It was the rivalry that defined a golfing generation. Phil Mickelson, the once lovable 'Lefty' with preposterous talent, who could wilt, but was blessed with a magic wand around the greens. And Tiger Woods, the game's indomitable, remorseless superstar who transcended his sport with a never-seen-before destructive winners mentality.
Now, golf's biggest stars of the last two decades could not have more contrasting reputations. Mickelson is saddled with the unlikely tag of golf's pariah due to his allegiance with LIV Golf and his inflammatory comments on the rebel series' financial backers in Saudi Arabia. Woods, meanwhile, is a staunch supporter of the game's current eco-system and has lifted his mask of invincibility to show his true character in recent years.
That Mickelson and Woods were entangled in an individual battle for greatness hinted that a pairing together at the Ryder Cup would not be the perfect marriage. And US Captain Hal Sutton's decision to pair his two big hitters together at Oakland Hills in 2004 was, perhaps unsurprisingly, an unmitigated disaster.
