Power of Caring
  presented by CIGNA

Posted: Wed August 13, 1997 at 8:47 PM ET

MAMARONECK, New York (CNN/SI) -- Back in April, Tiger Woods' stunning, historic win at Augusta made him an international superstar.

And with the coveted Masters green jacket came the burden of unbelievable expectations: This 21-year-old was suddenly expected to win every time out, and do it convincingly.

Woods remembers the comments. "For people to be saying I have a chance for a Grand Slam -- yeah, I was the only one who had a chance. Realistically, it's next to impossible to win all four."

Woods found out just how tough it is to win majors in his next two Grand Slam outings.

An opening-round 74 doomed him at the U.S. Open, and he finished 6-over-par for the tournament, 10 shots off the lead and tied for 19th.

At the British Open, a third-round 64 was not enough. He wound up tied for 24th at even par, 12 strokes off the pace.

"As far as my performance in the other two majors, I just made too many mistakes," says Woods. "At the U.S. Open, I didn't drive the ball particularly well. It's awful tough to play a U.S. Open when you're not driving the ball well.

"At the British, actually I played pretty good. I just had three bad holes. And if you take those three holes away, and put pars on the card, I finish second."

Greg Norman, who has spent a lot of time in the spotlight, understands the expectations and the pressure they bring. "I think one thing you guys have got to understand is that he's a human being. And I think, quite honestly, a lot of people have heaped an enormous amount of pressure on him.

"Tiger's a great guy, a great player. But, you know, when you have all that extra pressure from winning the Masters, he's human -- just as much as anybody else."

By his own admission, Woods has been forced to grow up quickly.

There is no more anonymity. Everywhere he plays, throngs of fans follow. There seems to be no peace, and no time for himself. Life in the fishbowl as a public figure has become part of his everyday existence.

In a game that requires the utmost concentration, that distraction is a problem.

"If I can get a chance to tell people: 'How would you feel if you were in a big business negotiation, and I came in, and I started screaming and yelling and asking for your autograph, would that disrupt your concentration or what you're trying to accomplish?' Of course it would," says Woods.

"And when it's explained that way, people understand. But sometimes people lose sight of that."

Fellow pro Tom Watson commiserates.

"I'm sure he feels like I do. When he's inside the ropes, he's relaxed. Everything else, things that he must do, that's the tax on his time and his ability to play the game."

Last week, Woods broke Tom Lehman's single-season earnings record. He has now won more than $1.8 million dollars this season.

But golfers are not remembered for their bank accounts. Their names are etched in the history books for the number of majors they've won.

This week's PGA Championship on the historically difficult Winged Foot West Course will offer golf's newest superstar another chance to compete under the most pressurized of conditions.

"I know that playing at the U.S. Open was an incredible test of patience, and it put more emphasis on ball-striking than Augusta did. At the British Open it was, more than anything, dealing with bounces.

"You're going to get some bad bounces, and you have to understand that. And yeah, it is definitely going to test every facet of your game. But more importantly, it's going to test your mind, as well as a major should."

While acknowledging the severity of this course, Woods also says his instructor, Butch Harmon, has given him invaluable information about how to attack Winged Foot.

Harmon grew up on this course as the son of the head pro, and his insight could make a difference this week. For Woods, a victory here would make golf history. No player has ever won two majors in his first full season as a professional.