Lesson On Golf: Short Open Course Helps Tiger
By: Jeff Lesson
A U.S Open course playing less than 7,000 yards? Really?
That's what we have this week at Merion in Pennsylvania. This should help Tiger Woods. Here is why.
Despite winning 25% of his career PGA Tour starts, driving the ball straight for long distances has not been his forte for some time. He can get away with not hitting fairways on most courses, but not at an Open set up with six inch rough.
But with a relatively short course at Merion, Tiger will not have to hit driver off the tee on most holes. When he hits three woods or two irons his accuracy off the tee improves dramatically.
He will be able to do this at Merion.
The only X factor is the constant rain making the course play longer. That would negate Tiger's advantage.
LIFT CLEAN AND CHEAT
While covering The U.S. Open at a very wet Oakland Hills in 1996- where Tiger missed the cut as an amateur-I remember a USGA official was asked if they would play "lift, clean and place".
His terse response - a direct shot at the PGA Tour- was. "We don't pay lift, clean and CHEAT".
With all the rain, forget about getting the green speeds up this weekend. They will be able to throw darts at the pins. We should see a winning score near double digits in the red.
Despite the fact that Sunday will be the five year anniversary of the last major he has won, Tiger Woods is the 7-2 favorite. No one else is better than 20-1!
Yes, he is deservedly the number one golfer in the world. He has won four events quicker than he has any other year on Tour. But when he gets to the weekends at the Majors, something happens to him between the ears.
It's called "choking". And the 44 in his last event doesn't help his chances.
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