Tiger Tales

Published on Saturday 11 July 2009 21:18

HE FIRST competed for the Old Claret Jug in 1995 over the Old Course at St Andrews, a place he has since made his own. One year later he was low amateur, his closing 66 at Royal Lytham enough to claim a tie for 22nd place, as well as the coveted silver medal. And four summers after that, he was the "champion golfer of the year" for the first of three – so far at least – times.

Twice he has won at the Home of Golf, with his most recent victory the result of the never-to-be-forgotten ball-striking

Along the way he's had his downs as well as ups. There was a sand-strewn quadruple-bogey seven at Royal Troon's Postage Stamp in 1997 and, amidst the storm to end all storms, a one-birdie, multiple-bogey 81 in the third round at Muirfield in '02. And last year he missed yet more wind and rain at Royal Birkdale because of surgery on his left knee.

He has even found time to display an otherwise well-hidden sense of humour. On the practice green the morning after that disastrous 81 seven years ago, Tiger Woods called over to Colin Montgomerie, who had shot 84 in the tempest 24 hours earlier. "Hey Monty," he said. "Kicked your ass yesterday." Even the often-irascible Scot had to laugh.

So we've seen a little bit of everything – and then some – from the world's best golfer in the world's most important event. And now, 14 years on from his relatively inauspicious debut – a lowly tie for 66th place – a few of those who have watched some, most or all of the above share their memories of the Tiger out in the Open.

ANDREW COLTART

"I still recall standing on the first tee with Tiger before we teed off in the last round of the 1999 Open at Carnoustie.

"There I was, trying to appear nonchalant and that this was just another day in the life of Andrew Coltart. It wasn't, of course. The reality was that I was absolutely bricking myself. I was telling myself to 'play it cool, play it cool, just breathe'. Which was a bit silly because he could not have been nicer to play with.

"He's a special individual in many ways, not the least of which is the way he has handled being No.1 for so long. There is so much that comes with being in that position, yet he was both humble and respectful, as well as being incredibly confident.

"I remember walking up the first fairway telling myself to concentrate on my job. Well, that lasted about 15 minutes until I got to the second fairway. It was there that I realised I had the best seat in the house and that I should just sit back and watch him in action. What made me come to that conclusion was the noise Tiger's club made as it ripped through the turf on his approach shot. It was the sweetest noise you can possibly imagine.

" The other thing that sticks with me is the second shot he hit at the sixth hole, 'Hogan's Alley.' He had hit his drive a little too far left and had about 240 yards to go. I thought he was laying-up until he slashed at the ball and sent it to the front edge of the green. And he hit an iron – from the rough. The aura he has about him is well earned."

HANK HANEY

"For me, it has to be Hoylake in 2006. Tiger hit the ball unbelievably well that week, especially with his irons. He even managed to hole out a 4-iron on one hole. It was a clinic really.

"In the bigger picture, that whole week was a turning point for Tiger.

"His course management over those four rounds was all but perfect and showed how much he had matured as a golfer. In fact, ever since then, he has distanced himself from the rest as much by how he manages his game as anything else. And it all stems from that week. How he figured out how to play that course was spectacular.

"It all comes from him, too. It's not as if he and (caddie] Steve Williams and I sit around at night and take a vote on how he should play each hole; it's all down to Tiger.

"I remember we got to Hoylake on the Saturday before the championship and played a practice round.

"He picked up right away that the severity of the bunkers made them the equivalent of a penalty shot if you went in one. So he decided right there and then, he would lay back as far as was necessary to avoid going into the sand. If you did that, you had to play out sideways.

"That was how he played all week. It was fantastic. To play from as far back as he did – and in such firm conditions – was amazing. No-one else could have played the course that way and still won. And, being his first major win since his father died, it was an emotional week, too."

MARK O'MEARA

"My most vivid memory of Tiger at the Open is watching him come up the last hole at St Andrews in 2000.

"I was sitting on the steps in front of the R&A clubhouse taking it all in as he holed that six-footer to beat Nick Faldo's record and win by eight shots. It was the perfect scene really. There we were at the Old Course. He was breaking the championship record. He was the world's best player.

"It was very special, to the point where it sent chills up my spine.

"I was pretty choked up, knowing what both the Open and links golf means to him. He has a real passion for both.

"So to watch him win at the Home of Golf on his favourite course in the world was an awesome thing to see up close.

"I have to admit my mind went back a couple of years too.

