coach stokes phil-tiger rivalry

By Mark Garrod, PA Sport Golf Correspondent, Chicago

Click here for all the latest golf scores
Click here for European Tour calendar
Click here for US Tour calendar
Click here for more golf news

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson go head to head for only the second time in majors when the US PGA championship begins on Thursday.

And Mickelson's short-game coach might just have given Woods an added reason to remind everybody who is world number one and who is world number two.

Dave Pelz says: "When Phil's at his best I'm thinking nobody can beat him. His short game, I believe, is the best in the world.

"He doesn't have a serious weakness inside 150 yards. I'm not saying Tiger's short game is bad. He has a great short game. But I think Phil putts more consistently than Tiger does.

"He has more imagination and a few more shots around the green.

"The question is, how often is Phil on his best game?"

The two are paired for the opening two rounds at Medinah because the event traditionally brings together the winners of the three other majors during the season.

Mickelson triumphed at the Masters, Woods at the Open, and US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy makes up the three-ball.

The only previous occasion the two American superstars have met in majors was in the final round of the 2001 Masters when Woods completed his clean sweep of the majors and Mickelson, still to win one of golf's top four titles at the time, finished third.

The left-hander is also the defending champion this week and while fully aware that Mickelson has had much the worse of things when they have faced each other in all tournaments, Pelz adds: "He's got a better arsenal now.

"He has more shots. He has more chances to hit high percentage shots. He's a better player.

"I know Phil relishes playing with Tiger. He feels like he can beat him and he hasn't done it yet.

"This is a great opportunity. Every chances he gets it he'll want to take it."

Woods, winner of his last two events, has used somebody else's comments as extra motivation in the past.

Nine years ago Colin Montgomerie was hammered at Augusta after daring to suggest the 21-year-old's inexperience could count against him in their third round clash.

This February Stephen Ames thought he had a chance to knock Woods out of the Accenture World Match Play in view of "where he hits it". Woods crushed him nine and eight.

(reopens) When asked about Pelz's comments, Woods said with a smile: "I think I am pretty tough to beat when I am playing well too.

"It's just about getting Ws (wins). That's why I play - to win and beat everybody. That's fun.

"Phil and I are competitors. We've got to know each other through being in teams and we're fine. But this is a major and I don't talk a lot in major championships.

"I stay in my own world. I don't talk to Stevie (his caddie Steve Williams) much. That's how it is for me.

"I've played with Marko (close friend Mark O'Meara) and not said a word all day apart from 'here's your card'."

(reopens) Mickelson chose humour too when the subject of Pelz inevitably came up in his press conference.

"I've tried not to give you too much to run with, so I'm paying other people to do it," he said. "My man - he's enthusiastic."

Mickelson steered clear of saying whether he agreed with Pelz, but described his relationship with Woods as a "fun dynamic" and said that the 11-major winner had pushed him to reach a level where he has won three.