Tuesday, June 19, 2001
No Tiger, no problem
By JOHN LINDSAY
Scripps Howard News Service
TULSA, Okla. — One of the curious criticisms
of Tiger Woods' recent dominance of golf has been that the game
might suffer an overdose of Tigermania.
The theory went that if Woods won everything
— as he did at four consecutive major championships prior
to the 101st United States Open Championship at Southern Hills
— people would tire of his dominance. And other casual viewers
might turn away from the sport if Woods didn't win.
But if South African Retief Goosen's Open
title Monday proved anything, it's that major tournaments can
do just fine if Woods isn't a factor. Sunday's foul-ups, bleeps
and blunders between Mark Brooks, Stewart Cink and Goosen on the
18th green may not have been stellar golf, but it sure made for
wonderful theatre — and pretty good television.
In fact, Goosen said it might have passed
for comedy.
“I just kind of laughed at myself after
I missed that second putt,” Goosen said Monday of the two-footer
that could have won the Open in the final round. “ ... Yesterday
was actually quite funny.”
The only thing funnier might have been NBC's
pitiful attempts to convince viewers Woods was still in contention
Sunday when he never got within seven shots of the lead. He finished
in a tie for 13th.
Chuckles aside, this Tiger-less Open also
taught golf fans a few other things, namely:
— There's a little bit more to Phil
Mickelson and David Duval not winning majors other than the presence
of Tiger. In other words, both have issues to settle.
This Open was a perfect microcosm of the
erratic Mickelson. One brilliant shot or hole is followed by a
ridiculous blunder. A fine 20-foot birdie putt is followed by
a three-putt from 10 feet — or vice versa. A great iron stiff
to a pin is followed by a simple shot dumped in a bunker.
And Mickelson is tiring of explaining exactly
why he hasn't won a major.
“I'm not going to beat myself up over
today's round,” he snapped after Sunday's final-round 75
dropped him into a tie for 10th. “It's certainly not the
finish I'd have liked, but out of playing 45 or so majors now
and not winning any, I'm tired of beating myself up time after
time.”
Hardly the talk of golf's next great champion.
It's now clear that until he wins a major, Mickelson will be fighting
himself as well as Woods.
The normally unflappable Duval seemed to
lose it after USGA officials refused to give him relief after
he drove the ball into the spectator crosswalk on the ninth hole
Saturday. Duval chunked his approach shot, made bogey and sulked
his way to a 6-over finish over his final 27 holes. He finished
tied for 17th, his worst Open finish since 1997.
With Woods a non-factor this week, Mickelson
and Duval squandered a golden chance to grab their first major.
And who knows when they'll get this opportunity again?
— The U.S. Open will always have a
soft spot for older players. Not only did 56-year-old Hale Irwin
(the oldest player in the field) shoot a 3-under 67 on the first
round good for second place, but 51-year old Tom Kite blazed his
way to a final-round 64, tying Brooks and Vijay Singh for low
round of the tournament. Kite finished in a tie for fifth, his
best Open finish since winning at Pebble Beach in 1992.
Whether this is by the USGA's design or
not, who knows? But if the Open is held on more tricky, intricate
layouts like the 6,973-yard, par-70 Southern Hills that place
more emphasis on accuracy than power, then 40-somethings will
always be a factor.
In fact, Brooks just missed becoming the
sixth 40-plus champion in the last 15 years.
— A U.S. Open in the South can be compelling.
Southern Hills with its tight tree-lined fairways, tough Bermuda
rough and devious greens proved a unique but demanding test. Despite
soaking rains Thursday, only four players wound up under par.
It was only the third time since 1970 that the Open had made its
way south of the Mason-Dixon line.
“This golf course is not easy,”
said Woods. “And if you're out there watching and see where
the pins are and how difficult the conditions are, it's not that
hard to shoot over par here.”
High praise from a tamed Tiger.
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