Tiger Woods creates history with victory at Bay Hill
IN: News | US PGA | Bay Hill Invitational (2003) | Wrap | by Bruce Young | 24 Mar 2003
Tiger Woods' emphatic winning margin in the Bay Hill Invitational today may not have been the largest in his 37 wins since joining the PGA Tour in 1996, but the timing of the win may well spell out a clear message that is of more significance than that he offered in his fifteen shot win at Pebble Beach in 2000 and the twelve shot win at the 1997 US Masters.
After all, wasn't this the week where the great rivalry between he and golf's other hottest golfer Ernie Els, would materialise. I guess nobody remembered to give Tiger the script.
He opened slowly with a solid, but hardly spectacular, opening round 70 but from that point on it was a case of who wants second place. His weather interrupted second round of 65 matched that of Els but when he had signed for a 66 in round three, even the most optimistic of his competitors knew that second was the best they could hope for.
An incredibly solid final round of 68 was highlighted by an early eagle at the fourth and two further birdies in poor conditions had the shutters down early on those playing behind.
He now joins Gene Sarazen and Walter Hagen as the only player to win the same event on four consecutive occasions on the USPGA Tour. Others have done it on other tours with Laura Davies and Karrie Webb winning the same event four consecutive times events on the USLPGA (Standard Register Ping) and Australian LPG Tours (Australian Ladies Masters) respectively and New Zealander John Lister winning the Garden City Classic on the Australasian Tour in the mid-1970's.
But this is the PGA Tour and the fact that Woods has been able to do it in an era where there is, supposedly at least, such strong opposition reflects the dominance he has in the current game.
37 wins now on the USPGA, eight of them majors, plus seven further wins worldwide since turning pro, says all that needs to be said. His career money earnings on the USPGA Tour alone are now approaching $US38,000,000 and the gap he has opened over second placed Phil Mickelson is a staggering $US14,000,000.
The fight for second proved the real interest in round four as so many came and went. In the end Kirk Triplett, Brad Faxon, Kenny Perry and Stewart Cink shared that spot but all four bogeyed either the seventeenth or eighteenth to cost themselves a chance of second outright.
Jerry Kelly was among the players to miss a chance to secure outright second place following a double bogey at the 18th. Scott Verplank may still be shaking his head after takign a quadruple bogey at the final hole. A par would have gained him a share of 2nd; the quadruple saw him finish in equal 18th.
Aaron Baddeley was rock solid in round four with only one bogey early on and a birdie at the sixteenth, which secured him 6th spot and a cheque for $US162,000. That may or may not be significant in the run up to the Masters as he is at this stage not entered for the TPC this week. Whether this finish today can change that I am as yet unsure. In order for him to get a start at Augusta he needs to be inside the top ten on the money list after the TPC or inside the top fifty in the world ranking. This finish will move him from his current ninety forth but not enough to threaten the top fifty.
Stephen Leaney on the other hand is now on the verge of a start at Augusta. His 25th place should keep him inside the top fifty in the ranking and if that is the case then he gets a start at Sawgrass. At the end of that event if he is still inside the top fifty then he is off to Augusta.
Adam Scott was tied for 25th alongside Leaney, another brilliant last round moving him up the field. His 67 was the equal best, along with J.L Lewis, on day four and follows his final round 62 last week at the Honda.
Peter Lonard was 31st, Craig Parry 31st, Rod Pampling 42nd, Stuart Appleby 65th and Geoff Ogilvy 78th.
