Saturday, May 20, 2000
Woods not so happy with play
By ROY KAMMERER
Associated Press Writer
ALVESLOHE, Germany (AP) - Tiger Woods took
an angry half-swing after missing a 4-foot birdie putt Friday
at the Deutsche Bank Open. Clearly, the best golfer in the world
wasn't having a great day.
Bogeys at the 16th and 18th holes ended
a charge he was making at Miguel Angel Jimenez, the Spanish Ryder
Cup player who leads by two strokes midway through the tournament
with an 8-under-par 136.
But Woods, who looked frustrated marching
down the fairways, said he wasn't down after dropping the two
strokes. He finished with a 2-under 70, leaving him four shots
back.
"Not down - I just wasn't as excited,"
he said. "It wasn't an ideal finish, but I didn't put myself
out of the tournament."
Jimenez shot a 3-under 69 on a cool breezy
day to keep his first-round lead in the $2.7 million event. Next
came Irishman Paul McGinley, who had a 65, and Italian Emanuele
Canonica.
Woods, the star attraction in a strong field,
began his back nine with three birdies in five holes. The last,
a 10-foot birdie putt on his 14th hole, moved him within two shots
of Jimenez.
But that was as close as Woods came, hitting
his second shot into a trap to bogey the 16th. He missed another
long putt for par on the 18th.
Jimenez lost his lead only briefly during
the round.
McGinley, trying for his third title in
nine years on the Europan PGA Tour, put together eight birdies
for his 65. He shared the lowest round of the day with Jose Maria
Olazabal. But Olazabal opened with a 75, so he was tied with Woods
at 140.
Jimenez said he wasn't focused on the American
superstar chasing him, even if Woods has drawn all the attention
at the event for which he reportedly is being paid $1 million
appearance fee.
"Woods is a great player and the world
No. 1, but there are 150 players in the field and a lot of good
players," Jimenez said. "You have to focus on the golf
course, not one person."
Jimenez had already given Woods trouble
during the American's last European visit. He pushed Woods to
a playoff hole at the World Golf Championships at Valderrama,
Spain, last September before the American's birdie gave him a
$1 million first prize.
"It was a nice solid round," Jimenez
said. "I'm playing very consistently."
Spain's Sergio Garcia was at 142 and Colin
Montgomerie at 143. Both had second-round 70s.
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