Woods 2 strokes back at Buick Open

Posted 10:04AM on Friday 9th August 2002 ( 22 years ago )

GRAND BLANC, MICHIGAN - Even Tiger Woods' girlfriend had to get on her toes and stretch her neck to get a look at the world's best golfer at the Buick Open. When Woods made a 30-foot putt for birdie on No. 8 at Warwick Hills to reach 5-under par, Elin Nordegren was stuck behind the ropes eight-deep in the crowd. Woods wouldn't have it any other way, even when it means Nordegren and his parents have to fend for themselves in the audience. ``We have enough people inside the ropes as it is,'' Woods said. Woods, in his first tournament since his Grand Slam chances ended at the British Open, shot a 67 Thursday and was two strokes behind first-round leader Kent Jones. Mark Brooks and K.J. Choi are at 6 under. Mark O'Meara shot a 68 to join 13 players, including defending PGA Championship winner David Toms, at 4 under. Smiles outnumbered sighs, unlike when Woods last played a competitive round with O'Meara, his good friend. The last time they were in the same group at a tournament was the third round of last month's British Open. On that unforgettable Saturday, Woods shot an 81 - his worst score as a professional - and saw his chances of making history end after becoming the first player since Jack Nicklaus in 1972 to win the Masters and U.S. Open, the first two legs of the Grand Slam. ``The last time we played together wasn't exactly a great day,'' Woods said with a grin. Enough time has passed for O'Meara to also be able to joke about the round. ``I beat him,'' said O'Meara, who shot a 77 that day. Woods, who was in a group of nine that included Hal Sutton, started solid and finished strong with two birdies in his last three holes. His iron play was excellent, but his putting was inconsistent. Making his third PGA Tour start in 11 weeks, Woods is competing while preparing for the PGA Championship at Hazeltine in Minnesota. There he will attempt to become the first golfer to win three majors in one year twice. Woods and O'Meara played a practice round at Hazeltine on Tuesday. On Thursday, they looked like they were still practicing. They laughed and joked on tees, fairways, greens and between holes. Woods, usually all-business during a tournament, was asked if he enjoyed himself. ``Oh God, yes,'' he said. ``We play so many rounds together. We chitchat and give each other a hard time. Sometimes it can be a disadvantage because you get chatting so much that you forget that you're playing. ``But it's nice to talk about things like fishing and other things we're doing.'' O'Meara agreed. ``He pulls for me and I pull for him,'' he said. ``He's a great competitor, so it always jacks me up to play with him.'' Woods bristles at the notion that he is using the Buick Open merely as a warmup for next week. ``If I'm playing a tournament, I'm playing it to win it,'' Woods said. Jones, who has never won on the PGA Tour and is 130th on the money list, has missed the cut in four of his last five events. His best career finish was a tie for eighth at Pebble Beach in February. The second-best was a tie for 12th at the 1998 Buick Open. Jones birdied three of the first four holes and four of the last six to fall one stroke short of his career-best round. ``I kind of felt like it could happen,'' Jones said. ``I had no idea it would be today, but I felt like I've been really close to playing well the last few weeks.'' Although it's been 31 years since a player won a major after winning a tournament the previous week, a lot of major winners and money list leaders are choosing to compete in the Buick Open before playing in the PGA Championship. Fifteen of the last 19 major winners and four of the top five on the money list are in the field at Warwick Hills, about 60 miles north of Detroit. Low scores are common at the course, which is relatively short with soft and true greens. Woods said if strong winds stay away, the winner will probably have to be at least 20 under. The last 20 Buick Open champions have averaged 18.4 under par. Defending champion Kenny Perry, who fell one stroke short of the tournament record at 25 under last year, will have to put together a good round on Friday to make the cut after shooting a 1-over 73. Phil Mickelson, the second-ranked player in the world, recovered from a rough start with birdies on four of the last five holes to reach 3 under.

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