WEDNESDAY,SEPT.12,2001
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 3B
Playing golf difficult on America's "sad, sad day"
The Associated Press
ST. LOUIS — Tiger Woods teed off at dawn, when the world was at peace.
First reports of terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and then the Pentagon were relayed to him by Joe Corless, a retired FBI agent who heads security for the PGA Tour and walked the practice round with him at Bellerive Country Club.
Only later did Woods understand the magnitude.
"This is a sad, sad day in America," he said quietly.
With one foot on a bench in front of his locker, his head bowed, Woods looked down at his right arm and found it covered with hundreds of tiny dribbles.
"Look at this, I've got goose bumps," he said, rubbing his left hand over them.
His caddie, Steve Williams, sat on a folding chair on the practice range waiting for Woods to show
up and hit balls. An hour later, Woods appeared in dress shoes and motioned to the caddie that it was time to go home.
Not many others felt like hitting a golf ball, either.
"We're all in shock," said Adam Scott of Australia. "Golf is the last priority."
Woods is part of an elite field gathered for the American Express Championship, a World Golf Championship event for the top 50 players in the world ranking and top money leaders from six tours around the globe.
Only 46 of the 67 players made it to St. Louis. The others were stranded across the country.
Phil Mickelson was on his way to Houston to talk about his victory in the 2000 Tour Championship; he made it as far as Austin, Texas. Jesper Parnevik was in New York. PGA champion David Toms couldn't get out of Louisiana. Davis Love III was still in Atlanta.
Woods arrived Monday to conduct a clinic for American Express, the title sponsor with which he has a five-year endorsement contract.
"A lot of their executives left last night to go back to New York," he said, his voice trailing off.
American Express headquarters are located near the bottom of the Twin Towers.
As of yesterday afternoon, the tournament still was on. The
PGA Tour said it would begin Friday with 36 holes, followed by 18 holes on Saturday and Sunday.
Not many players expect the tournament to be played this week.
The following week is the Ryder Cup, one of the most anticipated sporting events of the year. That, too, was in doubt.
"We're supposed to leave in 13 days," Jim Furyk said. "It's the Olympics for us. But there are more important things in life."
Men's: Short putt needs work
CONTINUED FROM 1B
distance with his driver and long irons, along with his uncanny knack for making putts that never seemed possible. After all, the Golden Bear's defining moment didn't come with a long shot or drive, but his clutch downhill putt on the 17th hole at the 1986 Masters.
For Kansas' golf teams, improving their short games is often the first priority in their quest to become better golfers. Because of this, Alvamar Golf Club is opening a new short game center that its members and the Kansas golf teams will be able to use.
"When they go to the driving ranges, they practice hitting long shots," head
coach Ross Randall said. "It's more fun to hit balls a long ways. They're more interested in how far they can hit it."
Although the long drive off the tee or the five-iron that pierces the middle of the green draws attention, Randall realizes that a round is usually determined by how his players putt and chip around the green.
"The difference between a pretty good score and a poor score is the short game." Randall said.
To improve their short games, many players will go as far as switching between styles of putters hoping that a new putter will bring better results.
"Sometimes you just need a fresh look," Randall said. "Other people
swear that once you have a putter for a long time it has no more putts left in it."
Randall said that often a player's short game lies in his or her confidence. That confidence gives players touch in their putting, he said.
Confidence is a delicate matter in golf when dealing with the short game. It can be humbling to realize that a long shot counts the same as a short putt on the scorecard.
"It's very frustrating." sophomore Tyler Hall said. "You can hit par fives from 550 yards in two shots and take four shots to make a putt from 20 feet."
Women's: Golf team finishes 14th
CONTINUED FROM 1B
rounds to land in 13th-place after Friday's opening round, and the Jayhawks remained in 13th-place after Saturday's second round.
Although the Hawks slipped a spot to finish 14th, they returned to Lawrence upbeat and were satisfied with their placing.
with their passing.
"I think it was a good opening tournament," said junior Heather Rose.
"There were a lot of teams there that we were able to beat."
tied for 45th, including a final round 6-over-par 78, which was the team's best round. Junior transfer Jill MacDonald tied for 52nd, and junior Tiffany Kruggel tied for 69th. Along with Kruggel, sophomore Jennifer Bawanan tied for 69th, and junior Kristy Straub finished in a tie for 81st.
Rose led the Kansas attack as she
This afternoon Kansas returns to practice at Alvamar Golf Course, where the Jayhawks must prepare quickly for their next tournament at the Mary Fossum Intercollegiate in East Lansing, Mich., on Saturday and Sunday.
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