A tired Tiger Woods is goin' fishing
By JOEL STASHENKO / Associated Press Writer
HARRISON, N.Y. (AP) - The only thing Tiger Woods wants to swing
this week is a fishing pole.
After finishing far back at the Buick Classic, Woods said Sunday
he's going home to Florida to get away from golf for a while.
"I'm going to be relaxing," he said. "I'm not
going to pick up a club for a while. I've had enough golf for
a bit. And I'm going to get my mind squared away and get my focus
back."
Woods said he was tired, and he played like it this weekend.
He made the cut by only one stroke and, after his third 1-over-par
72 of the tournament Sunday, finished at 3-over 287.
But he gave the thousands of people who followed him Sunday
some thrills. He eagled the par-5, 565-yard fifth hole by hitting
a driver and 4-iron to within 2 feet of the cup, and he drove
the par-4, 314-yard 10th hole for a two-putt birdie. Woods also
had two double bogeys.
Despite failing to break par for the 11th time in his last
12 tournament rounds, Woods said his game was showing improvement.
"Granted, I didn't play that well," he said. "But
I learned a lot about my game and the status of it right now.
It's not quite there, but I made some good improvement though
my scores didn't show it. Swing-wise, I wasn't that far off."
This was the fifth tournament Woods played in six weeks. He
said that kind of schedule was too grueling for him to both play
his best and to handle the crush of media and fans.
"I need a lot of rest dealing with all this," he
said. "It's hard. ... I run myself in the ground."
After fishing and hanging out around his home in Orlando, Fla.,
Woods plans to play at the Western Open near Chicago starting
July 3, then go to the British Open two weeks later.
Even though he never was a factor at the Buick Classic - he
started Sunday's round 16 strokes behind leader Ernie Els - Woods
continued to attract the biggest galleries on the course.
"I am amazed," he said of his following Sunday. "I
would have slept in. I wish I could have."
Woods' crowds often were raucous. Jeff Maggert, his playing
partner Thursday and Friday, called some fans "obnoxious,"
especially those who incessantly bellowed, "Tiger, you the
man!" and other exhortations.
"They can be a little difficult," Woods said. "I
think a lot of it has to do with the fact that, one, it's hot.
And, two, they're selling alcohol. That's not a good combo. When
you get that combination, it can be a little tough on us as players."
Woods noted that organizers of the Byron Nelson Classic in
Texas, where the weather often is as hot and humid as it was at
the Buick Classic Saturday and Sunday, don't serve alcohol for
that reason.
Still, he said he was happy to have played here.
"I had a good time," he said. "I just didn't
play well."
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