Golf: June 2008 Archives

Tiger Woods proved this week that even on one leg, he's better than everyone else in the world. Somehow he won the U.S. Open, in 91 holes no less, with a double stress fracture in his leg and a torn anterior cruciate ligament. He got what he came for, leaving Torrey Pines with the trophy. But did he put his career in jeoparty? Woods and his doctors say no, that he'll come back good as new. Given that he plays golf and not, say, football, he has reason to be optimistic, and Jack's record of 18 major titles will fall.

What do you think? Should he have come back so soon given all the damage being done to his body?

In typical Tiger Woods fashion, he roared into the lead after three rounds of the U.S. Open on Saturday. And he saved his best moments of the day for last, grabbing a birdie on the par 4 17th and dropping a winding putt for eagle on the par 5 18th to get under par for the day at 70. He's one shot ahead of Lee Westwood, who will be paired with Woods for the final round.

Woods looked like he was fighting off the pain in his knee on most swings, particularly on his magnificent approach shot on 18. Even hobbled, can he be stopped? It's a tall order for a player such as Westwood. As for the big names, Sergio Garcia, Ernie Els and Mike Weir are all six shots back, and even they would have to shoot lights out and need Woods to stumble to have any shot.

It looks like another victory march for Woods (though he would probably prefer to take a cart). What do you think, is it over, or am I speaking too soon?

River Bend head pro Mike Reilly looks like a prophet now. He said in Part 1 of Open Forum that Wheaton Warrenville South alumnus Kevin Streelman could do well at Torrey Pines, and he finds himself tied for the lead after Round 1. He could have had it all to himself had he not bogeyed his 18th hole of the day (No. 9), but overall he held up extremely well.

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson had their opportunities to get to red numbers but faltered. Yet both are still good bets to come out on top come Sunday.

What do you think? Can Streelman keep this up, or is he destined to fade while the superstars shine?

The U.S. Open gets off and running today, and of course Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are the stars of the show. But if ever El Tigre is going to be vulnerable, isn't this going to be the year? He's got a bum knee and hasn't walked 18 holes, much less 72, in months. Sergio Garcia might be poised to shed what used to Mickelson's dubious label, of being the best player never to win a major.

This might be Lefty's tournament to lose, but somehow I think he will. So who will be left standing? I like Zach Johnson to come out of nowhere and get major victory No. 2. Who do you think survives?

River Bend Golf Club head pro Mike Reilly is one of the lucky ones. The former San Diego resident, who moved to the city when he was 19 before moving back to Illinois eventually, has played Torrey Pines' South Course about 50 times. The seaside track hosts the U.S. Open this weekend, and it's changed quite a bit since he last played it. For one thing, while this year it's playing more than 7,600 yards, it never played that long 20 years ago.

Ravi Patel, a Neuqua Valley graduate and Northwestern freshman, dreams of playing professional golf. And he took a major step toward that goal last week when he qualified for the Bank of America Open, a Nationwide Tour event.

According Pat Goss, Patel's coach at NU, the 18-year-old has the short game and mindset to break onto the tour eventually.

"He has a great short game and he has a great competitive mentality," Goss said of Patel. "Ravi really works hard to get the most out of his round. You have to really be willing to fight hard the whole round, never give up, just really keep grinding (and) get the most out of each shot. Those are the two things that Ravi has done best."

Goss is helping Patel get more out of the longer clubs in the bag.

"I think he's really improved his ball striking," Goss said. "That's ultimately the thing he has to improve the most to get to the level he wants to, playing professional golf. He needs to continually improve his ball striking and his length; that's probably his biggest weakness."