FOR TIGER Woods, still the world number one despite his inactivity, and Phil Mickelson, the man closing in on his streak atop the rankings, this week’s Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, signals a return of their rivalry, which has been pretty much dormant since the Masters in April.
Woods, who has been passed fit to defend his title in the Memorial after withdrawing from last month’s Players Championship with a neck injury, is making just his fourth appearance of the season.
After withdrawing after just six holes of the final round of the Players, Woods had an MRI scan which diagnosed an inflamed facet joint in his neck which required rest, anti-inflammatory medication and soft-tissue massages. He returned to practice last week, although admitted on his website he was “not 100 per cent” fit.
Still, with the season’s second major, the US Open at Pebble Beach, just over a fortnight away, Woods – who doesn’t plan to play in the St Jude in Memphis next week – seeks to get back some tournament sharpness before a return to the Pacific coast where he decimated the field on the major’s last staging there in 2000.
Mickelson, who missed the cut in last week’s Colonial tournament, which was won on Sunday by former Masters champion Zach Johnson, has finished second-17th-MC in his outings since winning at Augusta in April. But he can overtake Woods as the world number one with a victory in the Memorial.
Rory McIlroy returns stateside for a three-week stint after a week’s break at home, during which he spent a considerable amount of time working with coach Michael Bannon on approach shots from 70 yards in.
McIlroy plays the Memorial and the St Jude in the run-up to the US Open with the aim of being competitive going into Pebble Beach.
He is looking to be competitive at both tournaments, “that way, when it comes to the crunch (in a major), you know how to handle the situation because you are used to it.”
McIlroy is making a debut appearance in the Memorial.
Johnson, who claimed a seventh US Tour title with his record 21-under-par 259 winning total in the Colonial, is also in the field. The American moved up 19 positions to 16th in the world, while runner-up Brian Davis improved from 110th to 72nd.
CROWNE PLAZA INVITATIONAL(at Colonial) – Leading final scores(US unless stated, par 70): 259– Zach Johnson 65 66 64 64; 262– Brian Davis (Eng) 64 65 65 68; 263– Ben Crane 68 64 64 67, Jeff Overton 63 67 66 67; 264– Bryce Molder 65 62 67 70, Scott Verplank 67 66 66 65; 265– Ricky Barnes 66 66 67 66, Corey Pavin 67 64 67 67; 266– Boo Weekley 67 63 67 69; 267– Pat Perez 69 68 63 67, Bo Van Pelt 67 66 65 69, Martin Laird (Sco) 69 67 66 65.
