There is really no need whatsoever for some over-hyped match between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.
We got the real deal on Saturday in a true championship setting.
No, they were not paired together by the R&A and day three of the Open Championship but the two huge names were separated by just one group at Carnoustie.
This day was no contest.
Tiger Woods found a bunch of birdies — Mickelson didn’t.
It’s been that way most of their careers, Tiger’s typically been better more often than not and Saturday was no different.
Woods took advantage of easy conditions on Saturday, little to no wind and he threw up three front nine birdies as he climbed up the leaderboard. He shot an outward nine 33 to Mickelson’s clumsy 37.
By day’s end, it was 66 for Woods, who got himself to five-under for the championship and within sniffing distance of the leaders.
Mickelson, on the other hand had his four birdies offset by three bogeys and his round of 70 left him way behind in a tie for 36th.
“Today it was a day I figured I’d have to go get it,” Woods said of his strategy. “I needed to post five or six-under and it was five.”
So once again, Woods bested Mickelson in major championship conditions — which challenges the rationale of another needless head-to-head match between the two.
