Tiger and Phil Continue to Grow Golf

If you can look past, for a moment, the fact that both Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are multi-millionaires, playing the same game and hording appearance fees most of us won't accumulate in our lifetime, the two are practically polar opposites.

Tiger was a Stanford Cardinal to Phil's Arizona State Sun Devil. Tiger's right-handed to Phil's southpaw. Tiger's black to Phi's white. Tiger is known as a closer to Phil's (sometimes misconceived) choker.

The thing we can all agree on with Tiger and Phil is what they've done for the game of golf, none more apparent than their appearance together this week at the HSBC Champions, in Shanghai, China, a event that kicked off in 2005 and is now drawing the type of talent reserved for major championships and events hosted by past legends.

Tiger and Phil sat together earlier this week, talking about how golf has changed and how great it is that these two can be together at such an event.

"I'm excited that Tiger and I are able to compete in the same event here in China," Mickelson said Wednesday on the eve of the HSBC Champions at Sheshan International Golf Club. "I think that it will provide some exposure to the game of golf throughout the country, and I'm hopeful that we compete head-to-head over the weekend, and are both in contention."

What it really says is where Phil and Tiger have taken the game of golf in the last 10 years. Sure, most people give this honor to Tiger and Tiger alone, but Phil has done a ton for the game and has kindly been second-fiddle to the Woods Show though this decade. In 2007, Mickelson won this event they're both playing in this week, stamping his name on a list of global golfers.

The two are the biggest draws in the game, male or female. Tiger brings the allure of a champion we may never see again, while Phil brings the pizazz of Arnold Palmer, highlighted by his pinstripe suit he adorned during the press conference in which Tiger sported a Nike zip-up.

Tiger is the fit one, Phil has always been the fat one. Tiger hits irons off the tee when Phil is trying to drive greens. For so long, it was about getting on one's team, highlighted by an article Rick Reilly slapped together about which player to back (he picked Tiger). It isn't so much anymore, and a lot of that can be attributed to this 2009 season. Phil and Tiger were paired together at the Masters, with Phil making six birdies in his first eight holes. As Alan Shipnuck explained in his always entertaining mailbag, "You know what Tiger respects? Achievement." The Masters was one example, but Phil's play at the Tour Championship, along with his ball-striking at the Presidents Cup must have had Tiger raising an "atta-boy" eyebrow.

For years, the Tiger-Phil world has been split. Now, it seems the two can live together, play together, laugh together, and, hopefully, win together. Like this week at Shanghai, the two will be highlighting the most impressive field to ever play golf in Asia.

Maybe on Sunday, we'll get a Tiger-Phil duel, but even if not, we all know that this is just the precursor for what is sure to be an incredible 2010 season. It's a world they've created. It's just good to finally see it actually encompass the entire world.