Motivating PGA pairing memories for Woods Mickelson

• By Randall Mell
• Aug 8, 2009 1:12 AM ET

Tiger Woods will be flanked by motivating presences when he tees it up in the first two rounds of the PGA Championship next week at Hazeltine National Golf Club.

Woods, trying to avoid his first shutout in the majors since 2004, will be paired with Rich Beem and Padraig Harrington, according to the pairings sheet released late Friday afternoon by the PGA of America.

Beem held off Woods’ charge to win the PGA the last time it was played at Hazeltine. Beem beat Woods by a shot in 2002 after Woods finished the final round with four consecutive birdies. Harrington won last year’s PGA Championship with Woods out of action while mending from reconstructive knee surgery.

The trio goes off in the first round at 8:35 a.m. on the 10th tee, the second round at 1:45 p.m. on the first tee.

Phil Mickelson will have some memories to stir him, too. He’s going off with David Toms (2001) and Paul Azinger (1993) in another trio of PGA champs. Toms beat Mickelson down the stretch at Atlanta Athletic Club, famously laying up at the final hole to secure the title.

Mickelson goes off with Toms and Azinger at 1:45 p.m. on the first tee in the first round, 8:35 a.m. on the 10th tee in the second round.
 
The PGA Championship's traditional grouping of the year's three major champions continues with Angel Cabrera (Masters), Lucas Glover (U.S. Open) and Stewart Cink (British Open) playing together.