Cut prediction: Wyndham Championship

Twenty years ago – specifically a two-month stretch that summer — the phenomenon named Tiger Woods didn’t just take his legend to another level. He brought it to another galaxy. That June at a familiar backdrop – the majestic Pacific and the staggering beauty of Pebble Beach Golf Links – the storyline was something golf had never witnessed. In arguably the closest anyone has come to playing perfect golf, Woods authored the most dominating performance in a major championship, winning the U.S. Open by a staggering 15 strokes. For perspective, consider the three icons who each own four U.S. Opens. At the end of 72 holes, Jack Nicklaus led by a combined total of nine strokes (one playoff); Ben Hogan by 10 (one playoff); Bobby Jones by four (two playoffs). And to repeat, Woods won the 2000 U.S. Open by 15, finishing at 12 under while you needed binoculars to see Ernie Els and Miguel Angel Jimenez, the runner-ups who were at 3 over. CHASING 83: A look back at Tiger’s run to 82 wins A month later at another iconic venue, Woods blitzed the Open Championship field by eight strokes on the Old Course at St. Andrews. And a month after that, he and Bob May finished 72 holes of the PGA Championship five strokes ahead of everybody else, with Woods winning in a playoff at Valhalla. It gave him the first three legs of what eventually would become the Tiger Slam. Those remain the exclamation points to that season of athletic beauty: Nine exhilarating PGA TOUR wins as golf was played like it never had been before and may never be again. Might Woods have been even better in 2006-07 (15 wins in 31 starts)? Maybe. I was there for most of those, too, and sheer brilliance was on stage. But there was an electricity to 2000 that will always warm my spirit and having been blessed to cover seven of his nine wins, the indelible moments are plentiful. The numbers from those nine wins remain a testimony to his awesomeness: In 23 of those 36 rounds he led outright and four other times he shared the lead; two wins came in playoffs, the other seven were by an average of 6.57 strokes; he was a stupefying 160 under for 36 rounds and averaged a staggering 67.33; he was over par in just one of his 36 rounds, even par in two others, under par in 33, and 10 times he shot 65 or better. Now it’s the summer of 2020 and Tiger is back at Muirfield Village, playing for the first time in five months and seeking to break the tie with Sam Snead on the all-time wins list. Nine of those first 82 wins came 20 years ago and rest comfortably in my memory bank. Here’s how I rank the wins of 2000. 9. World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational (now FedEx St. Jude Invitational) Aug. 24-27, Firestone CC; Akron, Ohio Woods shot: 64-61-67-67 – 259 (-21) What happened: Textbook wire-to-wire. The second-round 61 was pure silliness, posted in such an emphatic manner that the opposition was stunned. Except for Phil Mickelson, of course. He bristled when a reporter asked if he thought the tournament was over. “I certainly don’t. A little disappointed that you would bring that up,” he replied. Seven back at the time, Mickelson finished 12 behind Woods. Writers’ perspective: “I never thought I’d see a better shot-maker than (Ben) Hogan or a winner than (Jack) Nicklaus. But I have. It’s Tiger. My jaw is agape.” – Dan Jenkins of Golf Digest, as told to Fort Worth Star-Telegram Player feedback: “There’s nothing more I can say.” – Paul Azinger, who closed with 65 and still got beat by 14 Lasting image: When James Driscoll of Brookline, Massachusetts, local flavor galore to my Boston Globe editors, reached the championship match of the U.S. Amateur at Baltusrol in New Jersey, my assignment changed. I flew out of Cleveland Sunday and witnessed Driscoll’s dramatic comeback to force extra holes. That Woods waltzed to an 11-stroke win in my absence was no surprise; that Driscoll fell in a playoff to Jeff Quinney on Monday morning is a personal footnote to the incomparable season that was 2000. 8. Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard March 16-19, Bay Hill Club & Lodge; Orlando, Florida Woods shot: 69-64-67-70 – 270 (-18) What happened: It was almost as if Woods toyed with the field, so in control was his game, so explosive was his might when he needed it. T-3 after Round 1, he seized the lead on Friday and held it throughout. He obliterated the par-5s (10 birdies, 2 eagles) and made just one harmless bogey over the final 36 holes. Writers’ perspective: “Blame it on March Madness, because if we aren’t suffering from hoops overload by now, my name isn’t Gonzaga and Billy Packer isn’t wearing glass slippers. Still, that didn’t look like Tiger Woods winning the Bay Hill Invitational Sunday as much as it did Dean Smith and the North Carolina Tar Heels running the four-corners offense. There was Tiger Woods playing keep away. No fist pumps, no come-from-behind rallies, no improbable escapes, no show time.” – Gary Van Sickle, Sports Illustrated Player feedback: “I think he’s playing everybody’s ‘A’ game every week.” – Davis Love III Lasting image: Love isn’t a boastful type, but when after his third-round 63 to get within two of Woods, he said, “I’ve been saying for the past few months that someone has to knock him down in the dirt to show him that he can lose,” I nearly dropped my notebook. Love might regret those words, I said to myself and, sure enough, Woods won by four. 7. the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide May 25-29, Muirfield Village; Dublin, Ohio Woods shot: 71-63-65-70 – 269 (-19) What happened: More and more layers of frustration and awe are piled on as Woods shoots 18 under with just three bogeys over his final 54 holes to continue to beat the opposition to a pulp. Heavy Sunday rain forces Monday finish, though Ernie Els, who started Round 2 just three behind Woods, but finished it 10 back, didn’t see the point. “Listen, guys, it’s over,” he said solemnly, and the tournament host seemed to agree. “He’s just making mincemeat out of golf courses,” added Jack Nicklaus. Writers’ perspective: “The rain didn’t dampen Tiger Woods’ spirits Sunday, but his comments certainly must have sent an unnerving message to the rest of the PGA TOUR. ‘Every area of my game can get better,’ Woods said after the fourth round of The Memorial Tournament was postponed until today. ‘I won’t win every week, but it’s a nice goal.’ ” – Vartan Kupelian, The Detroit News Player feedback: “Well, you spot the No. 1 player in the world six shots for 18 holes, I’d have to bet on Tiger.” – Steve Lowery Lasting image: Woods was spotted coming out of a Marriott Courtyard. He smiled and told colleague Glenn Sheeley of the Atlanta Journal Constitution that it allowed him to outmaneuver the crowd of autograph-seekers who suspected he was at the traditional players’ hotel nearby. Quipped Sheeley: “We knew Tiger was going for the Grand Slam; who knew he was trying for Platinum (status), too.” 6. RBC Canadian Open Sept. 7-10, Glen Abbey GC; Ontario, Canada Woods shot: 72-65-64-65 – 266 (-22) What happened: We’re guessing he was bored by all those virtual wire-to-wire efforts, so Woods opened modestly, sat seven behind Kevin Sutherland, then scorched Glen Abbey with 17 birdies, three eagles, and just one bogey over the next 54 holes to win his third straight tournament and ninth of the season. The shot that nailed it – a 6-iron from 218 yards out of a fairway bunker to set up a birdie – is arguably his best. Click here for an oral history of that shot. Writers’ perspective: “True to form, Woods gave the sea of humanity crammed into Glen Abbey everything it came to see. He put together another incredible round and he manufactured another shot sure to leave everyone talking for a long time.” – Randy Phillips, The Gazette Montreal Player feedback: “He was 17 and I could beat him then. He wasn’t as intimidating.” – Grant Waite, recalling when he first played alongside Woods Lasting image: It didn’t generate the sort of enthusiasm that Woods’ run of wins at three majors did, but personally, I got a charge out of the fact Woods won the U.S. Open, Open Championship and Canadian Open in the same year, matching a feat that only Lee Trevino had accomplished. 5. Mercedes Championship (now Sentry Tournament of Champions) Jan. 6-9, Plantation Course at Kapalua, Hawaii Woods shot: 71-66-71-68 – 276 (-16) What happened: Playing the windswept Plantation Course for the first time, Woods got a feel for the massive property on Thursday, then blitzed the place on Friday, his 7-under 66 featuring not one, but two par 4s where he drove it onto the green. The weekend battle was won by Els (67-68 to Woods’ 71-68) as they finished in a tie by matching eagles at the 72nd hole. They then matched birdies at the 18th before Woods made birdie on the second playoff hole, No. 1, to win. Writers’ perspective: “The flag-snapping trade winds were the least of anyone’s worries Friday at the Mercedes Championship. The second round of the new season brought the same old problem – how to stop Tiger Woods. There appears to be no solution.” – Doug Ferguson, Associated Press Player feedback: “You’ve just got to stick to your guns. But he’s got