Phil Mickelson tees off at Oakland Hills C.C. in Bloomfield, Michigan, during the 2004 Ryder Cup. Oakland Hills last hosted the U.S. Open in 1996, won by Steve Jones. Mickelson has come close in several U.S. Opens, most notably in 1999 where he lost to the late Payne Stewart on the 18th hole when Stewart jarred a 15-footer to save par and beat Mickelson by a stroke, and in 2006 when he blew the Open with a double bogey on the last hole at Winged Foot. Toss in a near misses at Shinecock Hills and Bethpage Black and Mickelson has tasted stinging defeats in four of the last 10 opens. Will his return to Bethpage this week finally net Mickelson an Open trophy? We'll know by Sunday. (photo by Lon Horwedel)
Tiger has shown a flare for the dramatic and no amount of shutters clicking early seems to matter to Woods who will be looking for his second Open title at Bethpage Black this week, and his fourth overall, including last year's Hollywood ending at Torrey Pines where he beat Rocco Mediate on the 19th hole of a Monday playoff - all with a bum knee and a broken leg. Now fully healed, Tiger had a U.S. Open-worthy performance at The Memorial two weeks ago hitting all 14 fairways in the final round en route to his second win of the year. Will Sunday yield another major for Tiger? We'll know by Sunday...or maybe Monday if rain continues on Long Island. (photo by Lon Horwedel) 
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