Sunday, June 17, 2001
Tiger still believes, even
with uphill struggle for fifth straight major
By TIM DAHLBERG
AP Sports Writer
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Coming from anyone
else, it might just be wishful thinking. When Tiger Woods says
he still has a chance in the U.S. Open, though, it might be wise
to pay attention.
Four straight major championships can do
that for a guy.
“It can happen,” Woods said. “It
can be done.”
A week of frustration eased somewhat for
Woods on Saturday as he shot a 69 that had a chance to be a lot
better. It didn't exactly move him into contention for his fifth
straight major, but didn't entirely eliminate him either.
A great final round could still give him
a chance. And, in case anyone doesn't remember, this is the greatest
player of his era.
“Anybody that's within 10 shots of
the lead can still win the tournament,” Woods said. “Paul
Lawrie proved that at the British Open.”
Indeed Lawrie did, though he didn't have
the likes of Phil Mickelson, David Duval, Davis Love and Sergio
Garcia to pass along the way.
Woods does, making his task on Sunday even
tougher. At 4 over, he has a lot of shots and players between
himself and the lead.
“I think if you play well you can shoot
a low number, but you really need to play well,” Woods said.
“And you really need to make a few putts.”
Woods nearly did just that Saturday, in
a round that might have put him within striking distance had a
few putts dropped.
After a bogey on the first hole, Woods thought
he made three straight birdie putts, including one on the third
hole that hit the cup and spun out.
After running a downhill putt just past
the edge of the cup on the par-4 fourth, Woods could only look
to the sky and grin.
“I hit so many beautiful putts that
just didn't go in, they were just grazing the edge,” Woods
said.
Had they fallen, the massive galleries who
followed Woods in the sweltering heat at Southern Hills might
have been hooting and hollering as he moved his way up the leaderboard.
Instead, they had to be content with murmuring
words of encouragement.
“Come on Tiger, whittle away!”
one woman called out.
Woods began doing just that on the 642-yard
fifth hole, when he hit a huge drive and then powered a 3-wood
293 yards into the left bunker. Woods blasted out and made an
8-footer for birdie to get back to even for the day.
When he hit a 3-iron 232 yards to within
five feet for birdie on the par-3 eighth hole, it seemed Woods
was on his way.
That quickly changed, though, as Woods hit
a poor second shot on the ninth hole and had to get up-and-down
for bogey and then had to do the same thing on the 12th hole.
He was able to birdie the par-3 14th and
a 20-footer that dropped on 17 for birdie had him pumping his
fist.
“I feel like I'm hitting the golf ball
better, and that's what I need to do,” Woods said. “I
hit the ball nice and crisp and solid.”
Woods, of course, started the week with
an unprecedented fifth straight major championship in his sights.
He was coming off a win at the Memorial, and seemed almost unbeatable.
Oddsmakers liked his chances so much he
was an unprecedented even money favorite to win his second straight
Open.
That was before he made double bogey on
the ninth hole in the opening round, part of a 74 that left him
eight back. He improved with a 71 on Friday, but Southern Hills
didn't seem to favor his game.
Some work on the range helped, and Woods
was confident as he arrived at the course in tennis shoes and
wearing sunglasses an hour and 20 minutes before his tee time.
He was even more confident 18 holes later,
though no closer to the lead.
“If I enter a tournament, I expect
to go out there and give it everything I have,” Woods said.
“You really can't be too disappointed if you try as hard
as you can. I don't dog it. I give it everything I have. No regrets.”
Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
Send the URL (Address)
of This Story to A Friend:
|
