European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 5, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Stars and stripes thursday april 5200 sports former Grambling football coach Eddie Robinson Dies at 88 Page 55 cml sters the 71st masters first round 10 pm get thursday of sports Wood Miekelson resembles Nicklaus Palmer in 60s by Doug Ferguson the associated press Augusta a they were the two dominant figures in Golf one of them inspiring adulation from his adoring army of fans the other evoking Awe an appreciation for his sheer skill and display of Power lie Green jacket fit both Well Arnold Palmer arid Jack Nicklaus de fined the masters for the better part of a decade trading Green jackets during a stretch in the 1960s although rarely going head to head on the Back nine of Augusta National now Only the names seem to have changed Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have won five of the past six masters and there is Little evidence to suggest the 71st masters will be any different when it starts thursday we both feel comfortable on the Golf course Woods said we both have decent Short games and that Golf course is one of the very few Golf courses where we can utilize our imagination and creativity i think once you understand How to play it and you can build your misses into some Short game situations you Start seeing the same Guys up there at the top of the Board but not since 2001 have Woods and Mickelson put their names atop the Leader boarding the same masters Mickelson won his first masters and first major in 2004 after a spirited Duel with Ernie Els on the Back nine while Woods had Long cleaned out his locker and wound up 11 shots behind Woods outlasted Chris Dimarco in a playoff in 2005 while Mickelson was nine shots behind and spent his final round discussing Metal spikes with Vijay Singh masters facts figures dates april 58 site Augusta a National Golf club length 7445 Yards pan 363672 purse to be determined Field 97 players five defending Champion Phi Mickelson last Yean Mickelson completed the third round sunday morning with a on shot Lead then pulled away from Freck couples on his Way to a 3under 69 for a two shot Victory Over Tim Clark he finished at 7under 281 for his second Green jacket and second consecutive major after winning the 2005 pea championship couples had a Chance to get within one shot with a 4foot Birdie putt on the 14th but he three putted for bogey Mickelson birdied the 15th and enjoyed a leisurely walk up the 18th Green ten years ago Tiger Woods became the youngest masters Champion at age 21 winning by 12 strokes streaking Gary player will compete in his 50th consecutive masters tying the record held by Arnold Palmer key statistic Woods and Mickelson have combined to win five of the past six masters noteworthy the Field includes a record 50 International players the first time they have outnumbered americans quote worthy its my favorite tournament to get to and my favorite tournament to leave Mark Calcavecchia Doug Ferguson the associated press Phi Mickelson left and Tiger Woods have won five of the past six masters but have yet to engage in a backline due for the Green jacket their dominance recalls the 1960s when Jack Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer won from 1962 to 1966 Jack Nicklaus who won the masters in 19621965196619721975 and 1986 is the Only Man to win the tournament three times in a fou year Span the More we can talk about Phil and his Golf and the Challenge to Tiger i think that Good said Arnold Palmer who won the masters four times masters of their Domain Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have combined to win five of the past six masters Woods year Mickelson 2006 9 2005 10 3 t8 3 youngest Champion winning by 12 Cut note Mickelson broke his leg and did not compete in the 1994 masters source pea tour a it looked close last year but Only on paper Mickelson was threatened Only briefly on the Back nine by Fred couples to win by two shots Woods Hung around Only putts inside 12 feet  any kind of charge he finished in a tie for third three shots behind in 2002 Woods won and Mickelson was third but Mickelson was four shots Back to Start the final round he lost by the same margin and never threatened Phil now has got More majors Nick Laus said earlier this year Hes figured out How to win Hes closing tie Gap Palmer want sure what to make of the Wood Mckelson rivalry but he remembered plenty from his Days of Swap Ping Green jackets with Nicklaus Palmer won in 1962 and 1964 Nicklaus in 19631965 and 1966 i think it helps the game to have that kind of a rivalry Palmer said the More we can talk about Phil and his Golf and the Challenge to Tiger i think that5s Good they have different approaches Tiger has his approach and obviously if s quite Good Phil has his approach and Hes been pretty successful and just recently started winning majors the Competition is what if s All about Palmer added with one caveat i dont see Tiger backing off for a while see rivalry on Page 51 Tennessee women 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