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Monday, November 20, 2000

Photo Illustration by David Swann, Star-Bulletin

Woods comes in after setting
a record in a three-stroke win
yesterday in Thailand

He's chasing his third win
in a row and its $400,000 prize

The contenders

---

By Bill Kwon
Star-Bulletin

POIPU BAY, Kauai -- He'll be a little late. But he'll be here. And the rest of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf field is waiting.

Due to flight complications, Tiger Woods missed today's pro-am event. He's scheduled to arrive here at 6 a.m. tomorrow from Bangkok, Thailand, where he won the Johnnie Walker Classic yesterday.

Woods will attempt to become the first to win this event three straight years.

Never mind that the format has been changed from match play to stroke play over 36 holes tomorrow and Wednesday at the Poipu Bay Resort.

He's still the guy to beat.

Only winners of golf's four majors are eligible to compete in the elite $1 million event. First place is worth $400,000, while second is $250,000, third $200,000 and fourth $150,000.

But since Woods won three of majors this year -- the U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship -- two alternates were named to complete the foursome that includes Masters champion Vijay Singh.

They are 1993 PGA champion Paul Azinger and 1996 British Open winner Tom Lehman. Only previous major winners are eligible to be on the list of alternates.

"I'm excited about being here, considering I didn't win a major," said Azinger, winner of the Sony Open in Hawaii the past January after a two-year absence from the winner's circle.

"I wasn't even aware I was in (alternate) contention until the last round of the PGA Championship."

Lehman replaced the top alternate, Ernie Els. The two-time U.S. Open winner had a prior commitment.

Woods won in 1998 and 1999 when the PGA Grand Slam was changed to a match play format for the first time.

However, the sponsoring PGA of America decided to return to the original 36-hole stroke-play format.

"Match play had its merit, but it's easier for the spectators to follow one foursome," said tournament chairman David Charles. "And you see the entire course."

Both of Woods' match-play victories -- 2 up over Singh in 1998 and 3 and 2 over Davis Love III last year -- ended at the 16th hole.

"I'm glad to see it changed to stroke play. I think it's better with only four guys," Azinger said. "You can shoot 75 and come back the next day and shoot 63 in a two-day competition."

Charles pointed out the example of Jose Maria Olazabal last year.

"He was 5-under-par and lost to Love in match play. He could have made a comeback the next day if it had been stroke play."

The only one among the four who hasn't played Poipu Bay before, Azinger was the first to arrive here.

"It's a good course, not overly difficult if you just hit the fairways. But the wind was really whipping," he said after a practice round.

His only PGA Grand Slam appearance was in 1993 at LaQuinta, Calif., when Greg Norman won the second of his three titles.

Norman won again the next year when the event was first held at Poipu Bay, but nobody has won three in a row.

Tee-off both days is 9 a.m. Both rounds will be shown, taped delay, on TNT starting at 8 p.m., Hawaii time.

Grand Slam The PGA Tour's unique event features the winners of golf's four major tournaments. Since Woods won three of the events, alternates Lehman and Azinger were named to round out the field. Where: Poipu Bay Golf Course, Kauai. When: Tomorrow-Wednesday. Course: Par 72 TV: TNT delayed, 3 p.m. Format: 36-hole stroke play. Purse: $1 million. Winner earns $400,000.

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Paul Azinger

Tour victories: 12.
2000 victory: Sony Open in Hawaii.
Majors (1): 1993 PGA Championship.
2000 money, rank: $1,597,139 (27th).
Career money, rank: $10,178,834 (16th).
Scoring average: 69.98.
Driving distance: 277.5 yards.

Tiger Woods

Tour victories: 24.
2000 victories: Mercedes Championship, AT&T Pebble Beach, Players Championship, Memorial, U.S. Open, British Open, PGA, NEC Invit., Canadian Open.
Majors (5): 2000 - U.S. Open, British Open, PGA Championship. 1999 - PGA Championship. 1997 - Masters.
2000 money, rank: $9,188,321 (1st).
Career money, rank: $20,503,450 (1st).
Scoring average: 67.79.
Driving distance: 298.0 yards.

Vijay Singh

Tour victories: 9.
2000 victory: Masters.
Majors (2): 2000 - Masters. 1998 - PGA Championship.
2000 money, rank: $2,573,835 (5th).
Career money, rank: $11,083,624 (13th).
Scoring average: 70.1.
Driving distance: 279.9 yards.

Tom Lehman

Tour victories: 5.
2000 victory: Phoenix Open.
Majors (1): 1996 - British Open.
2000 money, rank: $2,068,499 (12th).
Career money: $10,180,736 (15th).
Scoring average: 69.84.
Driving distance: 273.0 yards.