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'Bear'ly holding back tears
By Laird Small Certain players have it. Others don't. Jack Nicklaus brought a certain magic with him that made him forever a champion. Tiger Woods has that magic now -- and he will have it for quite time. The magic Tiger and Jack possess separates them from those considered "flashes in the pan." It's not luck, although it seems Lady Luck always is on Woods' side. It's a certain persona, a certain swagger of confidence that brings success. But to possess this magic involves more than hitting the right shots. Case in point was the 18th hole. While walking down the 18th fairway, Woods stepped back and let Nicklaus savor what would be his swan song at the PGA Championship. We don't see that chivalry in other sports. For the most part, all we hear about is the negative side of sports. That episode on the 18th was the true meaning of sports. It was a great thing for society. Nicklaus' shot on 18 was amazing even if he did not sink the eagle shot for a chance at weekend play. We all sensed the Golden Bear would hit a great shot and we rooted for him. But Nicklaus handled that shot like so many throughout his illustrious career - taking dead aim and amazing us yet again. Why were scores so low as opposed to yesterday? Mother Nature. The rain that pelted Valhalla Friday morning softened the course and made it more receptive to scoring. A big part of this championship might be due to the luck of the draw. Those atop the leaderboard, such as Woods, Scott Dunlap and Davis Love III played early Thursday and late on Friday. The nice weather gave those players better opportunities to score than others. The only exceptions to this really were J.P. Hayes and Bob May. The nice weather was enjoyed by all - players, caddies and the gallery. And you can say it helped golfers play better because the heat and humidity were not a factor. The weather made the pace of play run a lot smoother and faster as well. The softness of the course made the par-5s play more as three-shot holes. Thus, there were fewer delays and only 11 players still out on the course when play ended Friday. Scott Dunlap will be paired with Woods Saturday for the second time in his career (the other being at the 1997 U.S. Open). Scott played well and took advantage of the opportunities presented to him throughout his round. He hung in there and made great putts when he needed to. I think he will perform well tomorrow in the final pairing along with Tiger. This tournament already has the makings of a classic. Not only was it historic because of Nicklaus' PGA farewell, but the Woods-Nicklaus pairing symbolized the changing of the guard in golf. And Nicklaus' stroll down the 18th fairway will forever touch the hearts of all golfers. Laird Small is the Director of Instruction at Pebble Beach Golf Academy. Small also is the Golf Tip Analyst for TNT and CBS during the PGA Championship.
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