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Tuesday, June 20
Woods masters Pebble Beach twice

By Bob Harig
Special to ESPN Golf Online

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- Tiger Woods won at Pebble Beach in both February and June, and all parties agree there is no comparison between the course used for the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and the U.S. Open.


	Woods was tops in greens in regulation to key his runaway win.

In the winter, the course is wet and plays long. The fairways are wider, the greens softer. In essence, it is substantially easier, especially considering the fact that amateurs play in the tournament.

For the Open, the course is dry and plays fast. Fairways are narrow, greens are rock hard. It is not an easy test, as evidenced by every score in the field other than Woods' winning number.

But it is interesting to note that Woods' winning score of 272 was actually one stroke better than his 273 in February, when he made up a seven-shot deficit in the final seven holes to win his sixth straight PGA Tour event.

Two other courses -- Spyglass and Poppy Hills -- are used for that tournament as well, but that only makes his U.S. Open feat more impressive.

Take away Woods' winning total, and the next best score was 3-over 287, shot by Ernie Els and Miguel Angel Jimenez.

An over par score has not won the U.S. Open since Andy North's triumph at Cherry Hills in 1978.

That tells you how difficult Pebble Beach was playing.

"The worst greens I've ever putted on; no question about it," said John Huston, who finished fourth. "They're so bumpy. They're dead. The 12th green could not be any more dead. It's just completely dead all the way around. Hopefully that's not what they intended.

"I think they're so worried that the scores are going to be too good that they let it get away from them."

Huston believes that Pebble Beach is not a difficult course if weather conditions are benign. With that in mind, he thinks the USGA set up the rough and greens to compensate.

"They easily sacrifice fair for par every time, so it's not surprising. It's a shame," he said. "You can't step up and say 'I'm going to hit a good putt just outside the left' and know that it's going to break where it should. It's just terrible."

The conditions played with the minds of plenty of players.

"I hate to see the old girl in leather and chains, which is what the USGA put her in," said Kirk Triplett, who shot 84 during Saturday's third round. "It's as much a mental test as a physical test, and the USGA makes no secret of it."

Said Hal Sutton, who shot 83 during the third round before rebounding with a 70 on Sunday: "I'd like to see the USGA (officials) play the conditions we play. I'd like to see them be humbled, drop to their knees. Just one time."

And yet one player managed to deal with the conditions. Woods shot three rounds in the 60s, and did not shoot over par. Two rounds were without a bogey. He did not have a three-putt green for the tournament, led the field in greens hit in regulation and was sixth in putting.

"It's pretty phenomenal," Huston said. "He's certainly out there in a league of his own. I think when he's putting the way he did this week, he's totally unbeatable."

Getting misty
Jack Nicklaus had an emotional farewell round Friday when he missed the cut in what was likely his last U.S. Open at age 60. Sunday's final round brought similar feelings for Tom Kite and Hale Irwin. Kite still will be exempt for two more U.S. Opens, but he stopped to take a look around at the place where he won the 1992 title.

"This might be my last time at Pebble Beach," he said.

Irwin's 10-year exemption for winning the 1990 Open expired.

"It's the tournament I look forward to. It's defined my career," said Irwin, 55, who became the oldest champion in 1990. He also won the tournament in 1974 and 1979. "It's been the hallmark of my career since I started on the tour. Conceivably, it could have been my last U.S. Open round. I'm out of exemptions. I have to play my way back in somehow."

Strong finish
The top-15 finishers and ties received a spot in next year's Open, while the top-16 and ties get an invitation to The Masters. That makes what Retief Goosen did pretty impressive.

He finished the tournament with a birdie at the 17th and an eagle at the 18th to shoot even-par 71. He moved into a 12th-place tie, securing spots in both major championships next year.

"I didn't realize that," Goosen said. "That's great. The 18th hole had really treated me well this week ... 4-under par on that hole for the week is very good."

Goosen began the third round in last place among those who made the cut, but rallied with a 72-71 final 36 holes.

Return to Pebble?
Pebble Beach has become one of the favorite venues of the USGA, and it undoubtedly is in future plans. Pebble was the site for the 1972, 1982 and 1992 Opens and was awarded the 100th Open this year.

"There are no major plans right now, but if you looked in a crystal ball it would make sense for the U.S. Open to return either in 2010 or 2008," said Paul Spengler, vice president for Pebble Beach Resorts. "There is no set rotation, but the USGA has come to Pebble Beach just about once every 10 years."

Pebble has also hosted the U.S. Amateur (1929, 1947, 1961, 1999), the PGA Championship (1977), the Nabisco Championships (now Tour Championship, 1988) and the U.S. Women's Amateur (1940, 1948).

Next year's U.S. Open is at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Okla.; followed by Bethpage Black (N.Y.) in 2002 and Olympia Fields (Ill.) in 2003.

On to St. Andrews
It was another frustrating week for Colin Montgomerie, still searching for his first major championship. Rounds of 73 and 74 to start the tournament put him out of contention, and then a third-round 79 put him way back. He finished Sunday with 73 to complete the tournament at 15-over 299.

"It's disappointing not performing the way I can," said Montgomerie, who has won seven straight European money titles. "I'm disappointed more than anything. I'm just not playing very well."

Told the he was No. 1 for the week in fairways hit, Montgomerie replied: "That's great. They should put the hole in the fairway."

Bob Harig, who covers golf for the St. Petersburg Times, writes a column every Tuesday for ESPN Golf Online.


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