Woods, Mickelson to lead off Ryder Cup

By Thomas Bonk
Los Angeles Times

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Think Koufax and Drysdale, Magic and Kareem, Maris and Mantle, Montana and Rice.

U.S Ryder Cup team members Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods will lead off this morning's four-ball matches against Europe. Associated Press

It's all about star power and in golf, the combination of Woods and Mickelson is a heavy dose, which is just what the U.S. team is throwing at the Europeans in the first four-ball match today that begins the 35th Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills.

Hal Sutton, the U.S. captain, had trouble containing his enthusiasm yesterday when he mused about the Woods-Mickelson pairing, which will lead off against a heavyweight European tandem of Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington.

Sutton said he knew the moment he was named captain, in October 2002, that he would put Woods and Mickelson together for the first time. He just kept it secret, although he let his mind wander yesterday afternoon.