Intriguing Open group: Legend Watson with McIlroy, Ishikawa

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. - Rory McIlroy's generation is quite familiar with Pebble Beach, a course on which he never set foot until this week. "It's a lot easier on PlayStation," he said.

The 21-year-old from Holywood (one "L"), Northern Ireland, leads a wave of golfers who were inspired by Tiger Woods - the golfer and the video game - and might make it harder for their idol to keep winning majors. Already a winner on the European and PGA Tours, McIlroy will open the U.S. Open Thursday with one of his peers, Ryo Ishikawa, 18, of Saitama, Japan.

On the same Sunday last month, McIlroy dusted the field at the Quail Hollow Championship - a tournament considered only a notch below a major because of its course and its elite field - and Ishikawa shot 58 to win The Crowns event on the Japan Golf Tour.

"Which was incredible," McIlroy said. "I played that tournament a couple years before that and it's a pretty tricky golf course."

Ishikawa told Japanese reporters here that he is thrilled to play with McIlroy, adding, "He's the best golfer in his generation."

That pairing alone would make a group worth watching, except they won't be alone. They will play with 60-year-old Tom Watson, who has a wedge older than either of his two companions, the wedge he used to chip in for birdie on No. 17 in the final round of his 1982 Open victory at Pebble Beach. It is on display at the Lexus tent here.

Watson loves Pebble Beach, having played it since he was Ishikawa's age. "When I was going to Stanford, I probably played here about a dozen times," he said Wednesday. "Back then, the green fees were about 15 bucks. I had a good relationship with Ray Parga, who was a starter here. He let me on for free. After I paid the first couple of green fees, he said, 'Aw, go on and play.' "

That's an appeal of the U.S. Open: past, present and future meet and it's hard to tell which is which.

"I'm very excited about it, I'm excited about playing with both Tom and Ryo. I played nine holes with Tom at the Masters this year in a practice round and he still hits it as good as anyone out there," McIlroy said. "It's definitely a good draw for me. It should help me relax a little bit, especially playing with someone that's around the same age as I am - and someone that's not quite the same age."

Watson is playing on a special exemption extended by the U.S. Golf Association in light of his near-win at the British Open last year and his Hall of Fame career. Watson will be playing his 31st U.S. Open, his fifth of the five held at Pebble Beach. He is nostalgic about Pebble Beach, where he played his first pro tournament, the 1972 Bing Crosby Pro-Am.

McIlroy and Ishikawa might be on an even faster pace than he was. Watson has practiced with both of them and is impressed.

"I've got them by 21 years, the combined age," said Watson. "Well, I'll be hitting first most of the time," meaning he will be farthest from the green. "We'll see, though. Old age and treachery can sometimes win out over youth and inexperience."