Tuesday, December 12, 2000
Tiger's weary and waiting for
the holidays
By BILL CORMIER
Associated Press Writer
BELLA VISTA, Argentina (AP) — Tiger
Woods capped his record-shattering year with yet another title.
Now, it's home for the holidays.
The list of Woods' accomplishments in 2000
reads like a Hall of Fame career. He wrapped it up Sunday by teaming
with David Duval to win the World Cup of Golf.
“This is my eighth tournament in a
row, eight weeks in a row, and that's a lot. It's been all around
the world and it's taken its toll,” Woods said of his season-ending
sojourn that included tournaments in the California, Hawaii, Georgia,
Spain, Thailand and Argentina. “I'm a little worn out, and
I'm looking forward to enjoying Christmas and the holidays.”
There shouldn't be much of a problem with
Woods buying presents.
He and Duval split $1 million for their
three-stroke victory over Argentina in the event that had 24 two-man
teams competing in a better-ball and alternate-shot format for
72 holes.
Woods, 24, won nine PGA Tour events, the
most since Sam Snead won 11 times in 1950, and earned a record
$9,188,321 for his third money title in only his fourth full season
on tour.
He also shattered Byron Nelson's scoring
average with 68.17, and won the tour's Byron Nelson Award with
an adjusted scoring average of 67.79.
Woods became only the fifth player, and
the youngest, to complete the Grand Slam when he won the British
Open at St. Andrews. He also joined Ben Hogan as the only players
to win three consecutive professional majors with his PGA playoff
victory over Bob May.
Asked how he will top one of the biggest
years in the history of golf, Woods said he hasn't even had time
to think about it yet.
“As far as next year goes, I'm looking
forward to hopefully improving and getting better, and hopefully
I can put myself in contention to win some tournaments,”
he said.
Woods and Duval shot a final-round 68 Sunday
at the par-72, 6,939-yard Buenos Aires Golf Club course and finished
at 34-under 254.
Eduardo Romero and Angel Cabrera of Argentina
pulled within one stroke Sunday after an eagle on the par-5 9th,
but Woods and Duval combined for six birdies the rest of the way.
Duval's tee shot on the 146-yard 11th was
pin-high but 40 feet away. Woods' birdie putt seemed to take an
eternity to roll slightly downhill before rattling in the cup.
Woods insisted that birdie was a rare putting
bright spot in his round.
“I thought we struck the ball well
today but I didn't putt so well,” he said. “My partner
over here bailed me out time and time again and again. Thank goodness
that he was there with a good putter because I didn't hit good
putts, I either ran wide or left them short.”
It was the 23rd title for the United States
in 46 World Cups and the second straight for Woods.
Last year, in Malaysia, he teamed with Mark
O'Meara to beat Spain by five strokes. Woods won the individual
title last year by nine strokes with a 21-under 263, both tournament
records. This year, the individual portion of the tournament was
eliminated.
None of that mattered to Woods on Sunday.
“Right now, to be honest with you,
I just want to get home,” he said.
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