No mercy for the field at Buick

2008-01-26

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By John Reger
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

LA JOLLA, California (Ticker) Golf doesn't have a mercy rule but Tiger Woods has revolutionized the game in many ways, and certainly with his performance at the $5.2 million Buick Invitational brings it up as a possibility.

"If there was ever a week for it, this might be it" Joe Durant said laughing.

Woods has an eight-stroke lead with 18 holes to play and since he gives up a lead as often as a dog gives up a bone, Sunday may be to see who is playing for second place.

"Well, what can you say?" Durant said. "He plays great here. The course obviously sets up great for him and we're trying, but the guy is unbelievable. He's playing fantastic."

Woods has had one bogey in 54 holes and his record here has been unfathomable. He has won five of 10 starts and his worst finish is a tie for 10th. In 42 rounds one has been over-par and all but four others have been under-par.

Friend Mark O'Meara isn't surprised at the success he has had here.

"I think out here he just has obviously a very calm, collected, easy-going feeling about the success that he's had on this golf course," O'Meara said. "When you've played a course as many times as Tiger has played here at Torrey and had the results that he's had, he can't help but feel confident when he's over the ball."

Both Durant and Stewart Cink, who is in second place, shot under-par rounds and lost ground to Woods.

"It is frustrating," Cink said. "I played pretty solidly, but it takes more than just playing solid to catch up to Tiger Woods."

Cink, along with Kevin Streelman, played in the final group with Woods in the third round and Cink was almost as awe struck as Streelman, who is a tour rookie.

"He played phenomenally," Cink said. "If you ask him, the scary part is he probably would say that he played somewhat conservatively, but he put six birdies and no bogeys on us and we were just trying to catch up. All day you start behind him and he plays pretty much mistake-free."

The course average on the South Course at Torrey Pines is 71.30 and Woods is averaging 66 for three rounds. If one hole typifies his mastery of the South Course it is No. 4. The 471-yard par 4. The stroke average is 4.10 and is the sixth hardest. There have been seven birdies on the hole and Woods has two of them.

"I've had two good shots in there, one was a 6-iron on Thursday and (Saturday) it was a 5-iron," Woods said. "It was an easy pin they have on the entire green, so it was actually a perfect situation for me."

Even when Woods isn't facing optimal conditions he is finding a way to save par. His approach shot on No. 12 was short and went in the front left sand trap. Woods shot out of the bunker stopped 21 feet short of the hole, but he calmly sank the putt to save par.

"He's just hard to beat right now," Cink said. "He's got everything firing really well and when he does come close to making a bogey he makes a 20-footer for par. It's easy to get demoralized, but I just have to keep on plugging and stay focused on what I can do."

Boo Weekley has a suggestion to make the final round more interesting.