Ken Griffey Jr.: Tiger Woods playing the Masters in April was 'nothing but remarkable'

Ken Griffey Jr., a National Baseball Hall of Famer and Cincinnati Reds Hall of Famer who starred at Moeller High School, spoke with Joe Buck and Michael Collins during their broadcast Thursday of the PGA Championship about his long-time friendship with Tiger Woods, among other topics.

"I will tell you this: I played Augusta for the first time last week," Junior said. "And what he did to walk that golf course for four days is nothing but remarkable. I walked it one day and was tired for two days afterward. But for him to do it basically, you know, for the week ... four straight days of what he did. I can't do - that is probably one of the most impressive things that I've seen in a long time."

Alabama football head coach Nick Saban said he played Augusta with Griffey last week.

Griffey spoke more to Buck and Collins about his history with Woods. 

"I've known Tiger since he was 15 years old," Griffey said. "Met him in the locker room - he was doing a clinic in Seattle. Met him and Earl ... and I got a chance to talk to him. I was at that time, 19 or 20. Probably 20. It was good to see a young kid come in who was on top of the world. Just kept watching him and watching him. I didn't really pick up golf until I was 24 - the (MLB) strike year. They told us to stay close. And I picked up golf then."

Griffey talked about Woods taking batting practice with the Mariners in 1999.

"I told him to hit a big ol' slice," Griffey said. "And that's - for a baseball swing - trying to get the barrel and everything behind it, keep your hands in front. And he kept trying to hook everything. ... And he hit the ball pretty well. Hit it probably 340, 350. For a guy who's never done it before consistently to go out there and do what he did was impressive."

Last month, Griffey said that if NBA star LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and his son, Bronny, ever play together in a game, Junior will be there - and will take his dad, former Big Red Machine star Ken Griffey Sr., to the game.

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