Against All Odds

It was a notion seconded by swing instructor Butch Harmon. Dumped by the Shark in full view of others (for David Leadbetter) last fall, Harmon, who has shortened Tiger's backswing and turned the game's longest driver into one of the straightest, unloaded on his ex-client by saying, "Tiger is a much smarter player than Greg Norman. They're both tremendously talented, but Tiger's mental approach is better than Greg's. I don't think you'll see him make mental mistakes. He's so composed. He's made no stupid plays."

There were a few glitches on Sunday's front nine, but if there was one amazing stat that emerged from all the rest, it's that Woods didn't make a single bogey all week on the world's sneakiest back nine. In an effort to break the Nicklaus/Floyd scoring record and reach the 20-under goal he set privately for himself, Woods pushed himself hard to the finish line Sunday, swiping his club in anger after a poor second shot into No. 15, barely noticing a young boy who had grabbed him from behind. There would be no letup. No sign of weakness. No chances taken. By the 18th however, Woods was flashing his 50,000-watt smile to the crowd, high-fiving fans left of the fairway while caddie Mike (Fluff) Cowan stepped off yardage.

Asked when he felt comfortable with victory, Woods said, "After I got by the water holes. After I hit my tee shot on 16, even though I screwed it up and hit it right, I knew I could bogey in. Those water holes can jump up and hurt you in a heartbeat."

Not last week. Woods' Masters preparation was highlighted by a career-low round of 59 at Isleworth CC near his home in Orlando on April 5. He took $65 off Mark O'Meara, whose report on the match went as follows: "He should have shot 57, really. It was a pretty easy 59. He wasn't going crazy, making a lot of bombs and chipping in all over the place. A 16-footer was about the longest putt he made, and he parred two par 5s with an iron in his hand."

A few days later the two friends flew together to Augusta, and on the plane Woods turned to O'Meara and asked, "Do you think it's possible to win a Grand Slam?" Suddenly, the two words are not so far-fetched. In fact, of the 21 players polled by Golf World last Sunday about Woods' chances of winning a Grand Slam, 13 said they thought it was possible.

"Even if he had average length, he'd still be a great player," said Lee Janzen.

It's a long period between now and the PGA (Championship), but if he motivates himself, he's got a chance," O'Meara said. "It's highly unlikely, but if anyone could, he could. Here he is, the Masters champion at 21, probably the first guy since Nicklaus to really have a chance."

By teeing off with Faldo in Thursday's afternoon draw, Woods avoided the early-morning brisk winds and 40-degree temperatures that helped make it the third-toughest round at a major in the '90s. There were 16 "others"--scores higher than double bogey--tieing the Masters single-day record set in the second round in 1990. Woods avoided blowups but made bogeys on four of the first nine holes. As slow starters go, he's the only winner since 1980 to shoot higher than 37 on the tournament's opening nine.

"Between the ninth green and 10th tee, I told him this was just a start," Cowan said. "I tried to pump him with positive thoughts. He did the rest."

Woods birdied 10, 12 and 13, then eagled 15 with a wedge to six feet. He missed a 29 when his 10-footer for birdie burned the left lip on 18. At two-under 70, he trailed John Huston by three strokes, but only five others had joined him under par. When Huston vanished from the scene at the 13th Friday, dumping three balls into the tributary of Rae's Creek, Woods had taken the lead for good--by three strokes over Montgomerie and four over Costantino Rocca.