When Tiger Woods tees off to start his quest for a third US Open title, he'll be ready for the galleries, the expectations and the tension.
"Every single player I've played with has made a mistake because of the pressure and so have I," Woods said. "That's the beauty of playing in a major is we have to overcome our mistakes."
PHOTO: REUTERS
With the exception of Woods at Pebble Beach three years ago -- a record 12-under 272 -- the US Open champion has been no better than 5 under since 1994.
Will the rest of 155 players set to begin play Thursday in the 103rd Open be chasing Tiger, who has won three tournaments this year but none since Bay Hill in March?
"A lot of guys are playing well -- not just Tiger," Mark O'Meara said. "And this will bring a lot of players into the mix."
That includes Davis Love III, who is enjoying his best season in 11 years with three victories, including The Players Championship.
And Vijay Singh of Fiji, who has five top 10s in his last six tournaments and a victory in the Byron Nelson Classic. How about Kenny Perry, the hottest player on tour with back-to-back wins at the Colonial and the Memorial before taking a week off?
Or might this be the week Phil Mickelson -- winless this year -- breaks through and ends his 0-for-43 drought as a pro in the majors?
And there's also two-time Open winner Ernie Els of South Africa, who's in the same opening-round threesome with Woods and US Amateur champion Ricky Barnes.
Els won the US Open at Oakmont in 1994, beating Loren Roberts and Scotland's Colin Montgomerie in a tense three-way playoff. He was victorious again three years later at Congressional.
"There are two times I can think about pressure. Oakmont was probably the most I ever felt in my life," Els said. "And then obviously at Congressional. I had to make a 4 or 5-footer on the 18th to win.
"Don't get me wrong. There is pressure in each and every event, but the majors mean so much more to us as players. And sometimes we get in our own way."
Els has answered his fair share of Tiger-related questions over the years, but says beating Woods is not his main motivation. Winning is.
"I'm sure younger guys come out and they want to beat Tiger. Tiger is going to beat us 70 percent of the time, so in that way they're right," Els said.
``I've got certain goals I want to achieve in my career and hopefully I don't have to go through Tiger. If he's there, you've got to do what you have to do.''
Barnes was paired with Woods at the Masters and knows what to expect with the hordes of spectators at every turn.
"Most of the golf fans, because of the Masters and playing with Tiger, recognize me," Barnes said.
"That's cool and nice that they know your name."
But Barnes promises his opening round won't be a personal gawking session, even though he'll be matching shots with two of the world's greatest players.
"I've got the course to tame," he said. "Not Tiger or Ernie."
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