tiger—made a Sunday charge, at one point narrowing the deficit to two with a birdie on the 13th hole. However, Woods answered with a birdie of his own at the 13th, and bogeys at the 16th and 17th by Mickelson gave enough breathing room for Woods to win by three.
Mickelson also received a silver medal in Bethpage’s U.S. Open follow-up in 2009, finishing two strokes short of Lucas Glover.
The sometimes-icy relationship between Woods and Mickelson has thawed over the last few years. They famously played together during a practice round at the 2018 Masters, and appeared in a made-for-TV match over Thanksgiving weekend that fall.
Woods enters as the tournament favorite at 7-to-1 odds, Mickelson a more distance 40-to-1. The PGA Championship begins on May 16.
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