Last two majors bring rivals for Woods
By Bob Verdi / Chicago Tribune
TROON, Scotland - When Tiger Woods lapped the Masters field
by 12 strokes, there was a sense of anticipation throughout golf,
tempered by a twinge of panic.
If this kid is that good, and he decides he might like to win
the Grand Slam at age 21, who in the world is going to stop him?
And will he kill the game's competitive balance?
Now, here it is two major tournaments later, at least two rivals
have declared themselves, and neither will be retiring anytime
soon.
Ernie Els, the burly South African, won his second U.S. Open
at 27, and beat Woods by 10 strokes. Justin Leonard, 25, won the
British Open Sunday at Royal Troon, and he bettered Woods by a
dozen swings.
So, the rivals are there, as is their potential to join Tiger
in improving as a group. Jack Nicklaus, the greatest player ever,
didn't do it alone. He was pushed by Arnold Palmer, Gary Player,
Lee Trevino and eventually dislodged as the sport's dominant individual
by Tom Watson.
The U.S. Open venue - Congressional, outside Washington - appeared
to be a nice fit for Woods because it was the longest in the history
of the event: 7,213 yards. But Tiger never did overwhelm the course.
It might have compressed him. Butch Harmon, Woods' swing guru,
says in retrospect that their strategy was too conservative.
At Troon, in San Diego-like conditions that probably allowed
some lesser players to contend, the survivor on rock-hard fairways
where the ball rolled forever was Leonard, a 155-pounder who won
the old-fashioned way. He opted for finesse over brute strength.
If anybody would have guessed that Jesper Parnevik, the leader
by two strokes after 54 holes, would shoot 73 on an afternoon
for Coppertone, the obvious choice to light it up from eight swings
back would have been Woods.
But he shot 74, and the only guy who played well was Leonard
- 11 one-putt greens, 25 putts in all. Tom Kite, fellow diminutive
Texan, couldn't have done it better, though his 1992 U.S. Open
conquest at Pebble Beach in Scottish winds was a vintage example
of backbone over biceps.
Kite's name will be prominent for the next month because he
is captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup team that will challenge Europe
in Spain come September. Leonard's triumph vaulted him to third
place on the points list, but it's at the other end where anxiety
builds.
Besides the 10 automatic qualifiers, the squad will be composed
of two captain's picks. Corey Pavin, speaking of mighty mites,
has been in a prolonged funk and has until August's PGA Championship
to find a swing. He's been a horse in Ryder Cup competition, but
dare Kite select him?
Then there's Fred Couples, a decorated international performer,
but performing only occasionally lately. He has a bad back, a
father who is fighting leukemia, and domestic concerns. He recently
broke off his engagement to Tawnya Dodd, to whom he gave a ring
during the 1995 Ryder Cup.
"I'd love to be on the team," Couples said. "But
the way I'm playing now, if I was Tom Kite, I wouldn't pick me."
Seve Ballesteros, the European captain, has his problems too.
Jose-Maria Olazabal took the 10th spot by shooting 67 Sunday,
but Nick Faldo is off the charts. Still, he has to go to Spain,
as does Olazabal, a national hero there. Parnevik plays in the
United States, but he was born in Sweden, so he's eligible. Can
you leave him off the team if he promises not to wear purple pants?
We'll know soon after the PGA Championship at Winged Foot,
near the Big Apple. That's where the aforementioned Butch Harmon,
Tiger Woods' coach, grew up. Just a thought.
(Bob Verdi is a sports columnist for the Chicago Tribune. Write
to him at: Chicago Tribune, 435 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago,
Ill. 60611.)
(c) 1997, Chicago Tribune.
Visit the Chicago Tribune on America Online (keyword: Tribune)
or the Internet Tribune at http://www.chicago.tribune.com/
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