"I had won at Royal Birkdale in 1998, beating Tiger by a shot. And the following morning Tiger and I were flying back to the States together. As soon as we sat down in the plane he wanted to see the trophy and get his hands on it. I'll never forget looking across and asking him what was the coolest thing about the Old Claret Jug he was holding.

"'What?' he asked.

"'Your name is going to be on there, not just once, but many times.

"And now, here we are, 11 years later and he has already won it three times. Of course, I wasn't exactly sticking my neck out with that prediction was I?"

DARREN CLARKE

"The first time I played with Tiger was in the opening two rounds of the 1996 Open at Royal Lytham. He was still an amateur. I'll never forget the sixth hole in the first round. I was on the tee first and flushed my drive what I thought was miles up the middle. It wasn't. He got up there and launched this thing at least 70 yards past me. You notice things like that!

"Tiger was like Rory McIlroy is now, a lovely young man and very polite on and off the course. And he played really well.

"No-one had ever impressed me as much to that point – and no-one has impressed me as much since. The quality of his ball striking was something else. I think I can flush it with the best of them, but Tiger was and is in another league.

"I'm not surprised in the slightest at what he has achieved. I spent the days after we played together back in '96 telling everyone I had just seen the next superstar. That was hardly news, of course, but he was just so good.

"Four years after that, Tiger played 72 holes at the Old Course without going into one bunker. That still amazes me and is a testament to his course management as well as his physical ability. And maybe the best thing about him is how much he loves links golf. He's seen courses all over the world – albeit with a bit of financial inducement thrown in – and knows that links golf is the best and truest form of the game, wherever you go."

RORY McILROY

"As most people know, I've been a huge fan of Tiger's my whole life. I've watched him play well in any number of Opens. So many things stand out. Maybe the best ever was his overall performance at St Andrews in 2000. Nineteen under par round there is some playing.

"And he wasn't in a single bunker. Which is ironic in a way. He played with David Duval in the last round that year. David found the Road Hole bunker and couldn't get out!

"But he's won three Opens in all. And all were memorable.

"Hoylake in 2006 was fantastic too. Even in 2002, when he shot 81 in the third round, he never gave up, shooting 65 or whatever one day later.

"In all of that, however, one shot stands out for me. I can still see him after he hit a 3-wood on to the 14th green in 2000 at the Old Course. It was on the first or second day. I have the video.

"He hit the ball and immediately started walking after it. 'Was that the one you wanted Stevie?' he said. Clearly, he had hit exactly the shot he and Steve Williams envisaged. It takes a truly great player to do that under pressure."

PETER ALLISS

"For me it has to be the look of horror and indignation on Tiger's face when he hit his opening drive off the first tee at Royal St Georges back in 2003 and the ball was never seen again.

"There were seemingly hundreds of people about. The rough was only two foot six inches long. And he clearly couldn't understand how it could possibly be lost.

"I must admit, watching that at the time, it did cross my mind that Tiger might do a Bobby Jones and rip up his card and storm off. He didn't of course, but it was still funny.

"And unusual in that top players just don't lose balls these days.

"Outside of that, Tiger is amazing. It has been a privilege to watch him play and develop over the last decade and a half. I think he's only missed three or four cuts in his whole career. And only one in a major.

"When you think that Padraig Harrington has missed the last five, that's more than Tiger has in 15 years.

"Which is not to say that I think he is the best ever. The best players, and the most skilful, were those who played between 1900 and 1925.

"When you look at the equipment and balls they played with and the conditions they played in, their scores were quite remarkable."

GEOFF OGILVY

"I have to go with the third round at Muirfield in 2002. Tiger arrived there having won the first two majors of the year. So the Grand Slam was on. But his 81 illustrated how important the draw is in the Open. And it showed us that he was at least a little human.

"Everyone had an impossible time that day, but he had an impossible time too.

"He was off late and after six holes his chances of winning were all but gone. We'd never seen that from him previously.

"There was a fascination in watching because it was such a unique situation. It wasn't happiness; it isn't nice to see anyone do that. But it was fascinating because it was Tiger.

"He was in the middle of an absurd run of golf. He'd won the last three majors of 2000, the first major of 2001 and the first two in 2002.

"So everyone was assuming he would win from his position after two rounds. But it doesn't matter who you are; if you tee up at the wrong time in the Open it's all over.

"I remember him playing the long fifth hole. He'd already had a couple of bogeys and he drove into the rough on the right. It was like, 'what is going on here?'

"And the man who never gets flustered, looked completely flustered.

"I'd never seen that before. It was very interesting, even if he handled it very classily afterwards."