MIKE & MIKE

Will Woods come out swinging? Or will Torrey Pines be the U.S. Wide Open? Mike and Mike tee off on Tiger's return.

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GREENY: It's unrealistic to expect Tiger Woods to come back and contend at the U.S. Open. The only time he ever missed a cut at a major was 2006 at the Open, after he took time off when his father passed away. And while the circumstances are obviously completely different, not even Woods can come off this kind of layoff to show up on a U.S. Open course and beat the world's best players. If you're offering me Tiger or the field, I'm eagerly taking the field.

GOLIC: You can eagerly take the field. I'll eagerly take Tiger. There's no way he's going to step onto a golf course, let alone at a major, and not be prepared to win.

GREENY: The players to watch are Sergio Garcia and Phil Mickelson. Garcia—after what may have been a breakthrough win at The Players Championship—might be poised not only to win his first major but also to begin to compete to be the best in the world.

GOLIC: This tournament isn't just an opportunity for Tiger to get back into shape. He'll be in contention and ready to deliver what we all want to see: Tiger and Mickelson in the final group on Sunday.

GREENY: Mickelson will never get a better chance than this year to win the U.S. Open. He essentially has home-course advantage in San Diego, and Tiger clearly will not be at his best. This sets up perfectly for Mickelson to win, although there will be enormous pressure on him to do it.

Choosing Beauty of the Beaz

GOLIC: I understand the talk about point guards and having to take care of the ball, but if Chris Paul hadn't had the year he had, no one would be talking about Derrick Rose the way they are. At first, it was Michael Beasley and Rose above everyone else. So why is all the talk now about Rose only? What matters is who fits best with the Bulls.

GREENY: Players like Beasley are easier to find than players like Rose. And if you look at the history of the NBA, transcendent point guards are the guys who win: Isiah, John Stockton, Steve Nash. You're crazy if you don't take one when you have the chance.

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