The Cialis Western Open has been a great elixir for Tiger Woods. The tournament usually cures what’s ailing him on the course.
Woods has won three Westerns, and each came when his game was at a low point.
In 1997 he arrived at Cog Hill coming off three subpar tournaments and turned his game around with a victory. That still goes down as his most memorable Western title. Pictures of fans filling the 18th fairway behind him will be displayed 100 years from now.
In 1999 Woods had a relatively modest year going–by his standards, at least–coming in with two victories. Again, Cog Hill gave him the jump-start he needed, as he won his second Western title. Woods went on to win five more tournaments, including the PGA Championship at Medinah.
Last year there was talk of a slump when Woods teed off in the Western. He hadn’t won since March and had had a lackluster U.S. Open at Olympia Fields.
Woods found his game at Cog Hill, shooting a 63 in the first round to start an easy victory. He joked with the gallery that, considering his so-called slump, he now should be considered for comeback-player-of-the-year honors.
Woods has dominated on several courses during his career. Cog Hill rates among his favorites. He says “the course fits” his style.
“I’ve won there three times,” he said. “I think I’ve done all right.”
Cog Hill fits Woods’ eye, from the tee boxes to its greens.
“I’ve always enjoyed the driving aspect of Cog Hill,” Woods said. “On top of that, I like how the greens are configured. You have these little fingers that offshoot, and you’ve got to hit the ball to a specific spot.
“It’s a golf course where you have to be somewhat creative going into the greens. You can’t go ahead and fire at the flag. Sometimes you’ve got to fire at a little section away from the flag because that gives you the best spot to make a putt.
“If you look at most of the past champions, they all have been pretty good thinkers. They can figure out how to work their way around the golf course.”
Woods will arrive at the Western with his game in a down cycle, perhaps as low as it has been since 1998. He hopes Cog Hill will cure him again.
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Woods at the Western
1994: 74-75 (+5) Missed cut
1995: 74-71-77-69 (+3) Tie 57th
1997: 67-72-68-68 (-13) Won
1998: 76-67-69-69 (-7) Tie 9th
1999: 68-66-68-71 (-15) Won
2000: 70-69-70-72 (-7) Tie 23rd
2001: 73-68-68-71 (-8) Tie 20th
2003: 63-70-65-69 (-21) Won
Note: Played in 1994 and ’95 Western Opens as an amateur.
