Carlsbad, Calif. ? Tiger Woods and Ernie Els might get together on a San Diego course this year, after all.

Els has been invited to take part in “Battle at the Bridges,” a Monday night golf exhibition that previously was played at Bighorn. This year’s made-for-television event will be played July 28 at The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe.

The world’s top two players would play with each other — not against each other.

Three sources involved with the event, speaking on condition of anonymity, said discussions are under way with Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia to be the other team in what probably would be a best-ball match.

Ratings have tapered off since Garcia beat Woods at Bighorn three years ago, the only time Woods has lost the prime-time match since it began in 1999.

Organizers feel Woods has nothing to gain by playing a singles match, and the last two team matches involving the LPGA Tour (Annika Sorenstam and Karrie Webb) and seniors (Jack Nicklaus and Lee Trevino) were a little flat.

Getting Woods and Els together in prime time will help (they never did get to face off at the Match Play Championship, near San Diego). It would be equally important to involve Mickelson. He has been Woods’ chief foil over the past two years and also lives in the same neighborhood as The Bridges.

Another match that was briefly considered would have pitted the biggest stars from three sports — Woods and Michael Jordan against Mike Weir and Wayne Gretzky. One of the three sources said that was dismissed because ABC Sports wanted to make sure the competition did not turn into a hit-and-giggle affair.

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Keeping their distance: Three years ago when Woods played Darren Clarke at the Match Play Championship, swing coach Butch Harmon worked exclusively with Woods between rounds in the 36-hole final.

Clarke jokingly yelled to Harmon from the other end of the range, “Hey, Butchy! I don’t need you. I’m hitting it perfect.”

He went on to beat Woods, 4 and 3.

Harmon was on the range at La Costa again this year before the semifinal between Woods and Adam Scott. This time, he worked exclusively with Scott as Woods hit balls about 20 yards away.

The only time Harmon spoke to Woods was to exchange a few laughs. Woods won the match in 19 holes.

Woods said last August that he wanted some space, but he still works with Harmon. He saw him twice in Las Vegas during his two-month break for knee surgery, including one trip right before Woods returned to the PGA Tour.

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Old pals: Two former teammates at Stanford won tournaments over the weekend — Woods at the Match Play Championship, and Mhairi McKay of Scotland at the Australian Open, her first victory in six years as a professional.

McKay was on the women’s team both years Woods played for the Cardinal. She says she never played with him but often hit balls next to Woods on the practice range.

“He was just incredible,” McKay said. “He used to have people coming to watch him practice on the college driving range. It’s a great thrill for me to say I was at Stanford with him. I knew him when I was there, but I haven’t really seen him since.”

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No Nelson: When Woods decided not to play in the Dubai Desert Classic, he said he also would skip Doral on the PGA Tour out of respect to Dubai tournament officials.

The same thing could happen in May.

Woods is supposed to play in the Deutsche Bank-SAP Open in Germany, a tournament he has won three times. It will be played opposite the Byron Nelson Classic, which Woods has played every season since turning pro.

Even if Woods does not go to Germany, he said he probably would not play in the Nelson Classic.