Mark O'Meara has often said that competing with good friend and neighbor Tiger Woods has helped raise his game a notch or two. But if you listen to Seattle Mariners slugger Ken Griffey Jr., O'Meara -- this year's Masters and British Open champion -- has got it all wrong.

"Come to think of it, since we first met his game has really improved and his trophy case has grown," said Griffey, who, along with Woods and O'Meara, lives in the exclusive Isleworth community just outside of Orlando. "He'll try to say it's been playing with Tiger, but it's been me.

"I've taken (both) their games to the next level. They sure don't want a baseball player collecting the goods on the course."

Griffey's argument has some validity. All three of this year's major winners, O'Meara (twice) and Lee Janzen (U.S. Open), belong to Team Isleworth -- that's what Griffey likes to refer to them as. Another member of Team Isleworth, Payne Stewart, narrowly missed defeating Janzen at The Olympic Club.

Other PGA Tour players living at Isleworth include Grant Waite, Craig Perry, Stuart Appleby and Scott Hoch. In baseball terms, having all these golfers for neighbors would be like having Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Cal Ripken Jr. and Greg Maddux as neighbors.

Griffey, like Woods, knows a thing or two about the long ball. With almost two months still left in this year's baseball season, Griffey, McGwire and Sosa are all locked in a historic battle to break Roger Maris' single-season home run mark of 61, set in 1961. As of the first week of August, all three were on pace to eclipse Maris's record. Griffey had 41 through August 6, giving him a total of 146 home runs over the last 2-1/2-plus seasons.

Only 28, Griffey has already blasted 335 home runs in his 10-year Major League career. HIs swing from the batter's box, as sweet as they ever come in baseball, is as powerful as Tiger's is from the tee box.

With next week's PGA Championship being played right around the corner from Griffey's main driving range, the Seattle Kingdome, we thought it would be a good idea to throw Griffey a few questions about his favorite offseason hobby and famous neighbors. We also figured we could draw upon his Isleworth expertise and help us determine who will win this week at Sahalee.

HAVE YOU EVER PLAYED SAHALEE?

A handful of times. It's a lot of fun and very tough.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE COURSE AND ALL THOSE TREES?

We call those trees out there the Seattle Symphony because when you hit it in the woods, it sounds like a wood section of a symphony: knock, knock-knock-knock. . .

HOW DO YOU THINK SAHALEE SETS UP FOR SOME OF YOUR ISLEWORTH NEIGHBORS -- TIGER WOODS, MARK O'MEARA, LEE JANZEN?

It will be a nice course for them. Hopefully, one of them will win so Team Isleworth can complete the sweep of all four majors. I'm sorry I'll be out of town (the Mariners are in Chicago to play the White Sox during the PGA), otherwise, I'd be out there rooting for all of them.

SINCE O'MEARA AND JANZEN HAVE ALREADY WON MAJORS THIS SEASON, IS THERE A LOT OF PRESSURE ON TIGER TO WIN THE PGA?

It really has been quite a year for Team Isleworth. I'm proud of all the guys. Hopefully, Tiger can win at Sahalee. If not, he'll probably hear about it this winter. All winter.

ARE YOU ONE OF THOSE GUYS LIKE MICHAEL JORDAN WHO PLAYS NO MATTER WHAT TIME OF YEAR IT IS, EVEN DURING THE BASEBALL SEASON?

During the season, if I get the chance to play during an off day, I'll jump at the chance. I do play a lot during the offseason down in Florida. The courses I frequent in the Seattle area are Bear Creek Country Club and The Plateau Country Club.

APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY ROUNDS OF GOLF WOULD YOU SAY YOU PLAY EACH YEAR?

During the season, I'll probably sneak in about 10 rounds. In the offseason it jumps to about 110.

DO YOU HAVE A HANDICAP?

Ten. I go up and down. Some days I can't put everything together like the pros.

HOW WOULD YOU RATE YOURSELF AS A GOLFER? SINGLE A LEVEL? TRIPLE A? BIG-LEAGUE (RICK RHODEN) LEVEL?

By the time I get to be Rick Rhoden's age, I hope to be playing at his level.

COMPARE PLAYING GOLF IN SEATTLE TO PLAYING IN FLORIDA. WHAT'S THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE?

I don't have to worry about alligators in Seattle and I don't have to worry about casual water in Florida.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR SINGLE GREATEST THRILL PLAYING WITH TIGER AND CO. AT ISLEWORTH?

Just playing with the guys . . . Mark, Tiger, Lee, Payne and the rest. I outdrove Tiger once. He was 50 yards ahead of me but in the rough and that doesn't count.

OF ALL THE ISLEWORTH PLAYERS, WHO DO YOU ENJOY PLAYING WITH THE MOST? WHO POCKETS THE MOST MONEY?

All the guys are great, but no money is exchanged. Just the dinner bills at the club and, of course, bragging rights.

COMPARE HITTING A BASEBALL WITH HITTING A GOLF BALL. WHICH IS MORE ENJOYABLE TO YOU, HITTING A BOMB ON THE GOLF COURSE OR HITTING THE UPPER DECK AT THE KINGDOME?

Definitely hitting the ball into the upper deck. That is going to help my team win. The two are very different. In baseball, you're trying to hit a round ball moving between 80 and 100 mph with a round bat square. Plus in golf, you have to play your foul balls!

WHICH IS MORE IMPRESSIVE: TIGER'S DRIVES (ON THE GOLF COURSE) OR YOUR DRIVES (OUT OF THE BALLPARK)?

I wish I could hit a baseball as far as he hits his drives. Remember, he has to do that 14 times a round. I only hit maybe four or five times a game.

WHAT IS IT YOU FIND MOST ENJOYABLE ABOUT PLAYING GOLF?

Playing the golf course. Each course presents its own challenges. The other thing I like is playing with people you enjoy being around. It's fun and relaxing.

IF YOU COULD PLAY ONE ROUND OF GOLF ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE? WITH WHOM?

Augusta National with the entire Team Isleworth.

-- Special thanks to Dave Aust of the Seattle Mariners for contributing to this story.