When talking about Major titles, there can be no more appropriate incongruity than Colin Montgomerie and Tiger Woods.
Those two are at the extremes of the Major tournament scale. Monty for his lack of Major success and Tiger for continuing to rack up the titles. It is especially worth sparing a thought for Monty when Tiger goes a few Majors without winning, just like he did at the US Masters, US Open and British Open.
Woods apparently suffered a slump of form by not winning any of the first three Majors of the year. How many professionals would love to finish second, second and top 10 at Augusta, US Open and British Open?
And then, of course, conclude the slam season by winning the PGA Championship, as Tiger has done.
So, when the urge comes to dismiss Woods, remember Monty, the so-called ‘best player never to win a Major’ and the man, who like many, would trade all their professional victories for just one of Tiger’s 13 Majors.
Woods secured No. 13 at Southern Hills over the weekend, successfully defending his PGA Championship title and ensuring he goes yet another year with at least one grand slam tournament victory.
He also ended the streak of first-time Major winners after Zach Johnson triumphed at Augusta, Argentina’s Angel Cabrera won at the US Open and Irishman Padraig Harrington claimed the British Open.
Woods is now only five adrift of Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 titles, with the word “only†being relative. After all, for Monty and most others, five is a lifetime achievement and then some.
For Woods, it is only a chapter of his story. And you’d think after so much success, that he would be used to that winning feeling.
Not for Tiger. It was another sweet day for the American, with the presence of his two-month-old daughter Sam making it even more special. He said in an Associated Press article:
“That’s a feeling I’ve never experienced before. To have her here, it brings chills to me. I was surprised she was out here, to see her and (wife) Elin there. It’s just so cool.â€
Woods, though, admitted he nearly threw it away, having turned a three-shot overnight lead into two-stroke victory. However, he held his nerve at the right times to thwart the charge of Woody Austin and South African Ernie Els.
Woods, who equalled the Major record with a 63 in the second round, closed with a 69 to finish at eight-under-par for the tournament while Austin recorded 67 to end up two strokes back.
Els concluded with 66 to finish a further shot back, having suffered for his 72 in the opening round.
Woods has now won more Majors than the rest of the top 10 in the world combined and is ahead of Nicklaus in terms of pace. Nicklaus won his 13th Major at 35 while Woods is 31.
As for Monty, he finished 42nd with seven other golfers, including Harrington, with every Major bypassing him lessening his chances of eventually snaring one of the big four.
And with Woods still around, there are not many left to share around.
Hi Andy
The PGA last day was thrilling, almost as good as the final day of The Open.
Woody and Ernie applied at lot of effort and technique and forced Tiger to give a fantastic display of all his best shots.
I just hope that this is the start of full revival of Ernie Els. Then we can expect that Tiger will not have it all his own way. This brilliant Major may signify the upturn of the top players’ efforts to catch him…Woody CAN do it. Just a couple of loose shots let him down. This may spur on the rest, including Justin Rose, whom I confidently predict, will score in 2008.
These players will force Tiger to play at the very top of his game in order to keep his lead !