|
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE |  |
Tiger's take Woods talks about his latest feat
When Tiger Woods first turned pro in 1996 the total purses awarded on the PGA Tour that year equaled about $69 million. Total prizes this year? More than double that and Tiger is a main reason why. Some 200,000 people jammed St. Andrews this week for a glimpse of history and CNNSI.com's Jim Huber was among the select few who talked to the champion shortly after his most recent triumph. Jim Huber: You know you can get silver poisoning kissing trophies too often. What are the emotions you are feeling right now? Tiger Woods: It is hard to describe really because it's been so soon after the championship. But to be able, I guess, to win the Open championship and have the ironic part at St. Andrews. And then have a chance to cpmplete my career Grand Slam. What more can you ask for? And then to go up against David Duval today when he was off to such a great start, 4-under through seven. Then Ernie [Els] is making a run, Thomas [Bjorn] is making a run, and to be able to come out on top makes it that much more special. Jim Huber: What's more important to you, this [title] or the Grand Slam? Woods: It's hard. Because I know there's four pieces to the puzzle, but it really is hard so say. This is the ultimate championship to be able to win at St. Andrews and the Open championship. Granted, we didn't have the weather like we normally would have over here. I think that would have made it even more special because it would have been dreary, wet, rainy, windy and cold. It got kinda cool toward the end today. Huber: You didn't have the weather, but you also had the 112 bunkers out there which you didn't touch in four days.
Woods: I didn't touch those in four days, but in practice rounds I played plenty out of them. I didn't drive the ball very well in practice rounds but that's the way it goes sometimes. I worked hard on my game plan, where I needed to put the ball. I executed properly. And you know that a good shot is sometimes going to end up 30 or 50 feet away and that's a good shot. Huber: Tiger, you win your Grand Slam by a total of 36 shots, an average of nine per tournament and that includes winning one of those four by just one stroke, do you start competing with yourself at some stage? Woods: Well, today my whole mindset was to get to 20 [under par] somehow, just get to 20. And I did. I didn't stay there very long [smiles], but I got to 20 after 14 holes. But I didn't stay there and unfortunately I bogeyed 17. I wanted to play today with no bogeys and get to 20 under par. That's where I wanted to get to, but I just wasn't able to accomplish that. 
I knew in the back of my mind that going out there today, I also accomplished another goal which was to shoot four straight rounds in the 60's. And on a par-72 golf course that is not exactly easy to do. I came close to that at Augusta. I shot 70 in the first round and then shot three straight rounds in the 60s. I came close at Pebble [Beach] but wasn't able to complete it there. But to be able to do it here at St. Andrews, the home of golf, everything just lined up right for me. Huber: Are we going to do this [interview] once a month, every month through the summertime? Woods: Not a bad thing is it? Huber: No, not a bad thing at all. Woods: I like talking to you. Huber: I like talking to you too pal, congratulations. Woods: Thanks very much. Huber: Tiger Woods, winner of the British Open and now the career Grand Slam.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
