Monday, June 18, 2001
Tracking Tiger: Woods goes
out with a whimper on final day
By JOHN LINDSAY
Scripps Howard News Service
TULSA, Okla. — Tracking Tiger Woods
Sunday at the final round of the 101st United States Open Championship
at Southern Hills:
— SCORE: Woods shot a second consecutive
1-under 69 to finish at 3-over 283 for the tournament and tied
for 15th late in the afternoon. Woods made eight birdies over
the weekend — including four Sunday — compared to three
in the first two rounds.
Not only did Tiger's run of four straight
majors end, but he also finished over par for the first time in
42 tournaments and over par in a major for the first time since
the 1999 Masters.
— SHOT OF THE DAY: Tiger finally got
down to business on the 642-yard, par-5 6th, the longest hole
in Open history. After busting a tee shot 344 yards, Tiger finally
reached the green in two, lashing a fairway wood the remaining
298 yards to the back right of the green. He then two-putted for
his second consecutive birdie.
— WHOOPS!: Tiger's Nightmare on Elm
Street — the ninth hole — reached a fitting climax.
This time a short approach led to a bogey putting Woods at 4-over
for the hole this week. At least he didn't hit the tree in front
of the green, as he did on Thursday (double bogey) and Saturday
(bogey). Tiger's dreams of a fifth straight major simply crumbled
on this deceivingly difficult 374-yard par-4.
— HOW DID HE DO THAT?: After three
days of hitting an iron off the tee at No. 1, Tiger growled a
bit and pulled out his driver. The result was a towering 364-yard
drive, albeit into the right rough. He made par to wind up 1-over
on the 454-yard, par-4 beauty for the week.
— LOOK OUT FOR: Tiger in this week's
Buick Classic from Westchester, N.Y. Or more likely, Woods will
settle the score at next month's British Open at Royal Lytham
and St. Anne's in England. After this kind of mediocre performance,
Tiger will have a point to prove. And some field is going to pay
pretty soon.
— ON THE COURSE: Celebrity sightings
this week included Tiger's chums, Michael Jordan and actor Kevin
Costner as well as actors Tom Cruise and Robert Wagner. None of
them, however, could break through the mob following Woods.
In fact, Tiger's drawing power was clearly
evident each day as Southern Hills emptied out once he finished
play. As the leaders came in late Saturday afternoon in the third
round, the place looked more like an LGPA event. Who says Tiger
isn't bigger than the game? Not in Tulsa.
— GRADE: D. A stunning non-factor throughout,
Tiger was never closer than seven shots after the first round.
Woods can talk all he wants about how he didn't get any breaks
this week. But when you miss as many fairways and greens as he
did, that's not luck, Eldrick. Did Southern Hills set up well
for Tiger? Absolutely not. But you would think a guy who had won
the last four majors as well as 20 of his last 40 PGA events would
have adapted better.
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