Wednesday, April 07, 2004
USATODAY.com - Only when Woods wears green are fans satisfied
By Jerry Potter, USA TODAY
AUGUSTA, Ga. — What Tiger Woods terms "mass hysteria" has begun this week at The Masters, a tournament Woods has won three times, once with a record score of 18 under par.
But his last victory at Augusta National came two years ago, and the last of his eight victories in major championships came seven majors ago.
For Woods, who said "the expectations for me are different," this constitutes a slump in many eyes. So anyone who has an opinion — from someone grocery shopping in Florida to someone teaching amateur golfers in Wisconsin — offers advice.
"I hear it all the time," said Woods, who begins play at 1:30 p.m. ET Thursday with Casey Wittenberg (amateur) and Thomas Bjorn. "I'll see someone in the grocery store. They saw me hit one shot, but they'll say, 'I know what happened when you hit that 4-iron to the right.' "
Woods said he's polite but then walks away shaking his head. "We're all couch coaches," he said. Yes, he is fighting his golf swing, but no player in history has ever fought his swing to so much success. In February at the Accenture Match Play Championship, he registered his 40th victory on the PGA Tour.
So we have "mass hysteria." And it won't stop unless he slips on the green jacket Sunday.
By Jerry Potter, USA TODAY
AUGUSTA, Ga. — What Tiger Woods terms "mass hysteria" has begun this week at The Masters, a tournament Woods has won three times, once with a record score of 18 under par.
But his last victory at Augusta National came two years ago, and the last of his eight victories in major championships came seven majors ago.
For Woods, who said "the expectations for me are different," this constitutes a slump in many eyes. So anyone who has an opinion — from someone grocery shopping in Florida to someone teaching amateur golfers in Wisconsin — offers advice.
"I hear it all the time," said Woods, who begins play at 1:30 p.m. ET Thursday with Casey Wittenberg (amateur) and Thomas Bjorn. "I'll see someone in the grocery store. They saw me hit one shot, but they'll say, 'I know what happened when you hit that 4-iron to the right.' "
Woods said he's polite but then walks away shaking his head. "We're all couch coaches," he said. Yes, he is fighting his golf swing, but no player in history has ever fought his swing to so much success. In February at the Accenture Match Play Championship, he registered his 40th victory on the PGA Tour.
So we have "mass hysteria." And it won't stop unless he slips on the green jacket Sunday.
