Tiger Woods trackers forced to wait
By Frank Luksa / The Dallas Morning News
(KRT)
DALLAS - The big tease has begun. Will he or won't he and if
he doesn't why not?
The puzzle involves a thin, 21-year-old golfer who has played
only 11 PGA tournaments. That he happens to be Tiger Woods, golf's
most dominant figure and maybe its most dominant player, intrigues
officials of the GTE Byron Nelson Classic and MasterCard Colonial.
The genesis of suspense over Woods playing either or both events
should be noted. It has begun three months in advance of back-to-back,
Nelson-Colonial dates in May. This signifies Tiger's entry would
enhance the prestige of these tournaments more than news that
Joe Ozaki will tee up.
Neither the Nelson nor Colonial knows if Woods has it on his
schedule. Nor will they soon be informed if Woods follows a plan
to announce himself as a coming PGA Tour attraction on a week-to-week
basis. Since this is Woods' first time around the circuit, he's
a blank page in terms of factors that repel or attract him or
his career handlers to a location.
The exception is overseas tournaments where appearance fees
banned by the PGA can be accepted. A 10-stroke victory in an Asian
Tour tournament in Thailand last week earned Woods $48,450. He
got another $480,000 for just being Tiger and showing up.
Other than the majors, it's a guess as to what will lure Woods
where on the domestic scene. Does he have enough sense of golf
history to pay tribute to the Nelson Classic namesake and perform
for Byron Nelson? Then challenge Colonial - home course of another
golf legend, Ben Hogan?
The Nelson people think Woods is en route since he has scheduled
a clinic for underprivileged youth in Dallas the same week as
their tournament. The actual Nelson spoke to Woods recently in
California and came away encouraged.
"I didn't say, 'Are you playing?' I don't believe in that,"
Nelson recounted. "I said, 'I hope we see you in Dallas.'
He said, 'I hope so.'
"I got a feeling of what he was saying. I have no fear
that he's not going to play. In my mind, I'm counting on him being
here. Of course, that doesn't mean he will."
Nelson met with Woods in conjunction with a ceremony where
he and Arnold Palmer received lifetime service awards. Nelson's
influence on the quality of the Las Colinas field is immense and
was re-confirmed by 1996 winner Phil Mickelson interrupting a
vacation to play as a favor to Byron. The scene is repeated everywhere
he still goes in his 80s and on artificial hips - including The
Masters where Byron, Sam Snead and Gene Sarazen strike the first
ceremonial tee shot.
The folks at Colonial in Fort Worth seldom dispatch a delegate
to make advance contact with a player and they draw a strong contingent
anyway. They wait and wonder about Tiger while sifting through
60-odd commitments already in the house.
"We haven't heard anything that would give us an indication
either way," said tournament chairman Sam Day. "We'd
love to have him. He'd be a great addition to any field."
Woods is aware he's welcome at Colonial. He was invited to
play there as an amateur, but tournament conflicts kept him away.
Woods is more familiar with the TPC course in Irving. Nelson recalled
that Tiger won an amateur event there and failed to make the cut
in another appearance against a Classic field.
Day said there wasn't much Colonial could do to lure Woods.
He believes Tiger's decision to play in Fort Worth will be influenced
by peers or an obligation elsewhere.
"He's going to ask around about our tournament,"
Day said. "He'll get input from agents and players. He has
people who offer advice. He'll be guided by those people."
The clamor to see Woods play is justified. Nelson says he's
never seen anything to compare - this from a man who's seen them
all since the 1930s.
Nelson has watched Woods play since the latter was 15. He can't
spot a flaw in mechanics, tactics or mind-set.
"It's unreal how good he is," Nelson said. "He's
been waiting to play golf and beat someone since he was four years
old. And now he's doing it."
Nelson put the golf prodigy in historical perspective with
these words:
"When I came along Bobby Jones was complimentary to me.
He said, 'You play a different game than I did.' When Jack Nicklaus
came along, Jones said, 'He plays a game with which I'm not familiar.'
"Now it's Tiger Woods. He plays a game different than
anyone."
(Frank Luksa is a sports columnist for the Dallas Morning News.
Write to him at: Dallas Morning News, Communications Center, Dallas,
Texas 75265.)
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