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British Open Notebook Woods goes 35 holes between birdies at Open
Posted: Sunday July 18, 1999 05:49 PM
CARNOUSTIE, Scotland (AP)-- Tiger Woods hit his driver about a half dozen times in the British Open and went for 35 holes without a birdie. Need any more reasons why he has now gone 10 majors without winning one. "Unfortunately, for the week the driver was taken out of our hands, and that's probably the way they wanted to set it up," Woods said. He finished with a 3-over 74 and for a total of 10-over 294, four strokes short of reaching the playoff. He had six birdies, 12 bogeys and two double bogeys. Woods played this course in the Scottish Open in 1995 and '96, but that was when the rough was ankle-high instead of knee-deep. "In the Scottish Open, we hit driver off No. 5 [411 yards]," he said. "This week you had to hit 6 or 7 irons to keep it short and in play." Like almost everyone else, Woods was critical of how the Royal and Ancient set up the course, with wheat field rough and narrow fairways. Still, he's ready to return. "I think that if they're going to make the rough this high, go ahead and give us some room to hit. ... We are fine with 20-yard fairways, but then don't have the rough so high. But if you want to have it knee-high, then give us some room, give us a chance to play." "I'd still love to play here again," he added. "I think this is the hardest on the rotation. It's also definitely the fairest because there's only one blind tee shot and that's on 14 [515-yard]. One most links you don't see everything." This may be remembered as the quietest British Open in history. Ryder for LawrieLawrie's victory guarantees him of making his first Ryder Cup team. The British Open victory was only the third of his European Tour career and also guarantees him a place in next year's Masters. "I didn't know about the Masters until an official told me when I finished my round. I've always wanted to play at Augusta. I'm 30, but I feel my career is just starting. I feel I can compete with the big guys now." Reaching the playoff also boosted Justin Leonard's chance of making the U.S. Ryder Cup team. Quiet timesThere were few birdies to applaud with only 10 players breaking par through three rounds. The driver, always sure to thrill the gallery, has been taken out of the hands of players like Tiger Woods. Instead, they've been forced to finesse irons off most tees and pray they stick on the tight, crowned fairways. Greg Norman, for one, has been put off by the silence and said he's never played in such a quiet major. "We like to hear roars for birdies and eagles," Norman said. "At places like Augusta, it really spurs you on." Woods said he's noticed the subdued atmosphere, where players have usually been putting for pars or bogeys -- and seldom for birdies. "I haven't heard as many [fans applauding]," Woods said. "I really haven't heard anything much."
Relief wantedJean Van de Velde wanted relief from the rough on the 11th hole in the third round so he wouldn't kill the cameraman. It was granted -- by mistake. The Royal and Acient said Sunday a rules official erred by allowing the Frenchman to take a drop from the rough because the immovable object -- a television crane -- was not between Van de Velde's ball and the hole. His lie was so bad that Van de Velde had no choice but to play back to the fairway, which is where the crane came into play. "It is regrettable that the ruling on the 11th hole was incorrect," said David Rickman, rules secretary for the R and A. "In the cirumstances, the player's request was reasonable and understandable. But, in accordance with the local rule, relief should not have been granted." The referee's ruling for a drop still stands, and Van de Velde still had a nasty lie in the rough. He still had a 20-foot putt for par, which he missed. The ruling was similar to what happened to Larry Nelson in the 1989 U.S. Open at Oak Hill. Nelson's ball stopped directly in front of a tree. When he tried to play back into the fairway, he found an immovable television stand in front of him - but was denied relief because it was not in the line of the flag.
French historyArnaud Massy in 1907 wasn't just the first Frenchman to win the Open, he was also the first non-Briton. His rounds at Hoylake were 76, 81, 78, 77, two strokes ahead of J.H. Taylor.
No recordJean Van de Velde's best finish in a previous British Open was a tie for 33rd in 1993 and a 38th-place tie in '94. His other six attempts? He failed to qualify four times and missed the cut twice.
Odds and endsNick Faldo's chances of making the Ryder Cup team must be nearly zero after he missed his first British Open cut in 24 tries. Faldo, who turned 42 on Sunday and has won more Ryder points than any player in history, is so low on the Ryder standings that he must rely on a wild-card pick from captain Mark James. James seems much more likely to pick Jesper Parnevik and Bernhard Langer. Other possibilities are Thomas Bjorn, Patrick Sjoland and Per-Ulrik Johansson. The highest post-war winning scores at the British Open are: Fred Daly, 1947 (293); Sam Snead, 1946 (290); Gary Player, 1968 (289); Bobby Locke, 1952 (287); Peter Thomson, 1958 (286). Player's round came at Carnoustie. Phil Mickelson on playing Carnoustie and missing the cut: "I wish I hadn't come here. I would rather be at home with my wife and baby. ... I dont think there is an individual in the R and A who would break 100 around here." Several players have taken to calling the course "Car-nasty." ... The R and A's Hugh Campbell, chairman of the championship committee, admitted he had errored in making the fairways so tight. "On the narrowness of the fairways, I hold my hands up." ..."French Claret on the Menu," said a Scotland on Sunday headline.
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