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Woods and Mickelson to pair up at US Open

05/06/2008

Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott will play together in a blockbuster group in the first two rounds of the US Open next week.

The tournament organisers, USGA, have confirmed that the world's top three players by ranking will traverse the Torrey Pines course in California at the same time in order to put the likely challengers on an equal footing from the start.

Traditionally, players are afforded random pairings for the first two rounds of the tournament, with the pairings for the final two rounds arranged according to their score in the tournament.

With the top players normally spread out across the groups it allows both fans and the media to see most in action at different times to maintain interest throughout the day.

Fears have been raised that with all the top players going out in groups alongside each other there could be huge peaks and troughs of interest in what is going on across the course and create congestion for spectators.

However, the USGA has played down such fears - saying that the positives of having the number one and two players in the world together far outweighed the negatives.

Mike Davis, the senior director of rules and competition for the USGA, told the PGA Tour website: "This year we got to thinking, 'isn't it kind of crummy that we've never had the two guys ranked one and two in the world in the same wave?'

"Weather can affect outcomes in the US Open. It could be windy in the morning, or firm in the afternoon."

Both Mickelson and Woods are renowned for their ability to conquer the Torrey Pines course, which could result in an explosive opening two days.

And Davis added: "If there was a right year to do it, this was it."