For the third straight tournament, Mickelson can potentially overtake the top spot in the world rankings from Woods, something he's never held.
As the two will be vying for the top spot in the world, more important will be preparing for the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in two weeks.
Woods won the last Open held at Pebble in 2000 by a record 15 shots.
“It would be nice to get four rounds in and be in contention and hopefully win this thing,” Woods said. “That’s kind of where I’d like to be. I’d like to see where my game is going into the Open, and I should get a full tournament in, which I haven’t had since the Masters.”
Mickelson will be looking to win his first U.S. Open, the tournament he has finished runner up in a record five times.
“It would be cool,” Mickelson said about the ranking. “I don’t want to discount it. Right now, my goal is to play well here and get ready for the Open next week.”
Photos - AP / Tony Dejak
