Take that, Ernie — Tiger wins World Match Play title
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
Originally posted 3/5/2003

By Larry Fitzgerald

Tiger Woods has again confirmed that his mission to be the greatest golfer of all time is right on target. After undergoing knee surgery in late December, Woods did not return to the PGA Tour until three weeks ago to win his first tournament of the season, the Buick Invitational at Torre Pines.

Last week he finished fifth in the Nissan Los Angeles Open and recorded the lowest round of the week, a final round 65. So for the first time in 2003 Tiger and Ernie Els, the hottest player in the world and winner of five of his last six tournaments, would be in the same field.

The much anticipated match play final of Tiger vs. Els, the world’s No. 1 and No. 2 players, did not happen. Tiger held up his end of the bargain; however, Els did not, losing in the first round. Tiger grabbed his second tournament win in three weeks, beating David Toms in the 36-hole final to earn $1,050,000. In three tournaments Woods has won $2,031,000 and has matched Els and Mike Weir as two-time winners on the PGA Tour.

“This is the hardest to win,” Woods said. “It’s physically grueling, but I think it’s more mentally grueling because of the ebb and flow of match play. If we had to do this every week, every pro’s playing career would be about 10 years.”

Since Tiger, Els and Weir, along with Phil Mickelson, were all in the field at La Costa, this was the strongest field of the young golf season. The win was the 36th on the PGA Tour for Woods. He is also the first golfer in history to achieve the World Golf Championship career slam. The World Golf Championships began in 1999, and Woods has won them all: three times the NEC Invitational, twice the American Express, and the 2000 World Cup with David Duval.

Tiger will defend his Masters title in April when he attempts to become the first golfer ever to win the Masters three years in a row. He has eight major titles: three Masters, two U.S. Opens, one British Open and two PGA titles. This year is shaping up to be one of Tiger’s most dominant yet.

I don’t think he’s yet as sharp as he’ll be in a month or so. But his mental talent is superior to everybody else on tour, and at age 27 he’s added the experience of being on tour for five years to his raw physical talent. I had the good fortune of playing La Costa Resort & Spa a month ago while in San Diego for the Super Bowl with my good friend John Carter, and it is a great test of golf.

Tiger has pulled out of this week’s Dubai Desert Classic near Iraq because of the possibility of war there. “It’s just not a safe environment over there right now. I don’t think it would be wise for me to go over there at this particular time. If it’s safe next year I’ll go, because I want to go back,” Woods said. Woods was to have received an appearance fee worth more than $2 million to play Dubai; he last played there in 2001.

Woods said his high profile presented him with a different set of circumstances, particularly in a region so close to Iraq. Els is playing and will receive $300,000, while Mark O’Meara will play and receive $200,000.

Fitz Notes & Quotes

Former Minnesota Vikings Head Coach Dennis Green has moved his family to San Diego. He has a fabulous home that is 15 minutes away from Carlsbad, California, the site of this year’s World Match Play Championship.

Tony Morrow, the former director of the Fairway Foundation and two-time Bronze Amateur Champion, is pursuing his lifetime dream of playing on the PGA Tour. Morrow is 27 years old; he resigned his two-year position with the Fairway Foundation in January and now is playing the Professional Golf Mini-Tour up and down the California coast. He finished sixth in a tournament two weeks ago. Morrow is being sponsored by Dennis Green Sports Marketing.

Don’t be surprised if corner back Corey Fuller is back with the Vikings. Cleveland released him last week, and Vikings Head Coach Mike Tice said the Vikings would like to sign Fuller.