The Written Word
for July 5, 2000

I have not commented on what was, in my lifetime, the greatest sports story. I’ve seen a lot of them – Hank Aaron beating Babe Ruth’s record, Carl Ripken passing Lou Gehrig’s longevity streak, Wayne Gretzky setting all records … and lots of great players in all sports. But what Eldrick "Tiger" Woods did a couple of weeks ago puts all I’ve seen, both in terms of events and participants, deep into the shadows. One of the reasons I haven’t commented so far is the sheer enormity of what he did.

Jack Nicklaus, with uncharacteristic pettiness, tried to make out that the competition was better in his day and he mentioned Palmer, Player, Trevino and a few others. What he doesn’t acknowledge is that the tour and indeed world golf is so much deeper today. European golf and Asian golf are B+ to the US’s A whereas in Nicklaus day they were mostly club pros who took a bit of time away from the pro shop to make a couple of extra bob. The competition is better, the players are bigger and stronger, and the training and plain competence is superior. It’s the same in all sports. I have no hesitation in saying that Tiger Woods faces the best competition, the most skilled competition that has ever been.

Take, then, what the 2000 United States Open Championship was all about. It was played on arguably the best course in the world. It certainly makes everyone’s top ten and almost everyone’s top 5. The weather was everything from quiet sunshine to gales and rain. The field surely had to be the best ever to play in any championship in history. This was not like the Masters where players often qualify by invitation to a small field where a couple of dozen players, such as aging past winners, get to take up a place. It was not like the British Open which, though the traditional championship of golf, and always with a good field, is still minus a number of good Americans. No, the US Open for this year was the crème de la crème.

And what did Tiger do?

He didn’t win – he utterly demolished the course and his opposition. Consider, he was the only player under par. The closest was three over par and Tiger was 12 under! I thought he would take something off his game for the last round but he vowed that he would make no bogies and after he reeled off nine straight pars his competition, if you can call it that, was finished. Whipped. Woods not only played bogey-less golf – he had four birdies to go along with his 14 pars and increased his lead over the already massive 10 stroke lead he started with by another five. It wasn’t just a rout – it was an utterly unbelievable performance that left the golf world stunned.

Woods has, in addition, struck terror into the hearts of his fellow competitors. David Duval has become a shadow of his former self. Colin Montgomerie has never been the same since he played with Tiger in the 1997 Masters won by 12 strokes by Tiger. Davis Love III admits that Tiger has his number. They all know that no matter what their lead, until Woods is safely in the Clubhouse, they can’t count him out.

Will it stay this way?

It depends upon three things.

First, Woods must stay motivated. He is about to become sport’s first billionaire – can he remain focussed? I rather think he will. After all, after $75 million or so – and he had that before he teed up for his first hole of professional play – money is no longer much more than a fun way to keep score in the life of the rich and famous.

Second, he must stay healthy and in shape. This also looks like a no brainer. Unlike Jack Nicklaus and the vast majority of players of that era, Tiger is in super shape. The day after his massive win in the US Open he ran around the Pebble Beach course. He exercises every day and does so with the clear aim of helping muscles that help his golf.

Thirdly, he must hope that he doesn’t get struck down by the mysterious malady that occasionally strikes good golfers. Ralph Guildahl won two consecutive US Opens in the late 30s and never won again. Frank Beard went from being perennial leading money winner to being unable to make the cut, all in one year. Ian Baker-Finch won a major and then found that he couldn’t even get the ball airborn. Corey Pavin won a US Open a few years back and hasn’t been close to winning since. This, for Tiger, is very unlikely scenario because to fall like that, you have to lose your nerve. And Tiger is the most focussed, mentally disciplined player, by far, than we’ve seen since Ben Hogan.

He will have some spectacular losses no doubt. But this guy is not only for real – he’s unreal!