No tee party for big two

Apr 12 2009

Thousands of people gathered to see Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson tee off together for only the third time in the final round of a major today - and struggled to believe what they then witnessed.

Seven behind leaders Kenny Perry and Angel Cabrera overnight at The Masters, golf's top two players were desperate to pick up early shots that would make their presence felt.

They started with par fours, but both were highly eventful and far from impressive. Woods pulled his drive into the left-hand trees while Mickelson went right into the trees.

The early move came from Mickelson's fellow left-hander Steve Flesch, who pitched in for eagle at the long second and then birdied the third to charge into a tie for sixth on six under.

European interest in the title race was in danger of being erased unless Ian Poulter or Lee Westwood could find their top form.

They were with Woods and Mickelson, while Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell was one further back after he made amends for an opening bogey by picking up shots on the third, fifth and seventh.

Sandy Lyle, giving a really good account of himself at 51, covered the first seven in one under to be two under and one further back were Padraig Harrington and Justin Rose.

However, 19-year-old Rory McIlroy managed only a front-nine 39 - and had to birdie the ninth for that.

After missing birdie chances on the opening two greens from inside nine feet, McIlroy bogeyed the third despite his drive rebounding from the trees onto the fairway, double-bogeyed the short sixth and dropped another on the next.

While Paul Casey and Ross Fisher stood level par and Luke Donald and Sergio Garcia one over, the teenager was three over and 43rd of the 50 players.