bigger guns than I have.” – Ernie Els Lasting image: Little did Els know it at that time, but there would be three more runner-up finishes to Woods that season, including two majors. But in sultry Hawaiian warmth, Els acknowledged that Woods was a freak show. “He’s probably going to be bigger than Elvis when he gets into his 40s.” 4. AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Feb. 3-7, Pebble Beach GL, Spyglass, Poppy Hills; Pebble Beach, California Woods shot: 68-73-68-64 – 273 (-15) What happened: A miracle, is what. Seemingly insurmountable deficits at 36 (eight) and 54 (five) holes were nothing when compared to what he faced in Monday’s final round – he was 10-under and seven behind Gogel with seven holes to play. To say it was improbable was an understatement; it was impossible. Yet, by now with Woods, most things were probable, anything was possible – and this was the tournament that cemented those points. He hit a 5-iron to 8 feet and birdied the demanding par-3 12th, then at the 15th he holed a sand wedge from 97 yards for eagle. At 16, he nearly holed out again, this time from 115 yards, but settled for a tap-in birdie. To close, Woods found the fairway, hit a 2-iron from 228 yards to the front of the green, pitched to 3 feet, and made the birdie for a riveting 64. He had played the last seven holes in 5-under, a stretch during which Gogel played his last eight holes in 4-over, creating a remarkable 9-stroke swing. From seven down, Woods won by two. Writers’ perspective: “All right, so what exactly is it going to take now to stop Tiger Woods’ six-tournament winning streak? Playing blindfolded? Jack Nicklaus coming back in his prime? Byron Nelson’s guardian angel leaving spike marks on the green? The way things are going in this World According to Tiger, chances are there isn’t much that can stop him, outside of covering the holes with dinner plates.” – Thomas Bonk, Los Angeles Times Player feedback: “He’s got to leave a few for his friends, doesn’t he? He can’t have them all.” – Jean Van de Velde Lasting image: We thought it was over and we knew it was lunch time, so the long walk from the 13th green at Pebble Beach to the media center was made just in time to hear a thunderous road. Woods had holed out for eagle at 15 and trailed by just three. “Remember how we said we weren’t going to have to go to San Diego next week?” my colleague said. “We were wrong. We’re going.” Indeed, Woods won and so our traveling circus of golf writers re-booked travel plans and were off to Torrey Pines. 3. PGA Championship Aug. 17-20, Valhalla GC; Louisville, Kentucky Woods shot: 66-67-70-67 – 270 (-18) What happened: Unheralded Bob May made an 18-foot birdie putt at the 72nd hole to momentarily pull ahead of Woods, who then needed a 5-footer to force a playoff. He made it. In a three-hole aggregate playoff, Woods went birdie-par-par to edge May, who was par-par-par. Woods, who successfully defended his title, was in at least a tie for the lead each day as he joined Ben Hogan (1953) as the only players to win three professional majors in a season. Writers’ perspective: “It’s a strange job, traipsing about, typing sports. You forget how to tingle. Your Amaze-o-Meter gets stuck on empty. A comeback to win the Super Bowl? Yawn, scribble. A 9.9 to win the gold? Scribble, yawn. Almost 220 mph on that last lap? Yawn, Yawn. Then along comes Tiger Woods, and a job becomes a privilege. I would pogo from Bangor to Birmingham to see Woods play. I would wear spike heels, a see-through muumuu and RuPaul’s curlers if it were the only way through the gate. I ought to buy my dad a box of cigars for having me the year that he did.” – Rick Reilly, Sports Illustrated Player feedback: “He is the best player in the world by a long, long way and we have got to raise our standards to join his. We have got to go up to his and we are all trying. We are all failing, but we are all trying.” – Colin Montgomerie Lasting image: The first-ever pairing of Woods with Jack Nicklaus. The 24-year-old phenom and the 60-year-old icon. Miles apart in scores (66-67 for Woods, 77-71 for Nicklaus), but glued together in golf folklore, they came to the par-5 18th on Friday and Woods was mesmerized by Nicklaus’ bid to hole a short wedge for eagle and make the cut. “I watched him swing and said, ‘That is perfect rhythm,’ ” said Woods. The shot nearly was perfect, too, but it just missed going in and so the Golden Bear was not around for the weekend but not before giving us another priceless memory. 