Monday, July 24, 2000
Another major, another record
By Rick Morrissey
Chicago Tribune
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — He was the
perfect target for criticism, animosity and jealousy.
He had arrived on the PGA Tour at 20 with
lots of hype and lots of confidence. He signed multimillion-dollar
endorsement deals without ever teeing up a ball as a professional.
Who did this guy think he was?
Now we know: He was Tiger Woods. Any of
the envy that surrounded him when he made his grand entrance on
the tour in 1996 has either gone away or gone underground. In
its place is one big shrug. What's a group of pro golfers to do?
The guy is that good. On Sunday, Woods completed
a career Grand Slam by winning the British Open by eight strokes.
At 24, he is the youngest to accomplish that feat. Jack Nicklaus
was 26 when he completed his Grand Slam, Gary Player 29, Gene
Sarazen 33 and Ben Hogan 40.
Woods' four rounds, all subpar—67,
66, 67, 69—gave him a 269 total, a record 19 under par. Nick
Faldo set the previous British Open record, 18 under in 1990.
Sometimes—and this would appear to
be one of those times—you just have to admit that somebody
is better.
“It wasn't that long ago when I said
there would not be another Jack Nicklaus,” said Mark Calcavecchia,
who finished tied for 26th Sunday. “In fact, we are looking
at one of them. He is the chosen one. ... If Jack were in his
prime today, I don't think he could keep up with Tiger.”
In the last two years, Woods has won 14
tournaments. Of the 97 career starts he has made, he has won 21
times. He received $759,150 for winning Sunday, giving him $5,735,581
to top the money list. Not a bad year. Not a bad career.
“Tiger's playing different golf, and
we all knew we had to put pressure on,” said Thomas Bjorn,
who finished tied for second with Ernie Els at 277. “David
1/8Duval3/8 tried in the beginning, but it wasn't enough. Tiger
has done fantastically well. There's nothing you can say. He deserves
it very much. He's the best player in the world at the moment.”
Els finished second to Woods at the U.S.
and British Opens this year.
“What can you say?” Els said.
“I am probably living in an era where we're seeing the next
great player. For me to win, I have to play really well, and he
has to have a mediocre week.”
When Mark O'Meara won the British Open in
1998, he let Woods, his good friend, look at the championship
trophy.
“I think he was happy for me that I'd
won, but yet I think he realized in his mind that he wanted to
see his name printed on that trophy very soon,” O'Meara said.
He knew it was a matter of time.
“The guy is just so good,” O'Meara
said. “All I can tell you is that I play with him, I practice
with him and I know him probably as well as anybody else besides
his mom and dad, and maybe his girlfriend.
“He is one of those sports figures
who comes along every so often. Certainly he has brought this
game to new heights.”
So golf goes on. If his opponents are jealous,
they're smart enough to not let on. The rest are either resigned
to his dominance or happy for him. There are a few challengers,
though no consistent contenders.
“What really stinks about it is the
fact that you can't control him,” said Paul Azinger, who
finished tied for seventh.
“In every other sport you can control
your opponent except for this sport. You can only focus on your
own game.”
(c) 2000, Chicago Tribune.
Visit the Chicago Tribune on the Internet at http://www.chicago.tribune.com/
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.
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