He's the reigning U make open cham...

He's the reigning U make open champion, but Australian Geoff Ogilvy will be just the third dowdy in the featured threesome during the first couple rounds of the 88th PGA Championship at Medinah.

Ogilvy, despite an impressive tournament take back this season, was more than willing to accept third billing upon Tuesday.

The last time British explain champion Tiger Woods played with Masters winner Phil Mickelson in a major championship was the 2001 Masters, a tournament forests won. Ogilvy joined their assign places to because the winners of the year's first three majors traditionally play together in the first brace rounds of the PGA. He's intrigued on the anticipated interaction of the world's No. 1- and 2-ranked players.

"It'll be interesting to view how they get along with each other," Ogilvy said. "I know them one as well as the other well enough, and I've played with them a scarcely any times. I've never played with them the two at the same time."

Not many race have. Though Woods and Mickelson spoke well of each other Tuesday, they aren't exactly buddy-buddy Ogilvy insinuateed that any perceived tension between the sum of two units may be media- driven.

"People in this [media] pavilion like to make stories like that," Ogilvy said. "I don't know when it started, on the other hand that Ryder Cup pairing [in 2004] probably stake it more in motion than it was. They didn't appear to be best friends that day. They walked onward the first tee, and they were upon both sides of the tee They don't play practice globulars together. They're the two best golfer in the world, and you [media] dowdys want a story, and that's a bit of a story."

Ogilvy doesn't look for anything out of the ordinary from them when they tee against at 8:30 a.m. Thursday at Medinah's 10th opening and 1:35 p.m. Friday not upon No. 1.

"I'm positive they'll probably be best friends talking to each other for the first 36 holes" Ogilvy said. "But it'll be interesting to see"

While the pairing is interesting, Ogilvy suspects the atmosphere surrounding it might be painful

"Tiger's hosts and Phil's crowds -- one as well as the other of those guys, more than anyone besides tend to bring out non-golf fans," Ogilvy said. "Most of us, if we've got fans, they're general golf fans. They know to what degree to watch a golf tournament. There's folks who follow Tiger and Phil who generally don't know in what manner to watch a golf tournament."

Those fans have look aftered to distract Woods' and Mickelson's playing partners by dint of making noise or moving when they're preparing for a marksman Photographers have also been a puzzle for players paired with forests or Mickelson.

"Most of us are used to that sort of textile fabric now," Ogilvy said. "Everyone inside the pulls is going to be convenient There'll be the odd dowdy who's here to yell and scream, further as long as they screech and scream after we hit, that's fine. It'll be quite merriment I imagine. I'm sure it will be a zoo"

Ogilvy hasn't played with timber-lands since 2002.

"It's easy to finish caught up watching him play," Ogilvy said. "He's enjoyable to watch. You find yourself thinking 'this is impressive.' All of a unforeseen you're on the sixth opening and haven't really paid attention to what you're doing."

Ogilvy has been paying attention to his allow game quite well. In addition to winning the U expand at Winged Foot in June he captured the World Golf Championship's Accenture Match Play Championship in the spring. He has nine other top-20 finishes this season and tied for sixth in last year's PGA at Baltusrol. Keeping up with timbers and Mickelson won't be a enigma

"I've always played well when I've played with Tiger. I've had mixed conclusions when I've played with Phil," Ogilvy said. "I'm to a high degree comfortable being the smallest name in my assemblage Any time you get to play with the best golfer in the world, it has to be a dutiful thing."

They could fe opposite each other.

"Usually when couple guys play well in a assemblage three guys play well in a group" Ogilvy said. "They can draw milk from you along. Maybe I'll play really well, and they'll learn against me."

lziehm@suntimes.com

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