2022 U.S. Open: Collin Morikawa challenging for the lead, Phil Mickelson misses the cut and more from Round 2

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. – Tiger Woods is brilliant. In this case, it is not because he has 79 PGA TOUR wins. Not because of the 14 major championships or the two FedExCups. Or the record 683 weeks as world No.1. But because he might just be setting up one of the greatest stings of all-time. The new Woods we’ve seen in the last couple of years. This friendly advice-giving cat… Is it just one of the greatest setups ever? Is he using this inopportune back injury as an opportunity to lull the new generation into a false sense of security? We are on to you, Tiger. Sure, we haven’t seen the trademarked Tiger Woods steely stare in some time. You know the one. The one that stands the hair up on the back of your neck. The one that makes elite golfers panic and try too hard and ultimately fail against him. Instead, Woods has been extra friendly with the young stars of today. Starting with Rory McIlroy and Jason Day and now continuing on with the likes of Justin Thomas, Daniel Berger and Rickie Fowler. He shared a plane with Thomas to Los Angeles this week. Shared a plane! Berger waxed lyrical on Woods and the help he’s given to a lot of young stars. “I’ve heard from other guys he wasn’t that open in the past, but I just think he’s at a stage of his career where he wants to help out the younger guys and that’s really cool,â€� the two-time TOUR winner said. “Obviously to be in the presence of greatness – when he talks you listen. The things he says are pretty simple and that’s easy to learn from. He’s great.â€� This is the same guy who you thought might walk right past Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els or Sergio Garcia if they were literally on fire back in his heyday such was his insular focus. But now we know what this new Woods is about. Keep your friends close – and your enemies closer. None of us knew, including Woods himself, if his latest comeback would be successful. But a top-25 result at the Farmers Insurance Open has everyone buzzing. The plan is working… The young stars of today never played in the Tiger era of dominance. They rely on highlights on PGATOUR.com and YouTube. But highlights don’t show the whole picture. “The hardest thing for people to understand who weren’t out here when Tiger was at the peak of his powers is how much of an aura he carried with him,â€� fellow Masters and PLAYERS champion Adam Scott says. “It wasn’t just if you were playing with him – if you look at the records of guys playing with him in last groups of tournaments, most guys shot 78 – but he could have been four holes away and his name pops up on a leaderboard and the leaders see it and start playing poorly. “No doubt in my mind Tiger worked all those little bits of gamesmanship and also he knew he was intimidating to people and he’d play up on that. Tiger has always been very friendly to me but at the right moment he wouldn’t say hello.â€� That’s right. Not even a hello. But the blank stare. The game face. The beauty of it was that it was his attitude was so intense that Woods didn’t always have to beat you. You beat yourself. “The intimidation with Tiger was he never lost when he was leading on Sunday, so he made you feel like you had to play some heroic round,â€� former U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy says. “Golf has always been difficult when you feel like you have to play well. Good rounds come out organically, they just turn up, but if you force golf, it doesn’t usually happen for you. “There was this aura or this feel that you had to do something really special and then usually you do something worse because you were trying too hard.â€� When we asked Woods how he thought the younger generation – who he has befriended – would react to competitive down-the-stretch Tiger, he immediately grinned that Cheshire cat grin of his. “I don’t care how they react,â€� he beamed. “I’m trying to win a tournament. I’m sure they’ll feel the same way, but it’s winning time. “Once I get into contention, I can handle myself. I just need to get there.â€� We knew it! You ARE setting them up for a sting! While it is unlikely it would happen this week – just given Woods’ poor record at Riviera – it just might. And if not here… the weeks to come look even more tantalizing. For the record, Thomas is loving his relationship with Woods. He will play with him in the opening two rounds this week at the Genesis Open, along with McIlroy. When the possibility of Woods turning “nastyâ€� on him was raised, the FedExCup champ hoped it wouldn’t be a successful operation. “I would like to think I am a little more mature than that and I have been there enough now that I’d be pretty comfortable with that and I hope I am not fazed by something like that,â€� Thomas said. “Hopefully it happens soon, and we will know.â€� Yes. Hopefully very soon.

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CROMWELL, Conn. – We have arrived at that juncture of the Travelers Championship where everyone should be considered in contention, where the first page of the leaderboard – and we’re not joking here – should include every player. Why? Because the scenario defines logjam. With the lead through 36 holes held by Jason Day at 9-under 131, and the cut falling at 2-under 138, here’s the rub: The other 78 players who made the cut are all within seven of the lead on a golf course that is prime real estate for rallies. RELATED: Full leaderboard | Bubba Watson continues good form | Kevin Kisner back on track at Travelers You have your doubts? Travelers Championship historians could possibly offer convincing testimony. Since 2010, the 36-hole leader has won just twice at the Travelers – Jordan Spieth in 2017, Bubba Watson in 2015 – and the comebacks have consistently been of significant pedigree. • In 2010, Watson was seven behind Justin Rose, shot 67-66 on the weekend and won. • Three years later, Ken Duke was seven off the lead through 36, fired 65-66 in Rounds 3 and 4, and triumphed. • The most memorable of the rallies came in 2014 as Kevin Streelman, eight off the lead through two rounds, punctuated his 64-64 weekend with seven consecutive birdies to send fans into a frenzy. • Just last year, Dustin Johnson put together two quiet rounds, was six shots off the lead, then posted a 61-67 finish and won. Now, the initial reaction would be to suggest that TPC River Highlands with its par of 70 and 6,807 cozy yards is there for the taking by anyone wielding titanium, that there’s a birdie chance at every hole and should you have a good day with the driver, you’re going to be in position flag-hunt from start to finish. Justin Rose would cringe and wave the caution flag. True, those many rallies that have taken place since 2010 were highlighted by torrid weekends. The winner has averaged 131.45 over the final two rounds since 2010, or 8.55 under par. Johnson in 2020 and Streelman in ’14 both shot 128 on the weekend, Freddie Jacobsen fired 129 in 2011, and Watson in 2018 closed with 130. “Guys who’ve obviously got nothing to lose are tightening up their lines into the greens,” said Rose, offering his rationalization as to why so many winners have come from behind here. But the Englishman insists that it doesn’t mean TPC River Highlands is easy stuff. He knows from experience, too, because in 2010 he led by four through 36 (and was seven clear of the eventual winner, Watson), and shot 68-75 on the weekend. “The golf course is tricky enough, where when they start putting the pins near the edges of the greens, there are some tricky little swales and run-offs,” said Rose. “Maybe then, if you are playing with the lead, you start off being a little conservative with your approach play.” Add it all up, and Rose contends TPC River Highlands is the perfect arena. It’s easy to attack if you are in form, “because when you’re playing great, you can afford to make a silly mistake,” said Rose. But it doesn’t really lend itself to overly conservative play because next thing you know, “there are some gut-check moments out there” that become even more demanding if you’ve been playing defensively. Bottom line, “I think it’s a great test of golf,” said Rose, who signed for a sizzling 63 and at 7-under 133 is two off the lead. Position “A” you might suggest. Only those who are three and four and five and six, and even seven back, are feeling similarly.

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