With only two weeks to go before the 2008 U.S. Open, the question remains. Can anyone beat Tiger Woods at Torrey Pines, even a one legged Tiger Woods?
No one could in January when about a third of the field bitch-slapped Torrey Pines at the Buick Invitational. As if to challenge Rees Jones, Tiger spanked the famous South Course with a 19 under par performance. Even in a Tournament where 28 players finished under par, and Tiger didn’t even show up for the final round, he still won by 8 shots.
Back in January, Tiger had a mere five bogeys for the week; four of them were on Sunday, and two of those were on par threes. He birdied 13 all four days as well as numbers 3 and 18 three out of four times he played them. His driving was erratic and he ranked only 16 for the week. Interestingly, he drove the ball longer each day, 273.0 on Thursday, 277.5 on Friday, 289.5 on Friday and 294.5 on Sunday.
He putted better on Thursday and Sunday than he did on Friday and Saturday, but his greens in regulations topped 94% on Saturday, his worst putting day, and dipped to 67% on his best putting day. Go figure.
His one under par on Sunday suggest that he didn’t have his “A” game working for the final round, or perhaps with no one in his rearview mirror he simply lost interest.
No offence to Ryuji Imada who finished second that day shooting a terrific 67, giving him a respectable nine under for the Tournament. But even he knew that he needed to shoot a sub-sixty round to even have a to chance catch Tiger, and still Tiger would have to shoot over par for that to happen.
But Rees Jones has a plan.
The vaunted architect has not taken Tiger’s taunting lightly. As if to say, “Bring it on Tiger,” Jones has done everything he could think of, starting with changing grasses on greens and fairways. He also added bunkers on the 6th hole, and the fairway on the 4th hole, a hole that Tiger has made a regular habit of birdying, has been moved 15 yards west which will bring the cliffs more into play. With the hang gliders playing in the background, Rees seems to be taunting Tiger. “Now show me that power fade over the cliffs, young man.”
Slugger White, the PGA guy in charge of setting up the course, is trying to do his part to “Tiger proof” the course, as well. Judging by his actions, he too has joined the taunting. You can almost hear him saying, “This isn’t the Buick Invitational, Dude.” Although it is not all that unusual to change things up (course setups are never quite the same), but these changes seems to be personal.
If you remember, for the Buick Invitational the South course was par-72, about 7,400 yards long with manageable rough; for the Open it will be a par-71 -- the 6th hole, once again a hole that Tiger birdies about half the time, will play as a par-4 for the Open. All in all, the Open Torrey Pines course is about 7,600 yards, which represents about two rounds for me. Expect the usual "U. S. Open" rough and greens that are about the same speed as the top of a glass coffee table.
Come June 12th, Rees Jones, Slugger White and every grounds keeper west of the Mississippi will be plotting to keep Tiger from repeating his January butt kicking of Torrey Pines… and Tiger is showing up on one leg.
Sounds fair.
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