| AP Sports Headlines |
Thursday, July 18, 2002
By TIM DAHLBERG
AP Sports Writer
GULLANE, Scotland (AP) - Tiger Woods began the day by hitting an iron deep into the knee-high rough of the Muirfield links. He ended it knowing he will have to putt better if he is to have a chance at golf's Grand Slam.
Battling a balky putter and problems figuring out the speed of the greens, Woods managed an opening 1-under 70 Thursday on a day that was ripe for scoring in the opening round of the British Open.
The game's greatest player uncharacteristically left several putts short of the hole and lipped out three others. Clearly unhappy with his missed chances, Woods needed 33 putts for the round.
"It is frustrating, yes, but it's OK," Woods said. "Sometimes they just don't go in. But if you keep hitting good putts like I did today, they'll eventually start going in."
Woods not only was three shots off the pace of early leader Thomas Bjorn of Denmark, who was still on the course, but also lost to both his playing partners. England's Justin Rose and Shigeki Maruyama of Japan both shot 68s.
Also in with 68 were veterans Des Smyth of Ireland and 1985 Open champion Sandy Lyle of Scotland. The 44-year-old Lyle birdied his last three holes.
Woods found himself in trouble even before the huge crowd had a chance to cheer him on, hitting his first shot some 20 yards right of the fairway into the heather next to the media tent.
He backed off the tee shot a moment earlier, after a photographer clicked his camera early. Irritated with the distraction, Woods failed to compose himself and launched the 2-iron way off to the right.
"I wasn't as focused on my target as I should have been," Woods said. "It was a terrible shot."
Woods first managed to find the ball, then somehow slashed it onto the fairway some 100 yards from the green. From there, he hit a wedge to 10 feet and made the putt for par.
It would be one of the few bright moments for Woods on the greens, where he missed a number of makeable birdie putts within 15 feet and 3-putted for bogey on the fifth hole.
Despite hitting three tee shots into the heather, Woods reached 14 greens in regulation, but could not take advantage of his birdie opportunities.
"We're not used to playing greens this slow," he said.
On a calm day where the sun occasionally peeked out and scoring conditions were ideal, Muirfield showed it would not be too easy. Players battled their way out of the rough and bunkers, with Sergio Garcia needing two shots to get out of one pot bunker.
It was clear early that this Open would be far different from the U.S. Open that Woods won last month to take his second major of the year.
Instead of the boisterous crowds yelling comments at players, the fans at Muirfield offered only polite applause. When Woods hit his shot out of the heather on the first hole, one fan murmurred, "Lovely shot."
One of Woods' main challengers, Phil Mickelson, had an afternoon tee time and was forced to wait while Woods made his way around the course.
If not for Woods, Mickelson's golf game wouldn't be nearly as good or his private jet nearly as big. If not for Woods, he might also have already filled some glaring holes in his trophy case.
Mickelson believes that trophy case will soon be getting more crowded, perhaps with a claret jug this week.
But, as the British Open began with Mickelson still chasing his first major championship, he prefers to look at the bright side of competing in the same era with a player who might become the greatest ever.
"It's a great opportunity and great challenge to play arguably against the best player of all time," Mickelson said. "What a great way for me to try to compete, try to get better and bring out my best golf."
Mickelson could hardly wait for his crack at Muirfield.
"I'm more prepared than I have ever been for this event," Mickelson said.
Mickelson has more experience than most in chasing Woods, finishing second in the U.S. Open and third in the Masters earlier this year.
With a course he likes and a game that has gotten better, Mickelson's 41st major might be the one where he finally breaks through.
"I certainly feel that this is by far my best chance and it is by far the best golf course for my game as well," he said Wednesday.
The 32-year-old Mickelson has said similar things before other majors, though. And there is no history of him doing well in Britain, where he has missed the cut in five of the 12 Opens he played and finished in the top 10 only once.
Mickelson might have more confidence than most in challenging Woods, who is going for the third leg of the Grand Slam after winning the Masters and U.S. Open earlier this year.
But, while Mickelson is 0-for-40 in his career in major championships, Woods has won seven of the last 11.
That will make winning at Muirfield even tougher for Mickelson. If he does, though, it will be even sweeter.
"I don't lie in bed dreaming about it, but I do use it as a motivating factor for me to try to get better so I can make that a reality," Mickelson said.
Mickelson has finished
2-3-2 in the last three majors, but the glaring omission on his
resume is still a major championship win.
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