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Sports Watch

By Bill Kwon

Friday, July 21, 2000

GOLF WATCH

They’re playing for
the ages in Scotland

IN his book, "The Majors: In pursuit of Golf's Holy Grail," John Feinstein wrote:

"Most of the time, professional golfers play for money . . . but four times a year, the money becomes irrelevant. They are playing for history."

And, so, in this weekend's British Open at historic St. Andrews in Scotland, Tiger Woods and Ernie Els are playing for history.

Tiger's quest is well chronicled. He can become the youngest player in history at 24 - and only the fifth ever - to score a career grand slam by winning the 2000 British Open.

Els could make history as well, although he doesn't want to. After finishing second at the Masters and tying for second at the U.S. Open, Els could become the first player to finish second in three consecutive majors.

It's a record that the "Big Easy," as he's known, could do well without. Who wants to be Avis when you can be Hertz?

Not only that. Els has finished second to Woods three times this year, and five times in his career.

Golf fans in Hawaii still remember when Woods won the Mercedes Championships at Kapalua to open the 2000 PGA Tour season.

It was a memorable duel, with Tiger winning on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff after both eagled the 72nd hole and birdied the first playoff hole.

Vijay Singh won the Masters, with Els finishing second. Then Els shared runner-up honors - if it could be called that when you end up 15 strokes back - in the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach,

If he finishes 15 back this week, there should be an inquiry, Els said after yesterday's opening round, when he had a one-shot lead over Woods and Steve Flesch, a PGA Tour nonwinner.

Still, Tiger is still on everyone's mind.

Even if he's easy going, Els got a little testy over all this Tiger talk.

"I just shot 66, guys." he told the media. "Let's talk about me."

It's small consolation, but if Tiger wins the British Open, giving him a double-dip in this year's majors, a strong finish could propel Els into the PGA Grand Slam of Golf at the Poipu Bay Resort Nov. 21-22 as the top alternate.

That is, if Els doesn't win the PGA Championship at the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky., next month.

Now, should Els finish second to Woods in that major as well, don't go around calling him "Big Easy" anymore.

GRAY OLD LADY:

With the uncharacteristic winds blowing off the North Sea, the Old Course at St. Andrews has been benign so far. Fifty golfers - one third of the field - were in red numbers, or under par after yesterday's first round.

Without wind, the course can be for the taking.

Still, the home of golf has to be treated with respect, as any old grand dame should be.

She doesn't look like much, compared to the pretty faces that American golfers are used to on the PGA Tour with its well-manicured courses.

But it's still a demanding course that requires a lot of imagination to play.

Having played the Old Course twice, I like it because it suits my bump-and-run-up game. Ala Wai golfers would love it, too, as long as they avoid the thick gorse and unplayable pot bunkers, which resemble lunar craters.

Tiger had two great putts yesterday. Putts of 55 and 35 yards for tap-in pars. That's right, yards not feet. It's that kind of a golf course.

Scott Hoch once bad-mouthed St. Andrews. But that's why he's Scott Hoch and not Tiger or Els.