Sport
The new Tiger Woods is pretty good
The driver largely stayed in the bag, used only on three holes. No need to pull out the big club when Woods can play holes the way he did on the brutal fifth, when he hit 2-iron off the tee and followed it with a 4-iron from about 230 yards that somehow came to a rest on the back left of the green for a birdie putt he canned.
He was in control all the way, never really missing a fairway on a course and in a tournament where keeping it in the short grass is crucial. Huge crowds watched, but Watson probably had the best view. Even as he struggled, he chatted with Woods and marveled at what he was doing.
“He hit every shot shape he was trying to hit. I didn’t see any bad swings. I didn’t see any bad shot really,” Watson said. “He hit every shot; he shaped it the way he wanted to shape it. He played pretty good.”
That may not happen over 72 holes, but this was the one round Woods badly needed, if only as a confidence builder. Position and patience mean everything in a U.S. Open and Woods is just three shots back after a round during which he showed great restraint. He didn’t try to keep up with tee shots by Watson that were sometimes 80 yards past him.
By now his life and game have been dissected so many times, it’s no longer interesting or fun. Far more fun is watching him hit the kind of shots that only Woods can hit, and excite crowds the way only Woods can do.
He did both on this day, proving at least one thing:
The new Tiger Woods is pretty good, too.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
