When Woods was asked by a fan how much money he was going to win off Jordan in today's pro-am competition of the Wachovia Championship, the five-time NBA Most Valuable Player jumped in.

"It's OK," Jordan said, smiling with a cigar clenched between his teeth. "I will get it all back on the basketball court."

Woods didn't argue.

"His golf game is a lot better than my basketball," the world's top-ranked golfer said. "He's still MJ on the court. He just can't do it for 48 minutes. It's more like five minutes."

Woods and Jordan, who share a passion for winning and a major sponsor in Nike Inc., were paired today for the first time in an organized golf event at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, No.C., today. The duo traded jokes and teased each other as more than 10,000 spectators lined every hole.

In a rare occurrence, Woods, the winner of 12 major golf titles, was overshadowed by the 6-foot-6 Jordan, who led the University of North Carolina to the 1982 national championship, won six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls and is a part-owner of the league's Charlotte Bobcats.

"It was great," Woods told reporters after the round. "I just hung back and let him kind of take the whole wave of people."

Crowds

About 5,000 fans cheered Woods and Jordan as they began their round at 7:30 a.m. Less than 1 1/2 hours later, the gallery had more than doubled. Pro-am events, which match a professional golfer with amateur partners, often have groups that are followed by few spectators beyond the families of those involved. When Woods plays in U.S. PGA Tour events, half the crowd usually is with his group.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Katie Simmons, a 62-year-old FedEx Corp. employee who asked her boss for the day off to attend today's practice round. "I love Tiger and I love Michael Jordan, and I will never get the chance to be this close to either one of them again."

Simmons, a Charlotte resident, snapped photos with a disposable camera from behind the third green as Jordan puffed on the first of three cigars he smoked during the round and Woods practiced his putting.

When they weren't hitting shots, the duo talked with fans and played jokes on each other.

Stolen Ball

After he stole Woods's ball and tossed it to a young fan on the 11th tee, Jordan tried to distract Woods by coughing in the middle of Woods's backswing. Woods smiled, then launched a 3- wood shot down the middle of the fairway.

Woods, 31, and Jordan, 44, are close friends and have played recreational rounds together since 1997, shortly after Woods won the first of four Masters Tournament titles. In 2004, Jordan spoke to the U.S. Ryder Cup team before its loss to the Europeans.

Since retiring from basketball four years ago, Woods said Jordan's golf game has suffered.

"He's gotten worse," Woods said. Jordan plays with a seven-handicap.

Woods and Jordan also are prime endorsers of Nike, each having his own line of athletic apparel produced by the world's largest athletic-shoe maker.

While Woods uses Nike balls and golf clubs, along with a putter made by Fortune Brands Inc.'s Titleist, Jordan's golf bag was filled with clubs made by Karsten Manufacturing's Ping brand. Jordan's custom-made golf bag was covered with stitchings of Nike's "Air Jordan" brand basketball shoes.

Third Player

Filling out the Woods-Jordan group was Skipper Beck, chief executive officer of Beck Imports of the Carolinas, which supplies the tournament with courtesy Mercedes-Benz cars for players and officials. Beck also is an investor with Jordan in the Bobcats. His spot was one of two included as part of a hospitality package purchased by his company.

"It took me about five holes to catch my breath," said Beck, a 14-handicap who played in a pro-am with Vijay Singh before this year's Mercedes Championship in Hawaii. "I didn't sleep well last night."

Beck said he had a bet with Jordan on the match, but wasn't able to negotiate a separate one with Woods.

"We're not allowed to bet on the Tour," Woods said, coyly raising his eyebrows and smiling to reporters.

The team finished 11-under par in the stroke-play competition, with the lowest of the three scores counting on each hole.