2. The Open Championship July 20-23, The Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland Woods shot: 67-66-67-69 – 269 (-19) What happened: From the edge of the majestic Pacific to hallowed ground, Woods put up an unfathomable summer stretch in the two oldest professional majors. Backing up a 15-stroke win at the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, Woods posted an eight-stroke win at The Old Course and at 24 became the youngest of just five golfers to win the career Grand Slam (Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus are the others). He played these eight summer rounds in 31-under. Not once in four days did Woods hit into any of the 112 bunkers that give protection to The Old Course, a factoid that left observers in awe. Writer’s perspective: “In golf, a handicap is the great equalizer. It enables anybody to play against anybody else, even Tiger Woods, on theoretically even terms. If you have a 15 handicap and shoot 87, your net score would be 72, even par at most courses. But that’s only if you’re an amateur. If you’re a pro, you compete without a handicap, or belly to belly as Ben Hogan once told a young pro. In golf, a pro is a pro is a pro. But, as Tiger Woods keeps proving, all pros are not created equal. Maybe it’s time to establish the Tiger Handicap Equalizer system . . . ” – Dave Anderson, The New York Times Player feedback: “If you put Old Tom Morris with Tiger Woods, (Woods) would probably beat him by 80 shots right now. The guy is unbelievable, man. I’m running out of words. Give me a break.” – Ernie Els Lasting image: Having shot 69 to get into a share of 26th place, Mark Calcavecchia signed his card and graciously offered his time to my question about this force of nature. “It wasn’t long ago when I said there’d never be another Jack Nicklaus, but we’re looking at one. (Woods) is it. He is the chosen one.” 1. U.S. Open June 15-18, Pebble Beach Golf Links; Pebble Beach, California Woods shot: 65-69-71-67 – 272 (-12) What happened: Total domination in utterly breathtaking wire-to-wire fashion. Woods authored the low round to start (65) and to finish (67), and shared low score in a second round that began on Friday and concluded on Saturday. Two rounds were bogey-free, including Sunday. Writer’s perspective: “(Woods) now owns two of the 12 most lopsided victories in professional golf history. He missed by a single stroke tying the record for widest margin ever, in the hardest tournament there is. A potential rival? Save your candidate the embarrassment and hold your tongue with rivet tongs. There is but one, and there is no visible second, or even a third. Welcome again to one-man golf.” — Ray Ratto, San Francisco Examiner Player feedback: “These young guys, I feel for them. They’re taking a pounding from this guy.” – Nick Price Lasting image: Never had I seen the media center so jammed on a Saturday night. But hardly anyone was grinding over the story for Sunday’s papers. No, sir. “This thing’s over,” a colleague told me and since everyone agreed, the place was packed because most of us were writing the lead for Monday’s paper.

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ORLANDO, Fla. – Rory McIlroy clearly has a sense of history when he plays at the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by Mastercard. In true Palmer like fashion McIlroy produced a couple of blitzes in his third round Saturday to walk off Bay Hill with a share of the lead. It comes a year after he birdied eight of his last 13 holes on Sunday to win the event. McIlroy’s 6-under 66 moved him to eight under for the week, good enough for top spot as the overnight leaders made the turn. The former FedExCup champion started the day seven shots back of Tommy Fleetwood and Keegan Bradley but shot out of the blocks like a rocket with four birdies in his opening six holes. While a bogey at the par-4 8th slowed his run McIlroy reinvigorated his title defense with three closing birdies in the final four holes. “Just what I needed,â€� McIlroy said of his round. “It’s really tough out there, difficult conditions, I definitely noticed a change in the golf course the last few holes, so with the leaders having to play another nine or 10 holes out there it’s going to be interesting to see where 8-under ends up at the end of the day. “I was more in control of my golf ball today, I hit more fairways, and because of that I gave myself more birdie chances and I converted a few of them. So I did everything I needed to do today to get myself back in the golf tournament and excited to have another chance tomorrow.â€� McIlroy came into the week with four top-5 finishes in his last four starts but hasn’t won since a year ago.

