It may have been 20 years since Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson played a practice round together.
No one can remember exactly that long ago.
Plenty of people at Augusta National Golf Club took notice when the prominent golfers took to the course – along with Fred Couples and Thomas Pieters – to play the back nine Tuesday morning in preparation for the Masters. That included fellow golfers as Rory McIlroy took notice of the stars in alignment.
Woods said the two could have paired for a practice round on Monday but Mickelson didn’t play. When Mickelson ran into Woods’ caddie and asked if they were free, the game was on.
Two of the biggest names in golf over the past 20 years, Woods and Mickelson have been the best of competitors. Friendly, yes. Mutual respect, certainly. Friends, let’s not get carried away.
Once Woods was the most dominant golfer in the game. Maybe ever as he racked up major titles and was chasing Jack Nicklaus’ record. Well-documented issues in his personal life and a series of injuries halted Woods’ quest. He hasn’t won an event since 2013 and it has been 10 years since his previous major victory.
It was during his recovery, the last from spinal fusion surgery, that Woods was limited to appearances at Masters champion dinners and serving as an assistant on Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams. That’s where he and Mickelson had daily interaction and strategy sessions that help a friendship blossom as it hadn’t in years of competition, especially in the preparation for the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine.
“When I got hurt and I had to take a different role on the teams, being assistant captain and really trying to help out on the side, how best I possibly could, Phil was great,” Woods said Tuesday. “He was trying to help me out when I was trying to make a comeback, my body wasn’t feeling very good: How can I help?
“And our friendship has gotten stronger over the years. We have competed a lot of times coming down the stretch in events. We were joking today about some of the thoughts that transpired here. We have gone through it a long time, and the better part of 20 years our friendship has certainly gotten a lot better.”
Woods conceded that age and the stage in their respective careers has played a part in the relations. Mickelson is 47. Woods is 42. The twilight may be upon them. Now, Woods is healthy again and chasing a fifth green jacket while Mickelson is chasing a fourth.
“I texted him a while ago when he was playing at Valspar that it felt like it was a different time continuum because I found myself pulling so hard for him. It was unusual. And I find that I want him to play well, and I'm excited to see him play so well. And he is playing well.”
Pulling for each other?
Have they reached the stage of the millennials such as Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler and others who have made no secret of their bond of friendship?
And there they were Tuesday. Woods and Mickelson vs. Couples and Pieters. Mickelson pointed out that with the help of Woods’ eagles at Nos. 13 and 15 and his birdies they were 7-under in a span of five holes. That will help a friendship, too.
