In the end, Tiger did tame Augusta
By Ed Sherman
Chicago Tribune
(KRT)
AUGUSTA. Ga.-It was on the 12th hole of the Masters' first
round Thursday when I realized I had made a serious mistake. Tiger
Woods had shot 40 on the front nine, but he birdied No. 10.
Woods punched his tee shot over the green on the par-3 12th,
but it didn't matter. The magic was about to begin.
He feathered a delicate chip into the hole for a birdie, and
I was about to learn a very important lesson: Never doubt Tiger.
Never, ever doubt Tiger.
Last Thursday, I had the amazing clairvoyance to write that
Woods would not win this year's Masters, his first major as a
pro. Now I feel like Roberto DeVicenzo, the golfer from Argentina
who signed an incorrect scorecard in the 1968 Masters, costing
him a chance to play in a playoff.
DeVicenzo uttered the immortal phase: "What a stupid I
am."
I've got the same feeling.
Thursday's Tribune headline read, "Tiger won't tame Augusta."
Perhaps the only less accurate headline in this paper's history
was "Dewey defeats Truman."
The prediction wouldn't have been so bad if Woods had been
in a close race. But he looked as if he were playing a different
course in obliterating the field.
As a handicapper, I'm as bad as my golf handicap. My pick for
the Masters: Phil Mickelson, who didn't make the cut.
Last Thursday I offered reasons why Woods wouldn't win the
Masters. Here's an examination of where I went wrong:
- Experience: Nick Faldo, a three-time Masters winner, said
it took him six or seven years before he mastered the nuances
of Augusta National. This was only Woods' third trip here, and
in the previous two he hadn't broken par in any of his six rounds,
missing the cut last year.
Apparently, Woods needed only half as much learning time as
the great Faldo. Everyone talked about Woods' length, but he also
won this tournament with his short game.
A telling point came Saturday, when he found himself with a
difficult chip on the side of No. 13.
"People won't know how difficult that was unless they
were down there," Woods said. "I had a spot probably
as big as this table I had to land the ball into."
Woods dented the table and made a birdie. It was a sign that
he had done his homework.
"You know, I've been able to practice these shots at Augusta
because you can't experience this," Woods said. "You
can bump and run at home, but it does no good because the green
speed is totally different out here. So when I came out here,
I spent a lot of time chipping and putting off the greens. I spend
a lot of time around the greens, and it pays dividends."
- Momentum: Woods came into this tournament not playing particularly
well. He was 17 strokes off the pace at the Players Championship
and hadn't been in contention since finishing second in early
February at Pebble Beach.
But Woods has the mentality of another great champion, Michael
Jordan. He wants to be the star on the game's biggest stage. He
is able to focus and rivet his mind-set like few athletes in history.
Last week, Woods retreated to his home course in Orlando, put
on the blinders and made the Masters title a formality.
"I came in here playing really well," Woods said.
"It didn't show for my first nine holes Thursday, but it
finally clicked in and I've been playing basically the way I've
been playing all week at home."
- Distractions: No golfer has to endure what Woods experiences
on and off the course. But Woods seemed to thrive on it here.
The fans at Augusta National are the most knowledgeable in
golf, and the most highbrow. Your best chance of acquiring a Masters
badge is to have one willed to you.
As a result, the following around Woods, while immense, didn't
resemble the Beatlemania type of atmosphere he endures at other
tournaments. He was able to move relatively freely and concentrate
on his game.
In press conferences, Woods seemed comfortable and relaxed;
he seems to be over what he considered an unflattering portrayal
in GQ magazine.
Having his father here definitely helped. Earl Woods, recovering
from February heart-bypass surgery, hadn't been at his son's side
in recent weeks. Earl felt his absence was affecting Tiger's game.
Earl's presence seemed to be a big boost to Tiger in more ways
than one.
"My pop gave me a little putting lesson before I left
Thursday," Woods said Saturday. "He saw something he
didn't like and he said something. I went on the putting range
and tried it, putted pretty good, and I've been putting well ever
since."
Of course, had I known all those things last Thursday, I would
have picked Woods to win the Masters. My foresight should have
been as good as my hindsight.
Here are my revised predictions:
- U.S. Open champion: Tiger Woods.
- British Open champion: Tiger Woods.
- NBA champion: Tiger Woods.
- Wimbledon champion: Tiger Woods.
- Oscar for best actor: Tiger Woods.
- Next president of the United States: Tiger Woods.
I won't make the same mistake again.
(c) 1997, Chicago Tribune.
|