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RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico - Rafael Campos missed a 1-foot putt for par at the final hole Saturday at the Puerto Rico Open - there is no typo there - but he wasn't about to let it ruin what had been a magnificent day. Sunday for him could be even bigger. Campos, 32, is a native son of Puerto Rico and the only current PGA TOUR professional from the island. He grew up in Guaynaba, only a 40-minute drive from Grand Reserve Country Club. This is the 13th edition of the tournament, and only a torn back muscle in 2020 kept Campos from competing in all of them. Twice he has finished in the top 10 here (2016 and 2017), performances that filled his country with pride. This week could be next-level stuff. Saturday, Campos shot a 5-under 67, the lone blemish of his day being the short miss for par at the par-5 18th. "I got over it and just kind of blanked out," Campos said, "which is frustrating, because I wanted to be bogey-free today." He is at 14-under 202, sharing the 54-hole lead with Grayson Murray, who birdied half the holes that he played on Saturday and posted 65, the day's low round. South Africa's Branden Grace (68) and Australia's Cameron Percy (67), who loves the wind, will start Sunday one stroke behind the leaders. Andrew Putnam (67), Nelson Ledesma (68) and 36-hole leader Brandon Wu (71) are two shots back. Murray, 27, has won before, capturing an opposite-field event in 2017 (Barbasol Championship), and said he certainly could utilize the two-year TOUR exemption that comes with winning. Percy, who birdied four consecutive holes on the front nine, is 46 and never has won on the PGA TOUR. He was part of a three-man playoff in Las Vegas in 2010 that Jonathan Byrd settled with an ace. (Ouch!) Percy thought he might be back with a shot soon after, but he hasn't contended nearly as frequently as he would like. He splits his time between the PGA TOUR and Korn Ferry Tour. Campos made it clear he didn't want to think ahead to Sunday, making sure not to get ahead of himself. But winning his first PGA TOUR title on his own island? That would be a life-changer. Max Homa had a neighborhood near Los Angeles rooting for him to win The Genesis Invitational at Riviera last weekend; Campos has an entire island standing behind him. Though this week's galleries are lighter due to Covid-19 restrictions, a few dozen VIPs walked along with Campos on Saturday, a gallery that included his mother, his wife and plenty of friends. Campos was asked how long the party might last if he is the man holding the trophy late Sunday. The Puerto Rico Open never has had a Latino winner, let alone a native son as its champion. "Some years," Campos said candidly. "I know they've been waiting for this for 13 years. Obviously it's a dream of mine to hold this trophy, especially here in my home, where I live. For me, hopefully it's a one-day celebration and I get back to work. But I know they'll be ecstatic, and hopefully tomorrow I at least give myself a chance on those last few holes." Three brief showers drenched the field with whipping rains in the afternoon, leading to a stop-and-start cadence. Campos gave fishing tips to a beach angler behind 12 during one delay. Murray was first to post 14-under-par. He was 7 under through 14 holes, bogeyed the par-4 17th, but finished strongly with a nice up-and-down from in front of the green at the par-5 closing hole. Murray was so wiped out after a stretch of seven weeks on the road that last week at home in North Carolina he said he touched a golf club for only 30 minutes - enough to have a lesson with his longtime teacher, Ted Kiegiel, pro at Carolina Country Club. (Instructor Scott Hamilton also works with Murray.) Murray and Kiegiel have worked together since Murray was 9 years old. Sunday, Murray will call upon everything he has ever learned. "I need to stay confident," Murray said. "It's been a long time since I've been in a situation like this, but I'm not afraid of the moment. At the end of the day, you've still got to play good golf, no matter who is chasing you, or who I'm chasing. "Sunday pressure is always a little different. There's some good players at the top, and it'll be a good fight out there." Campos had some wild moments on his back nine. He made two early birdies, had an incredible up-and-down to save par at the par-4 14th, almost drove the ball out of bounds at 15 and stiffed an approach at 17 to be the first to 15-under. At the 17th, he faced a tricky downwind shot from 106 yards, flighted it down and watched the ball skip in tight. ("I really felt I was due for a good swing," he said.) Campos has Erick Morales, a good friend whom he considers an older brother, on his bag this week, and said he will lean on Morales to keep him focused in the final round. There is much at stake. Even if, by dinner time on Saturday, Campos didn't want to think about it. Sunday could prove to be the day of his lifetime.

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