Woods again does what many thought was improbable
with his 64
By Larry Guest / The Orlando Sentinel
TROON, Scotland - It remains to be seen if Tiger Woods can
pull off the remarkable comeback he continues to insist is possible,
but he has nonetheless assured himself a spot of distinction on
the wall of Royal Troon's members' bar. There, in a prominent
area just inside the entrance, near where a couple of old blazered
gents Saturday were anticipating the next Ryder Cup conquest over
America, are framed documentation of the last two Troon course
records shot during British Opens.
On the left there, you see the scorecard of Jack Nicklaus'
record-setting 65 on the final day of the '73 Open, properly signed
by Jack and attested by playing partner Christy O'Connor. The
handsome, gold-framed presentation includes a photo of Jack playing
Troon's 18th and an inscription from the Golden Bear: "My
best to all of you for the rest of your golfing."
Next to it is a similar presentation commemorating the blistering
64 that Greg Norman posted in the final round of the '89 Open
at Troon, trimming a shot off of Nicklaus' standard. Norman scrawled
on the companion photo: "A great golf course with great members.
Thanks for the '89 Open." Playing partner Scott Simpson's
signature attests the spectacular round that included a bogey
4 at the feisty little Postage Stamp hole.
Make room on the wall for Tiger.
Another grandly framed addition to the wall is doubtless among
the decoration plans now after Woods matched Norman's 64 on Saturday
and repeated his belief that he can reel in the rest of the leaderboard
for easily one of the most remarkable comebacks since the bow
tie.
"Honestly, I think I can still win," Woods said Saturday
afternoon, and this time, there were fewer chuckles and sneers
in the media audience than a night earlier, when 13 strokes and
48 players stood between him and the old claret jug they loan
the winners of British Opens. By battering Troon for the 64, he
"only" reduced the deficit to eight strokes, but blew
the door handles off so many competitors that only seven mortals
remain in front of him.
And although the roster of those who fail to acknowledge Tiger
is capable of unprecedented miracles was trimmed considerably,
there remain a few still willing to insist out loud that Woods
must be consuming spiked scones if he thinks his second major
title is just hours away.
Among those is global golf amusement Jesper Parnevik, who is
in a key position to determine who goes home from Troon happiest.
Parnevik, the talented Swede best known for the upturned bill
of his cap and a diet including volcanic dust ("for internal
cleansing"), surged into the 54-hole lead with a spiffy 66
of his own on Saturday.
"Can Tiger still win?" Parnevik repeated the question.
"No. I wouldn't think so. Unless he gets off to a very, very
good start and the wind starts blowing 80 miles an hour. Otherwise,
he'd have to break 60."
Don't tempt him, Jesper. Tiger shot 59 at Isleworth (Fla.)
once and was quick to note Saturday that his 64 was soiled by
a pair of bogeys and a handful of putts that had the audacity
to avoid the cup. However, the stellar round also included a few
gems that one might suspect difficult to duplicate, even by this
phenom, himself. One was his second-shot swat on the par-5 16th,
a 303-yard rocket directly off the fairway with a driver to 15
feet of the hole.
The resulting eagle-3, combined with the implausible birdie-2
on the next hole, vaulted Woods to a share of the record and sounded
a warning to the leaders just beginning their third round on the
adjacent, outgoing holes. The eagle also underscored Tiger's vow
that he loves to play "creatively,' which is not only allowed
in British Open links golf, but required.
Tiger's club sequence on the hole was 2-iron, driver, putter.
His imagination came into play on the next, as well, after
a pulled approach left of the 17th green. Facing a steep slope
and only 15 feet of green between him and the pin, Tiger picked
out a spot on the bank, missed his target by just three inches
with his chip and departed pumping his fist after the ball trickled
into the hole for an impossible birdie.
Sorry. I forgot myself there for a moment. The jury will ignore
the word "impossible" while the testimony involves Tiger
Woods and golf feats.
(Larry Guest is a sports columnist for the Orlando Sentinel.
Write to him at: Orlando Sentinel, 633 North Orange Avenue, Orlando,
Fla. 32801)
Visit the Sentinel on the World Wide Web at http://www.orlandosentinel.com/.
On America Online, use keyword: OSO.
Distributed by Knight-Ridder/Tribune Information Services.
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