Just wants to talk about Woods
By DENNE H. FREEMAN
AP Sports Writer
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) - Tom Kite wasn't too upset about finishing
second for the third time in the Masters. As Ryder Cup captain,
he got a wonderful consolation prize - Tiger Woods.
"I think he's got a chance for the team," Kite joked
after Woods' record 12-shot victory on Sunday. "He's made
the team. He came in with 500 points and earned 300 points today.
No question he's made the team, and by some chance 800 points
doesn't do it, I'll pick him as a wild card."
Kite, who will lead America against Europe this September in
Spain, waited around the 18th green to see Woods finish.
"It was a historical moment," Kite said. "I
wanted to congratulate him on making the Ryder Cup. He said it
was one of his most important goals. I'm very pleased to have
him."
It was Kite's best finish in a major since he won the 1992
U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, but he mostly wanted to talk about
Woods.
"To shoot 18-under on this course is incredible,"
Kite said. "He's just incredible. I don't care what his race
is. He's a golfer. He's a nice person and a great kid. His parents
did a helluva job raising him."
Kite said Woods "is exactly what we need in golf."
Asked who he would pair Woods against in the Ryder Cup, Kite
laughed and said, "Well, it's a blind draw but somebody over
there is going to be unfortunate enough to get him."
Kite needed his high finish. His five-year U.S. Open exemption
ran out this year. The top 24 finishers are invited back.
One European who might draw Woods in the Ryder Cup would be
40-year-old Costantino Rocca, who was paired with Woods. Rocca
started the day trailing by nine shots; in the end, he was down
15.
Rocca was irritated by the way he was treated by the swarming
crowd.
Caught up in Tigermania, the crowd was impolite.
When Tiger putted out first, the gallery hurried to the next
green and the Italian was left to putt out almost alone.
His caddy pleaded for them to stop:
"Quite please. Quite please."
"They don't respect the other players," Rocca said.
"Tiger is a great player, but the fans just want to see him.
I was distracted three or four times. But that was OK. I finished
fifth."
Tomny Tolles finished third, a shot behind Kite, and said it
was hard to play and not be distracted by the Woods circus.
"What Tiger did is awesome," Tolles said. "If
he stays on the top of his game he'll probably win this thing
for the next 20 years. The rest of us will be just shooting for
the silver medal."
Kite shot a final round 70, while Tolles was at 5-under-par
67. Rocca shot 74.
Tom Watson, a former Masters champion, finished fourth, a shot
behind Tolles with a 72.
"The rest of us never had a chance to win,," Kite
said. "And we might not ever have another chance if he keeps
his head on his shoulders. He's 21 in age and about 30 on the
golf course."
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