DUBLIN, Ohio – Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus were side by side on the practice range Wednesday, the two most prolific major champions in golf who looked nothing alike except for the sweat pouring off their faces on a steamy day at Muirfield Village.

Nicklaus was warming up for the pro-am, the closest he gets to competition these days.

Woods was shaking off rust as he tries to win for the fourth time this year, with one eye on the U.S. Open in two weeks.

There are amazing parallels in their careers, from green jackets at Augusta National to the two claret jugs at St. Andrews. They were the youngest of their eras to complete the career Grand Slam. Both were 30 when their fathers died, and both went on to win the British Open that summer.

Perhaps the most glaring difference was their rivals.

Nicklaus had rivals with staying power that stretched over two decades, from Arnold Palmer to Gary Player, Lee Trevino to Tom Watson. Woods’ rivals seem to come and go like fashion trends – David Duval in 1999, Phil Mickelson in 2001, Ernie Els in 2002, Vijay Singh in 2004, nobody in 2000.

After his pro-am round at the Memorial, Woods recalled talking to Nicklaus about rivalries.

“He said that as long as you’re part of the conversation over 20 years,” Woods said with a smile, “then you’re doing all right.”

Mickelson has joined the conversation again.

A week after Woods won the Wachovia Championship, Mickelson won The Players Championship. They are 1-2 in the world ranking and on the PGA Tour money list. Both return to action this week at the Memorial, which has a 107-man field with the focus squarely on two players.

“He’s playing better, no doubt about that,” Woods said.

Mickelson has 31 victories on the PGA Tour – no one has more among active players except Woods – and now is working with Butch Harmon, the celebrated swing coach who refined and then retooled Woods’ swing at the start of his career.

Of all the rivalries Woods has faced, this is the most natural, even he says that his biggest rival is himself.

“I keep pushing myself pretty hard regardless,” he said. “I always try and get better. You can’t stay stagnant in any sport. You’ve always got to keep getting better, because you know the guys are training harder; they’re refining their game.”

Sorenstam ready to play

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. – Annika Sorenstam set up as always, slowly drew back the club and followed through in her easy, effective way.

“Great swing there,” one of her partners, Tommy Ford, said during Wednesday’s pro-am at the Ginn Tribute.

Sorenstam smiled, at last back doing what few have done better on the LPGA Tour.

Sorenstam is set to return to competitive golf in this week’s $2.6 million event, which she’s hosting. She missed nearly two months to deal with a ruptured disk and a bulging disk in her back.

“It’s been a little weird to be away in the middle of the season,” Sorenstam said.

It’s indeed been strange not to see her out on tour. Sorenstam has won 69 times on the LPGA Tour, including 10 majors, in her 13-year career.

But the 36-year-old Swede hadn’t played since the Kraft Nabisco Championships that ended on April 1. She struggled through her back injuries there, shooting 296, her highest 72-hole score in a major since the ’98 U.S. Women’s Open.

Soon after, doctors discovered Sorenstam’s problems. She withdrew from the Ginn Open six weeks ago and has not competed since.

Sorenstam said her pro-am round was her first full 18 holes since the injury. She considers herself about 85 percent and is confident her progress will continue. Sorenstam says playing golf won’t make her injury worse.

Still, she’ll take precautions to maintain her health.

“I’m actually not hitting as many balls as I used to. I hope to avoid the rough,” Sorenstam said. “But I’m going to focus on the positive. It’s good to be back.”