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By Lauren Deason
PGATOUR.com Editorial Coordinator

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- It's hard to fathom just how much star power will be out on the Quail Hollow Course early Wednesday morning. From Timbuktu to Under-a-Rock, nearly everyone in the world has heard of the two athletes teeing off from the first hole at 7:30 a.m.

If it helps put things in perspective, Harris Interactive has conducted a poll for over a decade on the United States' most popular male athlete. Since the concept began in 1993, Michael Jordan was No. 1. But in 2006, he lost the top spot. To whom, you wonder? None other than Tiger Woods.

Tiger Woods is looking forward to playing golf with Jordan on Wednesday. (WireImage)

Woods and Jordan, arguably the two most recognizable and heroic athletes in the world, are paired together in the pro-am at the Wachovia Championship, with local car dealer Skipper Beck rounding out the group. PGATOUR.com will follow the threesome for all 18 holes, offering exclusive live blogging and video coverage from the course.

So how exactly did this Dream Team come about?

With Jordan becoming a part owner of the Charlotte Bobcats in June of last year, he's spending more time in North Carolina. A former University of North Carolina Tar Heel, Jordan grew up on the N.C. coast in Wilmington.

Fellow part-owner of the Bobcats Skipper Beck, who is president and CEO of Beck Imports of the Carolinas and principal of the Beck Automotive Group, got the ball rolling.

"Skipper invited Michael to play in the pro-am to be involved, to be a part of the city," said Kym Hougham, executive director of the Wachovia Championship. "And then I got a call from Mark Steinberg, Tiger's agent, to ask if we could do Tiger a favor and pair him with Michael Jordan in the pro-am."

Wachovia had dibs on Woods so they could pair him with one of their clients, but for this they quickly agreed to let him play with his friend Jordan.

"They said they would be happy to give Tiger up to let Michael play. You know it's really giving something back to the city because this is really an experience that's unparalleled in pro-am play," said Hougham, who believes this is the first time the two have played together in an official golf event.

They've been friends for years, with Jordan, an avid golfer, attending the 2006 Ryder Cup to cheer on Woods. Thirteen years Woods' elder, Jordan offered valuable experience in what it's like to be the best in the world.

"I've been lucky enough to get to know Michael Jordan pretty well and become great friends with him," Woods said at the HSBC Champions tournament in November 2006. "You start relating to what some of the things you've got to go through in preparing and distractions to get you to the top; and once you're there, to keep moving forward."

As if the Woods and Jordan pairing isn't enough to get Charlotte and even the sports world talking, another of the nation's most likeable and popular athletes Peyton Manning -- who may be overtaking Jordan in the "most memorable TV commercials" category -- will play in Wednesday's pro-am. Jimmy Johnson and Casey Mears from NASCAR will also be on the course.

"I'll bet we have 30,000 people out here," said Hougham. "It's going to be a big, big day tomorrow. We're pretty excited.

"For a pro-am that doesn't try to be a celebrity pro-am, we're doing pretty good right now."

"Pretty good" might be the understatement of the century.