AUGUSTA, Ga. Golf doesn't care about wrinkles on a face, rollson a belly or the slowing of a gait. Nor does it care about slick adcampaigns, supermodels, made-for-TV movies, Generation Next orsingle-name status in the pantheon of pop culture.
It is the great equalizer, concerned only with how a man isplaying and not his birth certificate. A legend never dies on a golfcourse, and just the same, a phenom is guaranteed nothing. Anotherprecious Saturday at Augusta National produced those vintage lessons,reminding the world that Tiger Woods is very much a human being, nota test-tube baby, while re-emphasizing the most cobwebbed lesson inmodern sport.
Never dismiss Jack Nicklaus until the casket is closed.This would be the Masters, the thinking went, when Tigerbecame a god and Jack finally went away because he was embarrassinghimself in majors. Instead, this is the Masters when time rebelsagainst the kid and pays homage to an ancient treasure. Who everthought they'd be tied after three rounds, five shots out of thelead? For Woods, it's a bummer development the year after hismosh-pit stomping of azalea heaven, a wrench in his magnificent planto change Earth's name to Planet Tiger by millennium's end. But forgrandmaster Jack, the performance is a revelation, a throwback to the1986 Masters victory that, at age 46, was viewed as golf's enduringode to midlife preservation.If he somehow wins today, at 58 years and three months, wewon't need to return to Augusta again. We will have seen everything.And to hear him talk, winning isn't beyond reach, even when leaderFred Couples is on a mission and the fading icon is young enough tobe his grandson."I think the competitor inside me says, `Jack, I don't carewhat age you are. I don't care who's out in front of me. I'm acompetitor that can still play and win,' " said Nicklaus, ever theApril warrior. "Whether that's realistic - you can laugh at yourselfif you want to or laugh at me - I've got to think that way.Otherwise, I shouldn't be here. I'm gonna give it a try. That'sjust the way I am."It's also why he is considered the best golfer ever. Howconvenient of Nicklaus to show up in his 40th Masters to reiteratethe point, just when we were ready to anoint Tiger as fresh prince ofthe dimpled ball. Believe it or not, Nicklaus actually wasdisappointed after shooting 70, upset he missed a series of makeableputts on the front nine. See, when he rose out of bed on a sunnymorning, the day reminded him of Augusta, 1986. He was conjuring away to WIN THE MASTERS. Again. "I thought I was in the same basicposition and the conditions were similar. I thought if I could get a67, then another 67, I could have a chance," he said. "And I cameclose to shooting the 67."So does that mean he has no chance?"No," he said. "I'll just have to shoot lower Sunday. Ithink 64 is going to be necessary. Can I do it? Why can't I? Ifeel good about my golf game - though I didn't need as much help in'86 as I need now."Minutes later, Woods stormed off the course, failing to takeadvantage of a beautiful, low-wind afternoon made for his power game.As he arrived at the press tent in a cart, he looked at swarms ofreporters awaiting him and muttered sarcastically, "I love beingme." Not only was Tiger failing to dominate the Masters in hispressurized encore, he was barely on the fringe of contention. Thosewhispers about him in his new Nike commercial, the doubts surroundinghis inability to win on American soil since last July's Western Open,were turning to screams and shouts.He tried to remain positive, defiantly so. "I haven't lostanything. I'm right there," he said of another green jacket. Therewas a telling addendum, though. "But . . . " he continued, lettinghis thought trail into the reality that a slew of leaders will haveto collapse while he has the round of his life. Indeed, if Tigerwere to pull this off, five shots down in the final round, it mightmake a more dramatic indentation than last year. Is it realistic?"Oh, it's only five shots now? Hmmmm," he said, told ofCouples' bogey at 18. "Yeah, definitely, the gap can be closed. Onthis golf course, you get something going, you can keep it going.I've done it before." Tiger also has come up with a number he'llneed to shoot. He's not telling what it is. Our advice: 63, onebetter than Jack.The tension in his face was in stark contrast to Nicklaus'savvy. For that matter, you couldn't help compare Tiger's continuingstormy moods to the permanent smile of the college student who won'tgo away, Matt Kuchar, who is making a bigger Masters impression at 19than Tiger is at 22. While the old man and the teenager were soakingup their moments, enjoying every nanosecond, Woods was torturinghimself again.He vented some of his frustration on an ill-advised target:the lords of Augusta National, for their placement of pins, thoughCouples and others weren't having much problem. He also used hispress conference to trash a Showtime movie, "The Tiger Woods Story,"to be aired tonight. The timing suddenly seems lousy. "It prettymuch sucks, honestly, because I had no control over the movie," hesaid. "Someone writes an unauthorized book and someone does a movieover it. That's wrong."No, Tiger. That's cashing in. Just as you have cashed inthe last couple of years, rich guy.At least he calmed down when the topic turned to Nicklaus.They have formed a mutual admiration society, with Jack predictingTiger will win 10 green jackets while Woods has modeled his careerpath after Nicklaus from his childhood years. "Can Jack win it? Oh,yeah. Definitely possible," he said. "He shot 65 in '86 on Sundaywith two bogeys. Him being one under par, for someone who's 58 -people have no idea what an accomplishment that is, especially onthis golf course. It's unbelievable."The Stanford man went on to explain how, after the 28thbirthday, the average human loses one percent of his motor skills peryear if he doesn't work out. "That's why it's pretty impressive whatJack is doing out here, at his age," Tiger said.For the record, Nicklaus still works out on a daily basis.He jumps rope, jogs some, does the crabcrawl and inchworm. Twice aweek, he embarks on a strenuous program designed by a functionalanatomist, whatever that is. The routine has allowed him to avoidback surgery, correct problems with his hips and prolong his career.He hasn't missed a workout day since Thanksgiving, 1988. We're gladhe hasn't. It's a joy to watch him outplay the young guns, shoot 70when Greg Norman can't make the cut.He easily could have retired by now, counted hismultimillions and disappeared from sight. Not Jack. The game willbe in his blood until his dying day. "I just cannot accept notplaying golf," he said. That's why he responded to prodding fromJack Stephens, the Masters chairman, to play this year. Originally,Nicklaus intended to come in a ceremonial role, wave to the crowdslike Arnold Palmer. "I told Jack that last year would be my lasttime to come to a Masters prepared to win," Nicklaus said. "He said,`Do me a favor. Come one more time. We want to do something foryou.' "That something was an award for his 40th Masters. Littledid anyone know Nicklaus would make it another year of contention,punctuating his third round with a spectacular, 25-foot roller acrossthe 18th green. After sinking the putt, he raised his arms, lookedto the skies, closed his eyes and said two words."Thank you."No, thank you.Jay Mariotti's radio show airs Saturdays and Sundays from 8a.m. to noon on 950-AM.
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий