Woods' triumphant return at Buick Invitational
IN: News | US PGA | Buick Invitational (2003) | Wrap | by Bruce Young | 17 Feb 2003
The successful return of Tiger Woods to competitive golf this week in California has highlighted what an exciting year lies ahead for world golf. Woods has not played competitive golf for more than two months following knee surgery in December and yet he still managed to come out and fire a total of -16 (70-66-68-68) to take the US$4.5 million Buick Invitational by four strokes from Carl Pettersson.
With Els winning yet again in Perth at the Johnnie Walker Classic and Woods dominating in his first Tour event of 2003, the stage is set for what is shaping up as one of the more interesting majors in recent times when the two hottest players in the game contend the US Masters in April.
There are other events that will capture the interest of the golfing public, such as the Accenture Matchplay, but it will take some effort for both to reach the final round given the volatility of results in 18 hole matchplay. There is also the Ford Championship at Doral where last year Ernie won the title beating Woods by a shot, the Bay Hill event where Woods won and Ernie was ninth and the TPC at Sawgrass where neither played great golf but Woods finished in front. These will all perhaps provide some guide to what may happen at Augusta, but it will not be until the end of the final round is decided that it can be determined if there are any genuine pretenders to the throne.
While Els has not won the Masters, he has featured regularly with four top tens and seven top twenty places in just nine appearances. Tiger, has of course, won the title three times in eight appearances.
Woods began the first round a little rusty, however, he improved each day and by Sunday, although still not driving accurately, he was long enough to hit enough greens to give him the chance to score. His putting too, was solid, finishing first in that category for the week so it augurs well for him and not so well for his fellow competitors for the rest of the year.
One issue of his putting that was interesting, was that he had Steve Williams reading more greens than I have seen him do for some time. Early on in their working relationship Steve read a lot of greens but when Tiger had laser surgery for his eyes late in 1999, he felt more comfortable reading most of them on his own.
As was the case in Perth, there was an air of predicability from early in the week that this was to be Tiger's event. When he closed to within two on Friday the writing was on the wall.
The expected match up between Woods and Mickelson never eventuated although it was nice to see that the two had 'kissed and made up'. Not sure how much resentment remains below the surface but they got through the final round with the most gentlemanly of conduct.
Carl Pettersen, who qualified for the PGA Tour at last year's tour school in 21st place and in just his second event as a cardholder, did amazingly well to run second. The cheque he has earned this week ($US486,000) will see him within $75,000 or so of full playing rights for 2004. Pettersen went to college in the US (North Carolina State) but has played Europe since earning his card in 2000. In 2002, he won the Algarve Open de Portugal and was 26th on the European Tour Order of Merit. He looks destined to follow in the footsteps of fellow Swede Jesper Parnevik.
Mickelson was tied in fourth with another rookie, Aaron Oberholser and Briny Baird.
The leading Australasian was Craig Perks, which may have come as a surprise to many after coming off two missed cuts. He dropped a couple of shots late in the tournament but his tie for 13th is his best finish since August of last year. Another Kiwi, Steve Alker, also contended for most of the week and although he too dropped shots late in his tournament, he will be pleased with such a good effort on a long golf course. Despite his average length off the tee, Alker has shown that he can handle long courses as his second place at last year's Buy.Com Tour Championship and his finish this week would suggest.
Mathew Goggin was 37th, John Senden and Anthony Painter 57th, Scott Laycock and Greg Chalmers 63rd, Geoff Ogilvy 67th and Aaron Baddeley 74th.
