Woods hails the strength of Mickelson

TIGER WOODS has admitted he does not how rival Phil Mickelson will cope at this week’s US Open with the constant reminders of his wife’s serious illness.

Woods and Mickelson return to Bethpage Black in New York for the second major of the year, seven years after they duelled at the same course for 2002 US Open glory.

World number one Woods emerged a three-stroke victor on that occasion but it was second-placed Mickelson who had the majority of the New York crowd on his side during a raucous week as he sought an elusive first major title.

World number two Mickelson will again be the centre of attention on Long Island as he returns to major play for the first time since his wife, Amy, was diagnosed with breast cancer last month. Though Woods has experience of having to deal with personal grief in a very public setting following the death of his father, Earl, in 2006, the defending champion acknowledged that their circumstances were very different.

“Is it easy? No, it’s not easy,” Woods said. “When my dad was sick, that’s kind of the natural progression anyway. Your parents are supposed to pass away before you.

“But to have a spouse, you’re supposed to go together. I couldn’t imagine dealing with what he has to deal with on a daily basis. And hats off to how he’s handled it because certainly it’s so hard to do. Everywhere you go people are reminding you of it, and you can’t get away from it. And you think that the golf course would be your escape, but it’s not.

“You’re surrounded by people wishing you well the entire time and hoping everything works out. But then again, they keep reminding you of the same circumstance you’re dealing with on a daily basis, and you just can’t get away from it.”

Woods and Mickelson are perceived as not being friends but the world number one revealed he and wife Elin had shared many personal moments with his rival and Amy.

He said: “She’s a sweetheart. She’s been just so nice and so generous to everyone she meets. And all the years that we’ve played doubles and table tennis, Elin and myself and Phil and Amy, those are priceless times.

“Myself and everyone out here hopes that she gets well and she’s back out here as soon as she can.”