Faldo hopes game mechanical and boring again
...Tiger ties for 20th
By KEN PETERS AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Call his golf game mechanical and boring.
Please.
Nick Faldo made four trips around Riviera Country Club in typical
craftsman-like fashion, with only four bogeys and a double bogey.
The other 67 holes, he either birdied or parred.
And at the end of the Nissan Open on Sunday, the 39-year-old
Englishman did a little celebratory hop, skip and jump as he walked
onto the 18th green.
His consistency at Riviera, including a 3-under-par 68 on the
final day, carried him to a three-shot victory over defending
champion Craig Stadler.
"They used to write that I was mechanical and boring,"
Faldo said afterward, a twinkle in his eye. "I just hope
I'm getting close to being mechanical and boring again."
Faldo, who won his third Masters with a dramatic final day
at Augusta National last year, then didn't win another tournament
until now, believes he has put some trying personal times behind
him and is focused on golf again.
"I had a lot of things to take care of in my personal
life, just a matter of getting things sorted out. Now life's good,"
said Faldo, who separated from his wife last year.
The victory was only Faldo's sixth in the United States, although
three of those came in the Masters. Last year, he came from six
shots behind Greg Norman on the final day, with his 67 giving
him a five-shot victory as Norman ballooned to a 78.
Faldo's other U.S. victories came in 1984 at Sea Pines and
1995 at Doral.
He's also a three-time British Open champion.
Faldo finished 12-under, while Stadler, who began the day one
shot behind him, had a 70 to go 9-under.
Tiger Woods, who shot a 69 that left him tied for 20th, still
considered it a good weekend, noting that his father, Earl, was
released from the hospital Saturday.
"He's home in Orange County," Woods said. "Why
do you think I'm smiling today? ...
"It was awfully hard to get a real deep focus on the golf
course because I'm obviously thinking of other things. I understand
what I had to go through, and I'm very happy with the way I shot.
I'm glad to get out of here in one piece and (for) my father to
be in absolute perfect health.
"My dad's actually recovered pretty good. You have to
understand that he's a former Green Beret. He's a pretty tough
guy."
Earl Woods, 64, had heart bypass surgery at UCLA Medical Center
eight days before the tournament began.
Woods won't play at Doral this week, instead staying behind
to spend time with his father and mother. Asked when he would
return to the tour, he said, "I'm just going to see how I
feel about everything and make a decision on that."
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