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Monday, June 16, 2003

By Gerry Dulac, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. -- Tiger Woods, who once could boast of having all four major championship trophies on his coffee table, now has none.

The player who won five majors in six tries just a couple of years ago now has gone four majors without winning.

From Tiger Slam to Tiger Slump.

“When I win, obviously everything seems [like] he can never lose,” Woods said. “All of a sudden, I don’t win a couple tournaments ...”

Tiger Slump.

After shooting his highest U.S. Open score as a professional in the third round, Woods followed with a 72 yesterday that left him at 3-over 283 -- the same score he shot in the 2001 Open when he failed to defend his title at Southern Hills.

His weekend total (75-72-147) was his highest two-round total at the U.S. Open since he shot 149 as an amateur in the final two rounds in 1996.

“It was frustrating in general because I never got anything going,” Woods said. “I was so close to putting it together. All I needed was a little bit of momentum to get things going.”

Not only did Woods fail in his attempt to become the first player since Curtis Strange in 1989 to defend the championship, but it is the first time since 1999 he is not the reigning or defending champion in any of the four majors.

His next chance to win a major: The British Open at Royal St. George July 17-20.

“You would like to [win every tournament],” Woods said. “Your goal is to go out there and win every time you compete. Is that going to happen? No, that’s not going to happen. There’s one thing you can control and that’s your effort level. If you can give it everything you’ve got, all the way around, you can’t be too disappointed with yourself. I’m a little bummed out I wasn’t able to stay in contention this week, but that’s all I had.”

An example of the frustration came at No. 9, the 496-yard par 4, when Woods landed a wedge about 8 feet from the hole. But the ball sucked back down the slope and came to rest on the fringe, 25 feet from the cup. Woods then four-putted for double bogey.

“I hit a good shot in there,” Woods said. “It’s not too often you rip back a pitching wedge, downwind, at a U.S. Open, but that’s what happened. I thought I made the first putt, but then I hit a second terrible putt and third putt. Luckily, I hit the fourth putt right in the middle.”

That was Woods’ biggest problem all week -- trying to gauge the speed of Olympia Fields’ greens. He averaged 31.3 putts for four rounds, which ranked 65th among the remaining 68 players.

“The putts uphill are slow, the putts downhill are extremely quick,” Woods said. “It’s tough to try and gauge when you’re putting across slopes and stuff like that.”

Furyk’s roots

Jim Furyk is the first Pennsylvania native to win the U.S. Open since Arnold Palmer in 1960. But he also has ties to Western Pennsylvania.

Furyk’s parents grew up in New Kensington, where his grandparents still live, and his dad was the head pro at Uniontown Country Club from 1973-78. Furyk was 8 when his parents moved to Lancaster, but he has an aunt and uncle who live in the South Hills. His cousins played on the golf team at South Park High School.

What’s more, Furyk is a big Steelers fan.

Two years ago, he had problems with his wrist early in the season because he injured it throwing a football at a tailgate party before a Steelers game. He has been spotted more than once in the Steelers locker room after a game.

ALS awareness

With his arm around the shoulder of his ailing caddie, Tom Watson walked up the 18th fairway to a thundering ovation -- cheers that were as much for him as Bruce Edwards.

After opening with a 65 and holding the first-round lead with a magical performance, Watson shot 72 to finish at 4-over 284. But Watson, 53, said his score was not as important as the attention his performance brought to ALS, the disease that afflicts Edwards, his caddie for 28 years.

“There are more important things than playing golf for a living when a friend’s life is on the line,” Watson said. “We did bring some awareness to people who hadn’t heard about ALS. I think we made them understand this is something we need to support.

“The feeling and emotion we had on the first day, when I shot 65, the magical moments of leading the U.S. Open, it caused an outpouring of emotion, not only for each other but the people around us -- the players, the fans. I hope it translates into some action.”

Edwards was diagnosed with ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, Jan. 15. He went to the Mayo Clinic in Minneapolis only after Watson, who noticed Edwards was slurring his words, suggested he go.

Edwards was scheduled to get married this month, but he moved the wedding up to January after he was diagnosed with the disease. Edwards and his wife, Marsha, were married in Hawaii.

“We’ve decided the only way we’re going to spread the word is to reach out,” Marsha Edwards said, standing outside the locker room at Olympia Fields. “I think the Lord’s timing was perfect. Tom went out and played a beautiful game. We had that platform to get everybody ready. I’m so sorry that Jeff [Medelin, another former caddie who died from ALS] and Bruce are the ones to get the disease. ALS doesn’t have a voice or a face, but now it does.”

Watson will play -- and Edwards will caddie -- in the U.S. Senior Open in two weeks at Inverness in Toledo, Ohio. But, when Watson plays in the British Open next month, Edwards will not accompany him because his hands “cramp up on him when they get cold,” Watson said.

A spokesman for the USGA said yesterday that the organization has approved the use of a cart by Edwards, if he so desires, during the upcoming U.S. Senior Open.

“If I go in a year or less, I’ve had a wonderful life,” Edwards said afterward. “I’ve been lucky. I had one of the greatest golfers in the world. I remember Tom saying, ‘The game is a game of moments and I want my share.’ Well, not only did he have his share, but I had my share.”

Watson was asked what he will remember about the U.S. Open.

“Bruce’s tears,” Watson said. “They will always be with me. They’re etched in my heart.”

Watson began to choke up and tears formed in his eyes.

“What he’s going through is a horrible thing. I hope we find something for him.”

Driving Trip

Everyone knows Hank Kuehne is one of the longest drivers on the PGA Tour. But his brother, Trip, an amateur from Dallas and runner-up to Woods in the 1994 U.S. Amateur, is no slouch, either.

At the 460-yard 18th, Kuehne hit his drive 393 yards, leaving himself 67 yards to the green. Kuehne led the U.S. Open in driving distance, averaging 325.6 yards.

“I was just getting up there, kind of dancing with the one that brung you,” said Kuehne, who finished as low amateur at 10-over 290. “I kind of live and die by my driver and I said, ‘Well, just get up there and make a good swing.’ I hit a shot just like I wanted to, so it was good.”

Fun finale

U.S. Amateur champion Ricky Barnes shot 70 and finished a shot behind Kuehne for low amateur. They were the only two amateurs to make the Open cut.

Because he was out of contention, Barnes said he went out for the final round with the idea of having fun.

“It’s always a good time,” Barnes said. “Self-entertained, I guess I am out there.”

ID mistake

Jonathan Kaye pulled his drive at the 433-yard eighth into the trees on the left side of the fairway. After Kaye punched his shot underneath the trees and near the green, a female spectator said, “Great shot, Tom.”

“Tom?” Kaye said, turning to the woman.

“He told me to say it,” the woman said, pointing to her embarrassed husband.