Monday, August 21, 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 19
Football
Tiger wins PGA, ties 'major' mark
The Associated Press
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The challenge finally arrived for Tiger Woods. All that did was bring out a passion rarely seen and a performance that ranks among his best.
In a fitting conclusion to perhaps the greatest summer of golf, Woods birdied the last two holes in regulation and won the PGA Championship in a playoff against Bob May, becoming the first player since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win three majors in one year.
This wasn't a runaway like the U.S. and British Opens. Not with the steely determination in his eyes. Not with sweat pouring down the side of his face. Not the way he charged after putts as they fell into the cup, and pumped his fists like never before.
The thrills didn't end yesterday until May, the most unlikely of challengers, nearly made a 40-foot birdie putt on the final hole of the three-hole playoff. Woods blasted out of a bunker to 2 feet and made the putt for par.
It was the easiest shot he had all afternoon.
Woods now has won four of the last five majors, but this was his first in a playoff. By winning at Valhalla Golf Club, he became the first player to repeat as PGA champion since Denny Shute in 1937, and the first since it went to stroke play in 1958.
But Woods didn't just win the PGA. He now holds the scoring record in relation to par in every major championship, an 18-under 270 that allowed him to get into the playoff.
Last month at St. Andrews, the 24-year-old Woods became the youngest player to complete the career Grand Slam, with an eight-stroke victory. In June, he won the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach by 15 shots.
This was no less impressive.
"The fireworks started on the back nine," Woods said. "This is probably one of the greatest duels I've ever had in my life. Hats off to Bob. He played his heart out."
May tested Woods like no one else in the last two majors, taking the lead with a two-shot swing on the second hole and never giving it up
"I think I have a big heart," said May, who closed with a 6-under 66. "People weren't expecting me to do what I did. I think I proved to them that I can play golf.
until the end.
"If I would have won, it would have been a dream come true."
Tied with Woods going to the 72nd hole, May hoaked an 18-foot birdie putt from the fringe that put Woods in a perilous situation — a 6-foot birdie putt to get into the playoff. It curled in on the left side, Woods punching his fist and letting out a roar.
Woods took a one-stroke lead on the first playoff hole. No, 16, but not until after May showed he wasn't going away, hitting a 70-yard chip from the rough that stopped inches from the cup. Woods tracked his 25-foot birdie putt, trotting after it and pointing at the ball as it dropped for birdie.
Both players made impressive par saves on the 17th, setting the stage for even more drama on the 18th.
Woods hit his drive well to the left and into a sycamore tree. It dropped onto a cart path, bouncing so high it hit the tree again before
rolling down the path onto some trampled dirt. He hit his approach into the left rough and his third shot into a bunker.
After Woods hit out of the bunker to 2 feet, May's only hope was to make a putt that was as long as his chances. It almost went in.
But May failed to capitalize. He hit across the fairway into more rough, and his approach caught the ridge on the horseshoe-shaped 18th green, about 40 feet away.
But this year — this game -- belongs to Woods. He closed with a 67, his 15th consecutive round at par or better in the majors. He has had at least a share of the lead in 11 of the last 12 rounds in the majors, unprecedented domination.
Hogan won the Masters and the U.S. and British opens in 1953. He could not play in the PGA because his legs were too battered from a car accident, and the PGA was held during the same week as British Open qualifying that year.
Hogan never won another major. Woods is still getting warm up.
Swede snags Women's British Open win
The Associated Press
SOUTHPORT, England — Sophie Gustafson began the final round of the Women's British Open with a seven-stroke lead and was nine shots in front after one hole.
But the championship still came down to the 18th hole yesterday.
After giving away nearly all of her lead, Gustafson made a 5-foot birdie putt at the last hole to finish her 2-over-par 75 and wrap up the title by two strokes against a group of four golfers.
"This is my biggest thrill in golf, easily, but it is also a big relief," Gustafson said. "It was a bit tougher than I expected it to be but is very nice to have come through to win."
The 26-year-old Chicago-based Swede, second at the event two years ago, finished at 10-under 282 on the Royal Birkdale course.
Meg Mallon, who won last week's du Maurier Classic for her third career major title, shot a 70 yesterday, tying fellow
American Becky Iverson (69), Liselotte Neumann (69) and Kirsty Taylor (67) for second place at 8 under.
Laura Philo of the United States finished another stroke back, with Karrie Webb, penalized two shots Saturday for a rule infringement on the first hole alone in seventh place.
At the 1st hole, Gustafson hit a 4-iron second shot to within 2 feet and made the eagle putt, while Mallon could only make par.
But that nine-stroke lead did not last long.
But that nine shot was Gustafson's second shot at the 2nd hole finished in deep rough on the side of a steep hill beside the green. Her first attempt failed to dislodge the ball, so she took a penalty drop at the top of the hill. A chip and a putt from 8 feet limited the damage to a double bogey.
Mallon boyedey that hole but then birdied the 4th, 5th and 6th. Gustafson boyedey the 7th, 8th and 9th holes, and her lead dropped to two shots.
"I thought, 'Oh my God, what am I doing?'"
Gustafson said.
A birdie at the 15th hole and six pars seemed to make her safe, but she found a greenside bunker at the par-5 17th, just barely escaped from it onto the fringe, chipped poorly to 20 feet and two putted for another bogey.
Then, two 3-woods put Gustafson into the bunker at the last, but she managed to recover.
"I decided to go for the green at the last because the shot is easier than laying up," she said. "But I was worrying how I was playing and how the others were playing. I obviously didn't play very well."
Mallon, who missed a 15-foot eagle attempt at the 18th, was unhappy to have come so close.
"After being nine behind, to come within two shots and have a chance, I am a little disappointed I couldn't close the door," Mallon said. "You have to give Sophie a lot of credit. Her game was going south a little bit, but she never seemed to lose her cool when her game wasn't there like it had been the last three days."
— Edited by Erin Adamson
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