Monday, April 15, 2002
All pursuers have for Tiger is praise
By Mike Lopresti
Gannett News Service
AUGUSTA, Ga. — As the field retreated behind him, Tiger Woods took a Sunday drive to a nearly drama-less Masters. Another tour de force for a legend with three green jackets at the age of 26.
He is all by himself. What Sunday did, with his cruise-control three-shot victory over Retief Goosen, was repeat to the world how alone he is. How unbeatable with the lead, how imperturbable when he senses the kill, how relentless and intimidating when a major title is in sight.
“Something is going on with him, ” Davis Love III said. “That's not going on with us.”
“Give him a couple more years and I think Tiger will be even greater than Jack Nicklaus,” Goosen said. “It's just a matter of time.”
There was no roaring finish, as Woods joined Nicklaus and Nick Faldo as Augusta's only back-to-back champions and became the youngest man ever to win seven majors. His steady and safe 71 gave him a 12-under par 276.
“It's pretty neat having my name mentioned with some of the golfing greats,” said Woods. “Especially this tournament.”
Nor were there late heroics. He had only one birdie the last 12 holes. Just a stream of par putts.
But no birdies were needed, with absolute quiet on his flank. Not a charge in sight.
The rest of the leaderboard stalled, unable to light a fire on an Augusta National that showed its fangs on the final day with arduous pin placements to go with its increased length and muddy spots.
“I don't think anyone can appreciate except for the players how difficult this golf course was today,” said Woods, who added varying fairway conditions and playing 26 holes on Saturday among the obstacles.
“This year was different (than his first two titles). This year was more of a physical grind.”
For everyone, apparently. The nine closest contenders to Woods going into Sunday shot a combined 13-over par.
There was third round co-leader Goosen, with a 39 on the front, still able to get second place despite a 74 ... Phil Mickelson spoiling three early birdies with three early bogeys, finishing four shots back after a 71 ... Ernie Els hitting twice into the creek on No. 13 for a triple bogey and a 73 ... Vijay Singh, four shots back in second on No.15, but hooking into the trees and then plopping into the water for a quadruple bogey and a 76.
“That was the end of that,” he said.
So many big names ... so little noise.
Woods' frustrated pursuers could only wait for him to waver but they might as well have waited for the magnolias to speak.
Among Woods' remarkable feats: He has led or shared the lead going into the final round of 25 tournaments, and won 23 of them.
Even more astonishing: He is 7-0 with a piece of the lead going into Sunday of a major championship.
“He's the only leader you don't have the hope he will falter,” Mickelson said. “Tiger doesn't ever seem to do that.
“With that the case, you know you have to go after him and make birdies to catch him. When you do that, you're going to open the door to bogeys.”
All Woods had to do was avoid disaster, and water. He took no chances the back nine, and had only four bogeys the last 58 holes, three of them Sunday.
“Everybody thinks everyone laid down,” Woods said. “That's not how it was when you're out there playing.
“You can make mistakes. It can happen very quickly.
“I think it was a lot tighter than people thought.”
But mentioned Thomas Bjorn, who finished 12 strokes back, ”There's really no contest. Tiger's not known to make mistakes.”
Woods was in command Sunday from the moment he chipped in for a birdie on No.6. It gave him a three-shot lead that would soon swell to five, and never was remotely threatened, as he hit nearly every par putt.
Not on a hard day at Augusta, anyway, when Shigeki Maruyama's 67 was the only score to break 70.
Said Goosen, “I was just asking one of the officials, do I get the green pants for finishing second?”
Said Mickelson, “I don't think third place is anything to be overly disappointed in.”
They must take what comfort they can.
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All pursuers have for Tiger is praise
