Sports

With Tiger, anything  is possible

Scott Chancey

AUGUSTA – For a guy who said at the first of the year that winning a single-year Grand Slam was, “easily within reason,” one has to wonder how far from reason that is now?

Either he has hit a snag after winning his first four events this year, or he simply is pulling a fast one on the Augusta National Golf Club patrons, saving himself for a rousing victory Sunday.

For all the hype around Woods, the least expected thing to see is the world’s No. 1-ranked golfer looking downright ordinary thus far at the Masters.

Downright ordinary? He’s even looked haphazard at times.

They say that golf is a metaphor for life. When it came to Woods’ final hole Friday, however there was no deep connotation to it.

It was simply entertaining.

He hit from the woods, another fairway and even hit another competitor’s ball on the green. And yet, when all was said and done, Woods was par for the hole, and below par for the round with a 71 and two-day total 143.

In the midst of Woods’ so-called struggles Thursday and Friday, trailing leader Trevor Immelman by seven strokes, his “I’m in good shape” proclamation Friday straddles the fine line between optimism and illusion.

Whether we believe him or is beside the point.

Woods thinks he is still a contender, and he’s one of the strongest mental players in the game. If Tiger can pull this off and slip on a fifth consecutive green jacket, he will pull off the second-biggest comeback to win in Masters history. The Masters record for largest comeback after 36 holes is eight shots by Jack Burke, Jr. in 1956.

Here’s food for thought, though: Woods himself is tied for the second-biggest 36-hole Masters comeback, rallying from six strokes behind to win in 2005.

“Obviously, I’ve got to make a few more birdies and eliminate the mistakes,” said Woods. “You have to stay patient. This golf course, anything can happen. You can come back pretty quickly here.”

Golf is a game where things change in an instant.Whether a ball slices off the club or lips out of the cup, staying composed will likely be the difference between being Sunday’s champion or an afterthought who fell from the leaderboard.

Immelman has a seven-shot lead, but what if HE has the kind of day today Justin Rose had Friday? Rose, strangely enough, is now an afterthought after sharing the lead with Immelman on Thursday.

And if it means anything to Immelman, Rose gave up 10 strokes Friday.

Steve Flesch, Ian Poulter and two-time Masters winner Phil Mickelson are tied for third, but Mickelson should really be considered the only person left to challenge Woods.

If Woods somehow can shave off three strokes today, don’t count him out Sunday.

Once he dons that red shirt in the final round, anything’s possible.

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