Woods, Mickelson renew rivalry

SHANGHAI – Tiger Woods renews battle with Phil Mickelson in China this week as Asia hosts its biggest golf tournament ever with the HSBC Champions now elevated to World Golf Championship status.

The last time the world’s top two players met, Mickelson surged to victory at the Tour Championship, leaving Woods trailing in second.It will be another intriguing showdown at the Sheshan International Golf Club in an event that has attracted a compelling list of the sport’s best players, with a seven million dollar purse.Mickelson won in 2007 but Woods has only managed second here, in 2005 and 2006.’I’ve come close a couple of times and hopefully this week I can put my game together and improve on those finishes,’ said Woods, who last month became the first sportsman to break through the billion-dollar earnings barrier.’It is an event that symbolises the amazing progress of golf in Asia and its new World Golf Championships status underlines how firmly China has established its place on the global golf calendar.Mickelson, who finished eighth last year, is relishing another crack at the title. – Nampa-AFP