HAVEN, Wis. - If Tiger Woods fails to win this week at Whistling Straits, he'll have enough missed majors in a row to fill two fists. Yet the world's No. 1 player isn't pounding them in frustration.
|
ADVERTISEMENT
|
|
|
Have a thought?
Go to the Forums or Chat.
|
|
|
|
Tiger Woods ponders a question from a reporter in the media interview room following his practice round for the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Haven, Wis.
Associated Press
|
|
In fact, Woods' calm insistence that he's getting back into his indomitable form seems eerily similar to the poised young man who won only two regular tour events in a 39-tournament stretch from 1997 to mid 1999 before rattling off 20 wins (including five majors) in his next 41 events.
Woods chalks up that early drought and this current stretch to routine maintenance of his swing. He hopes the results of his most recent overhaul are as effective.
"This is very similar to that period I went through in '98," Woods said Tuesday. "It feels very similar to that and the things that are starting to come together. It's very exciting, just like it was back in '98 and '99 where they were starting to jell."
Woods tied Greg Norman's record this week with 331 consecutive weeks ranked No. 1 in the world, but his reputation is in as much peril as that streak this week at the PGA Championship. He's not playing like the No. 1 player in the world lately, and he might not be by Monday.
Yet, despite the chance that Ernie Els could overtake Woods with a victory this week, Woods would consider the computer blip a mere casualty to the larger goal of establishing himself as the No. 1 player in the history of the game.
While he enters the PGA with only three victories in his past 28 PGA Tour events, Woods has no regrets about the changes he's made in his swing or the criticism he has received for it.
He admits that his confidence isn't what it was back in 2000-01, but he isn't worried that he can build it back up to that level.
"Have I ever second-guessed it? No," he said. "Because I knew that this is the direction I wanted to go in order to become better. I'm excited about the prospects of that happening."
That's an ominous thought for the rest of the golf world that has seemingly closed the gap during the period of retuning.
Woods might be closer than everyone thinks to going on another torrid run that garnered him a Grand Slam of sorts and made him the most feared competitor in the game. The data would support Woods' assertion that he's "close" more than his results.
In the first 11 events of the season, Woods hit only 64.3 percent of greens in regulation and his scrambling ability to save par from off the green was a scant 59.1 percent. In his past three events, Woods has improved those numbers to 72.7 and 67.8 respectively, and it shows in his weekend scoring average that has improved from 70.7 in the first 11 events to 68.0 in the past three.
"I feel like I'm playing better and I'm excited about it," he said.
The carrot in front of Woods has always been Jack Nicklaus, and he remains in lock-step with the Golden Bear's career course toward a record 18 major titles.
Nicklaus won seven majors in his first 27 appearances before hitting his first prolonged drought. Between wins at the 1967 U.S. Open and the 1970 British Open, Nicklaus went 0-11 including three runner-up finishes and seven top 10s.
Woods hit a similar rut. After charging to eight wins in his first 28 majors, he's 0-9 since winning the 2002 U.S. Open. His current drought includes only one runner-up and three top 10s.
Woods is unwilling to concede Nicklaus' lifetime record as long as he follows the same script.
"You've just got to keep grinding and keep working at it and give yourself a lot of opportunities," he said. "I think that's what Jack was able to do better than any other player in the history of the game. He gave himself a lot of chances. I give myself some chances and just haven't won. It's a matter of putting myself there."
That he has been in the weekend hunt in at least four majors during his winless streak softens the frustration factor to a degree. He feels he should have won each of the past two British Opens and he relishes his chances this week on a difficult course.
"If I had not given myself a chance through those major championships and I had not felt like I should have won, then I would be bothered a lot more than I am," he said.
Reach Scott Michaux at (706) 823-3219 or scott.michaux@augustachronicle.com.
