Golf roundup
Tiger, Mickelson in same foursome for Buick finale SAN DIEGO (AP) – A script right out of Hollywood came together in a span of 20 minutes late Saturday afternoon in the Buick Invitational, when two players made birdie putts from the same line on the 18th green.
One of them gave Tiger Woods the lead.
The other allowed his chief nemesis, Phil Mickelson, to join him in the final group.
“It’s going to be mayhem out there,” said Brad Faxon, who already has been nominated for best supporting actor – despite being only one stroke out of the lead.
“This will be like the 16th hole of Phoenix on every hole.”
The buzz over Woods’ return to the PGA Tour turned into a frenzy at Torrey Pines when he surged into the lead with a 4-under 68, mixing an array of incredible shots with a steady diet of clutch par saves to build a one-stroke lead.
“I’m excited about even having a chance after taking off as much time as I did,” said Woods, who was at 12-under 204.
In his first tournament since Dec. 12 surgery on his left knee, Woods didn’t waste any time getting back into a familiar position. The next test is whether he can hold the lead, something he does better than anyone.
Woods is 26-2 on the PGA Tour when he has at least a share of the 54-hole lead. The last player to beat him from behind was – guess who? – Mickelson, in the 2000 Tour Championship at East Lake.
Wait – it gets better.
Only last week, Mickelson stirred up their rivalry even more by saying in a magazine interview that Woods plays “inferior” clubs, and that he is the only players good enough to overcome “the equipment he’s stuck with.”
They cleared the air and saw each other briefly on Wednesday. Their next meeting comes Sunday morning on the first tee at Torrey Pines.
“I guess it is ironic,” Woods said.
Still, both of them have played well at Torrey Pines. Mickelson won in 2000 and 2001; Woods won in 1999 and has never finished worse than fifth.
“If you were to pick two guys to play well on this course, you’d probably pick us,” Woods said. “It’s going to be exciting.”
Sure, but who could have guessed this?
Television ratings are 113 percent higher whenever Woods is in contention. Now, the final round of the Buick Invitational has been transformed into a tantalizing show featuring two of the best players in the world.
It will be the first time they have played together in the final round since the 2001 Masters, when Woods won an unprecedented fourth consecutive major.
They last played together in the second round of the unofficial Target World Challenge, when Woods beat him by nine strokes.
Mickelson had a 69 by making his 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole, and he knew exactly what was riding on that putt.
“I was thinking on that putt on 18, I would love to get into that last group,” said Mickelson, who was two strokes behind at 206, along with Steven Alker.
Don’t forget about Faxon.
He had a chance to put distance between everybody when a short birdie putt at No. 10 moved him to 13 under. Faxon three-putted for bogey twice, and had to make a 3-foot par putt on the par-5 15th for a 71 to get into the final group.
“I think I’ll be the judge,” he joked about the Woods-Mickelson pairing.
That might not be the main event.
The Buick Invitational has a history of the winner coming from behind, although rarely does the front-runner have the reputation or record of Woods.
“I can’t just worry about Phil,” Woods said. “There are a lot of guys right behind us. If we don’t go out there and play well, we will get passed. We have to take care of our own business.”
Barr in position for 2nd Champions Tour victory
NAPLES, Fla. – Dave Barr is back on top a week after becoming the first Canadian winner in Champions Tour history.
Barr shot a 7-under 65 on Saturday in the ACE Group Classic to take a one-shot lead over Jay Overton and first-round leader Vicente Fernandez through two rounds at The Club at TwinEagles.
Barr, who is at 11-under 133, uses a 1971 putter given to him in college and plays with a 10-finger grip. He has an old set of irons that include a 3- and 5-iron from 1985. He’s self-taught and said he has had one lesson, and it was a putting one.
“They always say, ‘Why don’t you go to the modern technology and improve your game?”‘ Barr said of other players. “If it’s working, why switch?”
Overton, who won a playoff in the qualifier for one of three spots in the event, tied the tournament record with a bogey-free, 9-under 63. His 19-year-old son, Jason, caddies for him.
Fernandez followed up his 66 with a 4-under 68. Rodger Davis and Jim Thorpe are two shots behind, while Tom Watson, the runner-up in 2002, and Mike McCullough are three back. Six players are four back.
Barr, who played eight events last year as a conditional player before getting fully exempt for 2003, birdied the last four holes a week ago to edge Gil Morgan and win the Royal Caribbean Classic for his first win on the Champions Tour.
He’ll try to become the first player since Larry Nelson in 2001 to win his first two starts of the year. Bob Gilder was the last to win back-to-back events, doing so in 2002.
“There’ll be more pressure just because you’re going for two in a row,” said Barr, who tied for second a shot behind Andy North in the 1985 U.S. Open. “Hopefully, I can downplay that side of the pressure and really not worry about two in a row.”
History is mixed on the leaders holding on in Naples. Eight of the previous 15 leaders or co-leaders have gone on to win.
“I don’t pay any attention to that stuff,” Barr said. “All you can do is just come out the next day. Hopefully, you’re in a good frame of mind.”
Barr caught Overton with a 15-foot eagle on the par-5 13th, then added birdies at Nos. 16 and 18, with the last giving him the lead. Overton, who has been a top club professional, birdied the last three holes.
Overton qualified for this tournament a year ago and tied for ninth. He also qualified for the 2002 Royal Caribbean Classic and held the first-round lead before tying for fifth.
“Probably the biggest thing today was the pairing,” said Overton, who played with Doug Tewell and Leonard Thompson, both of whom he knew. “When club professionals come out here, you’re not always most comfortable or feel the most welcome.”
Divots: Wayne Levi, who was three shots out of the lead, withdrew before the round with food poisoning. … Eight of the 15 events in Naples have been decided by a stroke or less, with one playoff in 2000. … Mike Hill and Al Geiberger previously shot 63s in the tournament. Hill’s was in 1994 in the final round and Geiberger’s was in 1996. Both went on to win. … Jim Ahern’s 7-under 65 jumped him up 29 spots on the leaderboard. … Tom Watson is 0-for-83 in professional tournaments in Florida.