TEEING OFF

Five things to keep an eye on this weekend on the pro golf scene:

1. With a good week at the Players Championship, Phil Mickelson could bump Jim Furyk from No. 2 in the rankings, but even if that happens, he is still going to be a mile behind Tiger Woods.

Mickelson said he isn’t trying to play catch-up.

“He has won 57 events and if I play for another 10 years and I’m fortunate enough to win 20 events and win seven more majors, which would be incredible, I would have 50 wins and 10 majors and I still wouldn’t be where he’s at,” Mickelson said.

“It’s not that I’m trying to catch up to Tiger. I love the fact that I get to play against probably the best player that ever lived and compete against him in his prime. Not many players can say they have a chance to do that.”

2. Woods has won nine of his last 13 PGA Tour events, a streak that goes back to last July’s British Open. In his three victories this year -- at the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines, the CA Championship at Doral and the Wachovia at Charlotte, N.C. -- he’s a combined 38 under.

3. Woods is paired with Henrik Stenson and K.J. Choi for the first two rounds; Mickelson will play with Bart Bryant and Stewart Cink. And because Woods starts today on the back nine, the 17th hole actually will be the eighth hole he plays, just the way he wants it.

4. Memo to defending champion Stephen Ames: No one has successfully defended his Players Championship title.

5. We’re coming up on the eighth anniversary of the last victory in a major by a player from Europe -- Paul Lawrie’s win at Carnoustie in the 1999 British Open -- but no European has won the Players Championship since Sandy Lyle in 1987.

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STAT OF THE WEEK

It’s the 20th anniversary of the last playoff in the Players Championship. In 1987, Sandy Lyle defeated Jeff Sluman with a par on the third playoff hole, the 18th.

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THE TOURNAMENTS

PGA TOUR

The Players Championship

* When: Today-Sunday.

* Where: TPC Sawgrass, Players Stadium Course (7,215 yards, par 72), Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

* Purse: $9 million. Winner’s share: $1.62 million.

* Television: Golf Channel (Today-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 6-9 p.m.) and Ch. 4 (Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.).

* 2006 winner: Stephen Ames.

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TOUR

Michelob Ultra Open

* When: Today-Sunday.

* Where: Kingsmill Resort & Spa, River Course (6,306 yards, par 71), Williamsburg, Va.

* Purse: $2.2 million. Winner’s share: $330,000.

* Television: ESPN2 (Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; Sunday, noon-2 p.m.).

* 2006 winner: Karrie Webb.

Associated Press

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MONEY LEADERS

PGA

*--* Name Events Money 1. Tiger Woods 6 $4,142,391 2. Vijay Singh 13 $3,192,050 3. Phil Mickelson 11 $2,500,588 4. Charles Howell III 12 $2,485,337 5. John Rollins 13 $1,910,600

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LPGA

*--* Name Events Money 1. Lorena Ochoa 8 $731,407 2. Brittany Lincicome 6 $552,735 3. Morgan Pressel 6 $448,858 4. Stacy Prammanasudh 8 $424,507 5. Suzann Pettersen 7 $353,594

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CHAMPIONS

*--* Name Events Money 1. Jay Haas 10 $1,126,218 2. Hale Irwin 9 $784,638 3. Loren Roberts 9 $741,585 4. Tom Purtzer 10 $670,211 5. Tom Kite 10 $651,959

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