Tiger Back on the Prowl
From the Cheap Seats
by Chris Hahn
Tiger has spotted the entire PGA Tour more than just a couple of strokes…he spotted them all two months of practice. The golf season started with a tour of Hawaii and then returned mainland to California, all without Tiger playing a single competitive hole. By the time Tiger teed off this week at the Buick Invitational, he was $1.8 million behind on the money list. Yet after his performance this weekend, you can expect to hear rejuvenated talk about a Grand Slam campaign in 2003.
Tiger was supposed to be rusty, so he’d have to battle for every stroke if he was going to win in his return. At times it was visible that he wasn’t in full form, but that can’t be surprising considering he had been on a limited ‘long-club’ diet while recovering from the winter knee surgery. But Tiger’s short game, particularly his putting, was outstanding. Not only was he ahead after the third round, but on Sunday he pulled away from the field as his closest competition backed up on the leaderboard.
So can he do it this year? Will Tiger be able to win all four major tournaments in the same calendar year? Well, let’s take a look at those most likely to spoil such an accomplishment:
Phil Mickelson? At times, Mickelson seems destined to be the golfer who actually leaves the sport as the greatest player to never win a major. Yet if someone is going to get the crowd support in an attempt to beat Tiger, it’s Phil. Once Phil can eliminate his inconsistencies off the tee he’ll have a shot, but until then he won’t be able to put four rounds together capable of beating Tiger.
Sergio Garcia? Although he was fit for the rivalry a couple years ago, he hasn’t been able to follow through quite yet. A young gun with potential can be dangerous, but we know from experience that Tiger isn’t afraid of him. And with those waggles in front of the American crowds, it’s hard to imagine Sergio conquering this side of the pond.
The Field? So far, this has been the best bet to keep Tiger from winning any major. From Bob May to David Toms to Rich Beem, this is the gang that seems able to send someone out to make a Cinderella run at a major title. And given his lackluster performances of late, we can now throw David Duval in this group.
Ernie Els? There’s a reason he gets mentioned last…he’s got the best shot of doing it this season. Remember that Els is the one that stopped the 2002 Slam campaign when won the British Open. So far in 2003, he has been as unbeatable as Tiger has ever been. Els has won four of the five tournaments he has entered this year, finishing second in the other. Not only is he winning, he is obliterating scoring records with ease.
There was a time when critics worried that Tiger’s dominance would ruin excitement for the sports. Luckily, it has done anything but. Now, in 2003, whether it’s in Augusta, Olympia, England, or Rochester, I expect to see Tiger and Ernie paired up on Sunday with a storyline to good to turn off. Millions will be tuning in to see if the second best player in the world can tame the Tiger head-to-head.
Watch closely…we’ll be watching history in the making.