Oct. 25, 1999
Same Song, Seventh Verse: Woods wins again
By DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — The last time Tiger Woods played
a stroke-play tournament and failed to win was the British Open.
OK, so Woods has only played three regular tournaments since then.
His other outings were the Sprint International with its funky
points system, and that little exhibition at The Country Club.
Of course, the Ryder Cup was a victory in itself.
When he arrived at Disney World for the National Car Rental Classic,
Woods wanted to prove that all the work he has put into his game
was not about to desert him because of a three-week layoff.
Not to worry.
After opening with three rounds of 66, Woods closed with a 1-over
73 on Sunday for a one-stroke victory over Ernie Els to continue
a stretch so dominant that one can only wonder where Woods will
go from here.
The answer is Houston for the Tour Championship, where Woods will
try to win for the seventh time in 10 tournaments. From there
he's off to Spain, for the final World Golf Championship event
worth $1 million for the winner.
Victories in the final two official tournaments of the year will
make Woods a $6 million man and the first player since Johnny
Miller in 1974 to win eight times in one year.
That's looking a little bit too far ahead, but Woods proved once
again this week that anything is possible.
“I'm not going to put any limits on where I think I can go,”
he said.
Despite missing five putts of 10 feet or less and three-putting
on three occasions, Woods avoided the big blunders that doomed
Els and Bob Tway and finished at 271, his 13th victory on the
PGA Tour in a career that only began three years ago.
Els hit into the water trying to lay up on No. 14, and had a 35-foot
birdie putt roll off the green on No. 17 that led to a bogey.
He wound up with a 71.
Tway was tied with Woods to start the final round and led by two
strokes at the turn, but fell out of contention by hitting into
the water on the par-3 12th and taking a triple bogey. Tway had
a 76 and tied for third with Franklin Langham (72) at 14-under
274.
“Nobody can touch this guy at the moment,” Els said.
“He has gone to another level where I don't think the rest
of us can really find. The guy is great right now.”
While Woods grew up mesmerized by the accomplishments of Jack
Nicklaus, he now has two more names for comparisons.
He won for the sixth time on the PGA Tour this year, the first
player to do that since Tom Watson won six tournaments in 1980.
And at age 23, Woods' seven victories (he also won against a strong
field in Germany) are the most for someone so young since Horton
Smith won eight times at age 21 in 1929.
At this rate, it won't be long before Woods is in a class by himself.
“It's been a great year,” said Woods, who won $450,000
to push his season total to just over $4.7 million. “Not
only did I win, but I gave myself chances to win. And that's what
you want to do. I was able to get a major out of this year (PGA),
as well as a World Golf Championship event (NEC Invitational).”
On Sunday, it was a trophy with Mickey Mouse.
Woods won at Disney two years ago and it was big news — his
second professional victory in only his seventh start that got
him into the Tour Championship, a feat he still considers one
of his finest.
The only surprise Sunday was that nobody yawned.
Woods doesn't see it that way. One reason he says he wins —
besides his talent — is the pure joy he derives out of competition.
He loves to practice as much as he plays. Every week is a challenge.
“When I was in junior golf, I thought that I could never
love the game as much as I did then,” he said. “I can
honestly say I love it more.”
It was the 10th straight time Woods has had at least a share of
the lead after three rounds and gone on to win, but it was hardly
a masterpiece.
The greens were slicker than ever, the holes cut on the slopes.
Only 24 players managed to break par on the final day.
But Woods made his mistakes early, a couple of three-putts that
put him two strokes behind Tway at the turn.
Woods made his only two birdies on the 10th and 11th and to catch
Tway, then the lanky Oklahoman took himself out of the picture
by hitting into the water and the sand on the par-3 12th for a
triple bogey.
Next up was Els, who had won his two previous encounters with
Woods.
Tied at 18 under, Els was trying to lay up on the par-5 14th when
he hit a 5-iron into the water and made bogey. Woods also made
bogey with a three-putt from 30 feet.
The turning point was No. 17. Els, in the group in front, left
his approach on top of the ridge and watched his 35-foot putt
roll down the slope and off the green, leading to a bogey. Woods
left his approach below the hole for a simple two-putt par, the
margin of victory.
It wasn't pretty. But once again, it was a win.
“A couple of years ago when he won the Nelson and said he
won it with his `C' game ... I guess he wasn't kidding,”
Els said.
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