By Mike Tirico
Special to ABC Sports Online
Tuesday, August 22
What is there left to say about Tiger Woods? He has won three of the four professional majors this year, doing something not seen since 1953, when the talents of Ben Hogan last brought a player that close to the Grand Slam.
If this season's majors have shown us anything, it is that Woods has risen to the status of all-time superstar more quickly than anyone else on that small list.
It takes time to compile a body of work such as Woods'. Ruth, Jordan and Ali took some time to cement their places in sports history. While Woods is not in that class yet, he has joined the small list of his sport's all-time greats at age 24, earlier than most other sports greats.
His U.S. and British Open dominance, a 23-stroke margin of victory in the two, showed us that Tiger could overpower a golf course and field. But the PGA Championship highlighted what might be Woods' best strength. His ability in match play situations is without peer.
Those talents will be on display Monday (ABC, 8 p.m. ET) at Bighorn against Sergio Garcia. Woods' impeccable record as a match play performer in the U.S. Junior and U.S. Amateur events (where he won the title all three years he competed in both events) is a result of his strong mind in tune with his talents.
Where others do not relish the challenge of looking an opponent in the eye, Woods thrives on it. Sure, he has not won the World Golf Championships Anderson Consulting Match Play event in its first two years (and will not play in the Australia version of the same event in January). Yet, he still has played the most consistent golf in the two years of that event.
The intimidation factor is the key. Other players get out of their own game and are fixated on beating Tiger. When external forces becomes the focus in golf, the result is usually less than stellar play.
How will Garcia handle the head-to-head? I think he will have enough good holes to make it competitive. Garcia has the Seve Ballesteros flair for the game and the Lee Trevino effervescence. He also has a great amount of talent, even though his 2000 season has not been as good as we would have been led to believe in 1999.
Look for Garcia's love of talking on the golf course to give us a good show along with Woods' tremendous game.
Even though Tiger is coming off one of the most exhausting and exhilarating major championships in recent memory, don't think for one second that Tiger will let down against Garcia on national television. And, as he did at the PGA in 1999, I believe Garcia will rise to the challenge and give us a good show.
Is this the next great rivalry in golf? No. No one is close enough to Woods' league to be considered his rival right now. Instead, this will be entertaining based on the mix of personalities and youth.
