Golf: 'Big three' showdown ends in a draw

Tiger Woods (right) reacts to his drive on the 16th hole as playing partner Phil Mickelson strides off. Picture / Reuters

MEDINAH, Illinois - The heavyweight showdown featuring Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy ended in a draw when the trio shot 69s in the first round of the PGA Championship here today.

"It was a fun day," world No 2 Mickelson told reporters after being paired with Woods in a major for the first time since the final round of the 2001 Masters where the 'Tiger Slam' was completed.

Ogilvy was in awe of the media interest.

"The atmosphere this morning was pretty incredible," said the 29-year-old Australian, who overcame Mickelson on the final hole at Winged Foot to win the US Open.

"I've never seen anything like that at 8.30 in the morning on a tee that's two miles from the clubhouse. I thought it would build but it was pretty solid.

"The media presence, the photographers, were just incredible. I didn't know there were that many cameras in Illinois. It was the first 100 yards. It was incredible. It was unbelievable."

Mickelson and Ogilvy birdied the 10th while Woods bogeyed after hooking his tee shot into a tree.

Another birdie on 11 lifted Mickelson three ahead of Woods, who went back to even-par with a birdie at 12.

Woods posted birdies at 14 and 15 before missing birdie putts on the next two holes.

Ogilvy dropped back with a bogey at 14 and a double bogey at 16 before recovering with five more birdies.

Mickelson scrambled through the rest of his first nine, saving par time and again with delicate shots out of greenside rough. He bogeyed the second hole but finished with birdies at the fifth and seventh.

Woods birdied the par-five seventh after missing a 15-foot eagle putt.

"We all played okay," Mickelson said.

"We all left some shots out there but we all put ourselves in good position heading into the next three rounds."

Ogilvy said he was not intimidated playing alongside the world's top two players before a huge gallery.

"I've generally always played better in situations like that," he said.

"I think the danger is when you play with guys like that is you can become a spectator and just watch them play.

"I really feel good about how I did today. Playing with those two, at least one of them or probably both, are going to be there or thereabouts at the end of the tournament.

"If I come in with the same score as them at the end of every day, I'm going to be in good shape."

- REUTERS