Woods edges out Bob May
to win third major this year
the ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Tiger
Woods finally got a fight to the
finish.
All summer long, he had
been winning major champi
onships with frightening ease.
Fifteen strokes in the U.S. Open.
Eight strokes in the British
Open.
He was no less spectacular
Sunday in the PGA
Championship, when he had to
reach down and battle back
against a player few people even
knew until their thrilling drama
unfolded on the back nine of
Valhalla Golf Club.
When it was over, the legend
grew.
In a fitting conclusion to
perhaps the greatest summer of
golf, Woods birdied the last two
holes in regulation and won the
PGA Championship in a playoff
over Bob May to become the
first player since Ben Hogan in
1953 to win three majors in one
year.
"This was probably the most
exciting one,” Woods said.
"Usually, you can just kind of
cruise in with pars and win. That
wasn't going to be the case
today.”
Both made five birdies, two
sensational par saves and had a
31 on the back nine. Woods out
lasted May by taking only three
putts in the three-hole playoff,
the last one a 2-foot par putt for
his third consecutive major.
It was the easiest shot he had
all afternoon.
"It was a memorable battle
today, and I enjoyed it,” Woods
said. “We never backed off from
one another. Birdie for birdie,
shot for shot, we were going
right at each other. That's as
good as it gets.”
Woods now holds the scor
ing record in relation to par in all
four major championships, an
18-under 270 that allowed him
to get into the playoff that he
won by one stroke.
Last month at St. Andrews,
the 24-year-old Woods became
the youngest player to complete
the career Grand Slam, with an
eight-stroke victory. In June, he
won the U.S. Open at Pebble
Beach by 15 shots.
This was no less impressive.
"The fireworks started on
the back nine,” Woods said.
“This is probably one of the
greatest duels I've ever had in
my life. Hats off to Bob. He
played his heart out”
May tested Woods like no
one else in the last two majors,
“We never backed off from one another. Birdie
for birdie, shot for shot, we were going right at
each other. That'S as good as it gets. ”
Tiger Woods
PGA champion
taking the lead with a two-shot
swing on the second hole and
never giving it up until the end.
“If I would have won, it
would have been a dream come
true,” May said.
lied with Woods going to the
72nd hole, May holed an 18-foot
birdie putt from the fringe that
put Woods in a perilous situa
tion—a 6-foot birdie putt to get
into the playoff. It curled in on
the left side.
Woods took a one-stroke
lead on the first playoff hole, No.
16, but not until after May
showed he wasn’t going away,
hitting a 70-yard chip from the
rough that stopped inches from
the cup.
Woods tracked his 25-foot
birdie putt, trotting after it and
pointing at the ball as it dropped
for a biniie.
Both players made impres
sive par saves on the 17th, set
ting the stage for even more
drama on the 18th.
Woods hit his drive well to
the left and into a sycamore tree.
It dropped onto a cart path,
bouncing so high it hit the tree
again before rolling down the
path onto some trampled dirt.
He hit his approach into the left
rough, and Ids third shot into a
bunker.
But May failed to capitalize.
He hit across the fairway into
more rough, and his approach
stopped 40 feet short
After Woods hit out of the
bunker to 2 feet, May’s only
hope was to make a putt that
was as long as his chances.
It almost went in.
But this year—this game —
belongs to Woods. He closed
with a 67, his 15th consecutive
round at par or better in the
majors.
He has had at least a share of
the lead in 11 of the last 12
rounds in the majors, unprece
dented domination.
At Valhalla, the back nine
turned into match play, a format
the PGA Championship ditched
in 1958. It more than held its
own against some of die greatest
duels ever.
It was the best player in the
game against a player few had
even heard of until this week.
While Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson
and Davis Love III failed to
mount a challenge, May seemed
to relish it
He outplayed Woods for the
first half of an incredible back
nine duel and looked as if he
had a chance to finish him off on
the 15th with a possible three
stroke lead with three holes left
But Woods made a 12-footer,
May pulled his short putt to the
left, and Woods’ caddie summed
up the situation.
“Ball game’s on, now,” Steve
Williams told him.
Just minutes later, Woods’
sand wedge spun back 4 feet for
birdie on 17. He made the putt,
and for the first time since the
11th hole, he was tied with May.
Both players reached the
green on the par-5 18th in two,
but May’s long eagle putt raced
by the hole some 18 feet on the
fringe.
Down to his last chance, the
putt broke two directions and
fell into the cup on its last revo
lution.
Woods'turn.
His 6-foot birdie putt caught
the left side and gently fell into
the cup, and Woods let out a
shout before slapping hands
with his caddie. It was on to die
playoff, where Woods delivered
once again.
It wasn't easy, but the results
were just the same.
Crouch, Hampton
players of the year
Pkbfrompage16
Colorado, whom Coach Gary Barnett likens to
Eric Dickerson.
Most of the picks are safe. A few gambles are
sprinkled in-Tbniu Fonoti of Nebraska, and tight
end Daniel Graham of Colorado.
As coach of the year, we chose Terry Allen of
Kansas, as we think his will be the one team that
turns in a decent improvement this year.
But it wouldn’t be surprising to see Frank
Solich or Bill Snyder win it if their teams go unde
feated.
We’re a loyal clan, so Nebraska edges out KSU,
though the game in Manhattan will be no walk.
We predict both teams will be undefeated when
it's played.
Texas, blessed with gobs of young talent, can
stave off a South Division in transition, as only OU
seems poised to make a serious run. Every other
team has a new quarterback or a new offense to
break in.
All signs point to NU/UT part four in the Big
12 Championship, played in Kansas City's
Arrowhead Stadium.
The more snow, the better.
Dr. Pepper is better cold anyway.
1. Nebraska
2. Kansas
State
3. Colorado
4. Kansas
5. Iowa State
6. Missouri
South
1. Texas
2. Oklahoma
3. Texa$Tech
4. Oklahoma
State
5. Texas A&M
6. Baylor
Big XII
Champion
Nebraska
Keep the
newsprint off
your fingertips.
4
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