Tiger Woods is slamming again.
After winning the U.S. Open Sunday, Woods is halfway to the Grand Slam. It seems to be a big deal to everyone but Woods.
Woods takes the been-there, done-that approach on the subject. He maintains the four straight majors he won from the 2000 U.S. Open to the 2001 Masters qualifies as a Grand Slam.
So sure, if his fans insist, he will attempt to perform his trick in the same calendar year. Just don’t say he hasn’t won a Grand Slam. “This would be a different Slam,” Woods said.
Woods looks poised to make another run at history. He took a big step with a three-shot victory over perpetual runner-up Phil Mickelson on Bethpage State Park’s Black Course.
His performance Sunday was more off-Broadway as he struggled to a 2-over-par 72 to come in at 3 under. But it was good enough on a day when challengers Mickelson (70) and Sergio Garcia (74) failed to seize the moment again.
As always, Woods’ main competitor is the record of Jack Nicklaus. He’s thumping the Golden Bear as soundly as his contemporaries. Woods now has won eight majors at 26 1/2, while Nicklaus had five at a similar age on his way to a record 18.
Woods also became the first player since Nicklaus in 1972 to win the season’s opening two majors. Nicklaus, though, never got any further. Woods will take his shot with the British Open in Muirfield in Scotland and the PGA Championship at Hazeltine outside of Minneapolis.
“It’s certainly doable because I’ve done it before,” Woods said. “At one time in my household, there were all four major championship [trophies]. Nobody else in the world had them but me. That was a very special time in my life. Hopefully, I can do it again.”
Woods took a different route to his second U. S. Open title. He won his previous majors by making a slew of birdies, and that includes the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach when he came in 12 under.
This was his first major title in which his score wasn’t double-digit under par. He prevailed by grinding it out in true Open style. He mixed in some well-placed birdies and seemed content to take pars.
“He’s unbelievable,” said Garcia, who played with Woods in the final pairing. “He’s just able to do whatever it takes.”
Woods opened in atypical fashion Sunday. He made a three-putt bogey on the first hole, and then horrors, he did it again on No. 2. Suddenly, his four-stroke lead was reduced to two over Garcia and Mickelson.
“When he started out with a couple of bogeys, I felt he would be catchable,” Mickelson said.
But neither player could crawl through the crack. Wood then closed it quickly. He regained his form by making a birdie on the seventh hole.
“I kept telling myself going to the third hole, `I’m not playing that bad,'” Woods said. “I hit good shots on the first two holes. I just hit poor putts. And the greens were running so quick, you’re going to make a mistake. I said, `Just get the mistakes out of your system. Just keep playing well.'”
Woods then lifted his game on the back nine. After rain delayed play for 49 minutes, Woods launched his two best drives of the day when he needed them the most, on the 499-yard par-4 12th and the par-5 13th.
The smashes allowed Woods to hold off a mini-run by Mickelson, who briefly pulled to within two shots. Woods, though, quickly responded with a birdie on 13.
The three-shot edge proved to be too much for Mickelson, who in typical fashion during a major, failed to close, bogeying 16 and 17. With some breathing room, Woods was able to stumble home despite bogeying two of the last three holes.
“This golf course was set up so difficult,” Woods said. “You make one mistake here and there, you’re paying a price. Phil made a mistake at the end, and so did I. But I was able to hang in there throughout the middle part of the round to give myself a cushion.”
When Woods reached the 18th hole, the roars from the galleries reached rock-star proportions. The raucous New York crowds easily made it the rowdiest Open ever.
It wasn’t all positive. Woods said a few fans “crossed the line” Sunday with their comments. But by and large, the fans were thrilled that on Bethpage, a public course, “their course,” the world’s No. 1 player walked home with the title.
The fever pitch figures to continue in the British Open. Woods, though, says he isn’t going to think about Muirfield just yet. He plans to celebrate his latest title for a while.
With eight majors, Woods now moves to fifth place on the all-time list, joining Tom Watson. Woods has won seven of the last 11 majors, and there’s no end in sight.
“You’ve got to be on top of your game to win a major championship,” Woods said. “It’s just neat to look at the guys on that list that I’m a part of now.”
If Woods win another Grand Slam, he will be in a class by himself.
On his way
Tiger Woods is halfway home to golf’s Grand Slam and the fifth player to win the first two majors. Next up is the British Open July 18-21 at Muirfield. How the previous winners fared at the British after winning the first two majors:
1941: Craig Wood
not played because of World War II
1951: Ben Hogan
did not play
1953: Ben Hogan
won*
1960: Arnold Palmer
finished second
1972: Jack Nicklaus
finished second
*–Did not play in PGA, which was match play until 1958.
Hole of the day
13
PAR 5, 554 YARDS
EAGLES: 0; BIRDIES: 16; PARS: 41; BOGEYS: 11; WORSE: 4; AVERAGE: 5.042; RANKING: 17th (toughest)
COMMENT: This was a key hole down the stretch. Phil Mickelson made a birdie to inch closer to Woods. But Woods then responded with a birdie of his own to keep his lead safe.
