Playing with Woods can be an eye-opener
By Frank Luksa / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - Based on nothing more flimsy than fact and
figures, an idea has gained favor about those who play in the
exalted company of Tiger Woods. Which is that it's somehow a disruptive
experience and given a choice of a peaceful round, they'd as soon
tour 18 holes with Willie Wood.
The theory gained credence in last month's Masters when Woods
dusted off world-class talent head-to-head four days in a row.
He beat Nick Faldo, Paul Azinger, Colin Montgomerie and Costantino
Rocca by a combined margin of 27 strokes. The trend continued
this week in the GTE Byron Nelson Classic as Woods posted 64s
on Thursday and Friday to best Tom Kite and Nick Price on both
days.
He followed Saturday with a 3-under 67, better than playing
partners Lee Rinker (69) and Mike Standly (68), and good enough
for a two-shot lead with one lap left Sunday on the battered TPC
course at the Four Seasons Resort and Club. Those who have been
scoring along note that Woods has a string of seven consecutive
rounds where he's been low man in his pairing.
People who don't have enough to do seize on these figures and
assume they're fact. There's further assumption that the Woods
pop-star presence and clamor he creates upsets the tempo or temperament
of others in his group. Maybe even a bit of intimidation creeps
into their game.
Tut, tut, say those who have played with Woods and experienced
the swollen galleries that dote on him.
"Like playing with anyone else," said old pro Kite,
whose perspective is different than most. The 25-year Tour veteran
has played with many of the all-time best ... Palmer, Nicklaus,
Casper and Player. Kite is a 19-time winner and U.S. Open champion
in 1992, and not easily moved to excitement about being paired
with anyone.
"Better not be by this time," he winked.
David Berganio Jr. has the final-round honors with Woods. He
can be described as 28 years old, a non-winner on the Tour and
the lesser known of the last twosome.
"I look at it as a gallery. I've played with Tiger in
practice rounds where there's been a couple of thousand people
following us. It's no big deal," claimed Berganio. That he
had to explain.
"I've played with Nicklaus. I've played with Seve Ballesteros.
Tiger's a total phenom, but Nicklaus is pretty good, too,"
Berganio said.
"I played with (Tom) Watson. He's announced as the winner
of 33 tournaments. Watson has more wins than I have years."
Rinker reported that he and Standly had a dandy time on Saturday:
"Tiger is great to play with. He's very cordial and friendly.
We had a good time. He's very competitive and wants to win, but
he's a sportsman."
Rinker complimented the gallery on its courtesy. No one broke
and ran after Woods putted out first. The size of the crowds did
bother the 36-year-old who's yet to capture a Tour title. Unlike
Tiger, he's not accustomed to wild enthusiasm while at play.
"He has tremendous composure. He puts up with this every
day. It's draining to block all that out and focus on your game
with everyone yelling," said Rinker. "The last seven
or eight holes, you're walking through a gauntlet with people
yelling and screaming. It's easy to get worked up, and in this
game, you need to stay level. It's not like football where you
want to get pumped up."
Rinker came near getting pumped up on Friday night, long before
he teed off with Tiger.
"Playing with him is one thing," said Rinker. "Playing
on Saturday in the last group is another thing. If you can play
in that, you can play in anything."
Amid all that ruckus, did Rinker hear anyone rooting for him?
"Oh, sure," he said. "But not quite as many
times as I heard his name. I told Tiger, 'If I had a dollar for
every time someone yelled your name, I'd be rich.'
"He said, 'God, it's crazy.' He even thinks it's crazy.
But it's nothing but good for us. Tiger is a big deal, everyone
is coming out and enjoying it. That's all the better for us."
So it turns out that pros don't mind playing with Tiger no
matter the fact that he keeps beating them head-to-head. Or that
it figures he'll do the same Sunday to Berganio and win the Nelson.
(Frank Luksa is a sports columnist for the Dallas Morning News.
Write to him at: Dallas Morning News, Communications Center, Dallas,
Texas 75265.)
(c) 1997, The Dallas Morning News.
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