Tiger heats up despite snowman
By Mark Soltau
SportsLine Senior Writer
AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Tiger Woods made a snowman Thursday at steamy Augusta National Golf Club, but he's hardly out in the cold. On the contrary, the 23-year-old Woods is hot on the heels of the leaders after the opening round of the Masters.
"I had a lot of holes left," said Woods, who rebounded for an even-par 72, three shots off the pace when play was suspended by rain. "Guys weren't going that low. I just tried to shoot a good, solid back nine and give myself chances."
Woods did just that, making birdies at 12,13 and 14. He was 1-under after 16 holes, but dropped a shot at 17. He still toured the back nine in 2 under, no small accomplishment given the hot, muggy conditions and difficult pin positions.
Earlier in the week, Woods was asked if his game has improved from 1997, when he lapped the field the by a record-breaking 12 strokes at Augusta in his major debut as a professional.
"Oh God, yes,'' he said. "If you can see me playing out there, you can see how consistent I am. I don't make high numbers like I used to.''
Oops. Did Woods jinx himself? Not exactly. He hit a poor drive at No. 8, got a bad break, and paid the price.
"It was discouraging to go through,'' said Woods. "It was acceptable because of the spot I put myself in. At worst, I should have made a double-bogey.''
Here's how it happened: Woods pulled his tee shot left into the pine trees and his ball came to rest between two pinecones. Unable to punch out sideways, he tried to thread a 6-iron between two trees but failed, the ball caroming off one into the azaleas. From there he took an unplayable lie and returned to the previous spot, knocked a 7-iron into the fairway, hit his fifth shot over the green after misjudging the wind, and didn't get up and down.
"I just had that one blunder,'' he said of the drive. "After that, it was a good round. I had no choice on my second shot. I had to try it.''
In previous years, Woods might have pushed the panic button, fired at the flags and self-destructed. Not now. Woods insisted he's a changed man and he proved it the next 10 holes.
He parred nine, 10 and 11, birdied the short but scary par-3 12th hole from eight-feet, two-putted for birdie from 40 feet at the par-5 13th, reaching the green in two with a 6-iron, then drained a 12-foot birdie putt at the par-4 14th.
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| Woods attempts to punch out from the pine straw en route to a triple-bogey eight on No. 8. (AP) |
Afterward, he was calm and composed. Woods didn't duck the media throng behind the 18th green, thoughtfully answering every question. Although he wasn't thrilled about his round, which included six birdies, three bogeys and a double-bogey, Woods knew it could have been worse.
"I've never had a problem getting rid of it," he said of a bad hole. "Now I say to myself, 'Be patient.' I had 64 holes to make it up. On a tough day like this, you know you can get it back.''
Woods has history on his side. In 1997, he shot 40 on the front nine, 30 on the back to finish with a 70. He was a combined 22 under the last 63 holes and finished 18 under for the tournament.
He did most of his damage on the par-5s, taming them in 13 under. On Thursday, he was 2 over.
"That's okay,'' said Woods. "No one's going to run away with it because the course is so difficult.''
Woods was paired with Tim Herron and 19-year-old amateur sensation Sergio Garcia of Spain. Playing in his first Masters, Garcia also showed patience beyond his years by overcoming a bogey-bogey start to shoot 72.
"I know how good he was,'' Woods said. "I know he can play. He hit a lot of good shots.''
Garcia, whom many think will turn pro after the tournament, won the 1995 European Amateur at age 15, won the 1998 British Amateur and reached the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur, beating defending champ Matt Kuchar in the quarterfinals. He's already won a professional event, claiming the 1997 Catalonian Open with three consecutive 64s, and tied for third last year at the Nike Greensboro Open, the best-ever finish by an amateur on that circuit.
"They gave us great support,'' he said of the galleries after Thursday's round. "Tiger more than anyone, he's the golfer. I really had fun. I hope they like me because I had a great time.''
Garcia looks about 15, but has big-time game. He played the back nine in 3 under, making three birdies (at 10,11 and 17) and no bogeys.
As he walked off the 18th green, Woods put his arm around the shoulder of Garcia's caddie, Victor, his father, and gave him a thumbs-up sign. Victor, a golf pro, appreciated the gesture.
"He's a gentleman," Victor Garcia said of Woods.
And, despite a snowman, he's in the hunt.
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