From TGI Staff Reports
Tiger Woods arrived at Poipu Bay Resort Golf Course on November 23 without
the benefit of a practice round. Fresh from a victory in the World Cup of Golf,
Woods had only a few hours to spare before competing in the PGA Grand Slam of
Golf.
But Woods gathered himself quickly on that first day of competition.
He found his rhythm with birdies on the 12th, 14th and 15th holes to defeat
British Open champion Paul Lawrie, 3 and 2, in the match play format.
A day
later, Woods combined for an eagle and two birdies on the front nine to build a
commanding lead over alternate and past PGA champion Davis Love III. He won 3
and 2 over Love.
With the victory, Woods joined Greg Norman (1993 and
1994) as the only back-to-back winners of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf.
Woods
set the tone for the championship on the first hole, sinking an eight-foot
birdie putt after Love had dropped his birdie from 12 feet.
Woods went on
to eagle the second hole and build a 5-up lead through eight holes. Love
trimmed the deficit to 3-up with a pair of back-nine birdies, but was unable to
make up ground after that. Woods closed the match with a par on the
16th.
The PGA Player of the Year and Vardon Trophy winner, Woods capped his
season with his 10th worldwide victory in his previous 14 starts. Woods’
$400,000 payday upped his overall Grand Slam — over three appearances — total
to $1,050,000. Woods won the event in 1998 as well and finished second in
1997.
Love, who replaced the late Payne Stewart, cruised to the final match
with a 6 and 5 first-round conquest of Masters Champion Jose Maria Olazabal.
Love went out with a 7-under-par 29 on the front nine, sinking five birdies and
an eagle. He closed Olazabal out with a birdie on the par 4 12th
hole.
Olazabal finished third after Lawrie suffered stretched ligaments in
his right ankle, and was forced to concede the second-day match after nine
holes. Olazabal had gained a 1-up lead to that point.
