Tuesday, August 22, 2000
Why can't anyone stand up to Tiger?
By BOB HARIG
St. Petersburg Times
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — He was Tiger before most fans knew such
a person existed, a phenom who won everything in sight. Bob May
dominated the junior golf scene in southern California, and once
was the youngest player to qualify for a PGA Tour event.
His game never progressed at anywhere near the same rate as Tiger
Woods' — whose has? — and he became one of the countless,
faceless golfers who grinded in obscurity.
So there he was Sunday at Valhalla Golf Club, the pro from nowhere,
battling the best player in the world, the man who will seemingly
smash golf's most storied records.
May matched Woods shot for shot in a stirring back-nine duel at
the PGA Championship, a battle not believed possible, nearly stealing
a major championship Woods seemed destined to win.
That he came up a shot short in a three-hole playoff is no shame.
But it should be to the handful of golfers who claim to be among
the best in the world.
Where were Ernie Els, Davis Love III, Colin Montgomerie and Phil
Mickelson? David Duval was not here because of injury, but you
wonder if he wouldn't have been back in the pack, too.
Finally, somebody went toe to toe with Tiger, looked him in the
eye, and did not blink.
“I think I have a big heart,” May said. “People
weren't expecting me to do what I did. I think I proved to them
that I can play golf.”
Where is the heart of those other players? Els, who has two U.S.
Open titles, owns mansions in three countries. Mickelson, still
seeking a major, flies his own plane. Duval snowboards in Utah
when he's not home in Jacksonville. Monty whines when there are
whispers in the gallery.
Perhaps some of the best players in the world are too comfortable
to go after Tiger.
All we wanted was some drama, and it took a balding journeyman
from Las Vegas who has barely played on his home tour to provide
it.
May, 31, is still searching for his first PGA Tour victory. The
$540,000 he earned Sunday was nearly more than he had made in
his PGA career.
It would have been no surprise had May shot 75 and faded into
the Kentucky bluegrass. It was his first PGA Championship and
he has nowhere near the experience of Els or Love or Mickelson
or Duval.
Call it a fluke if you wish, but May went 66-66-66 over the final
three rounds. He matched 31s with Tiger on the back nine. He holed
a tough downhill 18-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole that would
have won the tournament had Woods not made his own testy birdie.
He managed to scare Tiger unlike anyone else.
While others continually praise Woods, May decided to give it
his best and not worry about the outcome. He played with no fear,
something missing from Woods' usual followers.
You wonder if the would-be challengers relish the idea of getting
in Woods' face and trying to do something about his dominance.
The game could use a rival for Woods, someone to stand up to him
from time to time. All the greats had a foil. Snead had Hogan.
Palmer had Player, and Nicklaus had Watson, Trevino and Miller,
among others.
Watson came along at a time when Nicklaus was at the top of his
game, already considered golf's greatest. By 1975, when Watson
won his first major title at the British Open, Nicklaus had won
13, including that year's Masters.
That didn't stop Watson from challenging the Golden Bear. He won
the 1977 Masters, where Nicklaus finished second. He won the British
Open the same year, dueling Nicklaus for 36 holes. Those were
huge wins in a young player's career. Most of his eight majors
came in Nicklaus' heyday.
“I always felt that Jack was the best player, but I felt
that I could beat him,” Watson said. “The players today
have to feel the same way if they are going to beat Tiger Woods.”
No question, it is demoralizing for other players to see Woods
win the Masters by 12 shots and the U.S. Open by 15 and the British
Open by eight. Those were extraordinary performances.
But they are also unusual. Golf is not a game that lends itself
to such greatness. Even the best players of all time would find
a flaw in their games, endure stretches of poor putting or ball-striking.
Woods had that kind of weekend. He made mistakes. He left open
the door.
And all but Bob May were too meek to step in.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.shns.com.)
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