CASTLE ROCK, Colo. -- A mere 23 years of age and in only his
third full season on the PGA Tour, Tiger Woods already is having to
fend off challenges from the younger set.
"It was bound to happen," Woods said Wednesday with a laugh
and without a trace of wistfulness. "You can't be the young guy on
the block forever. I welcome that."
Woods staged a riveting duel with 19-year-old Sergio Garcia in
the final round of the PGA Championship on Sunday, edging the
swashbuckling Spaniard by a stroke. The two young guns will hook up
again this week in the Sprint International, which begins Thursday
at Castle Pines Golf Club.
The event features eight of the world's top 10 players,
including No. 1 Woods, No. 2 David Duval and No. 3 Davis Love III.
Also contending are fifth-ranked Lee Westwood; No. 6 Vijay
Singh, the defending champion; No. 8 Ernie Els; No. 9 Mark O'Meara
and No. 10 Nick Price.
Garcia, who got his driver's license just last month, ranks only
31st in the world because of having played a limited number of
tournaments. But his performance last week -- he was the youngest
runnerup in PGA Championship history -- clinched a berth on the 1999
European Ryder Cup team and galvanized the sport like no one since,
well, Woods.
Drawing a reaction usually reserved for rock stars, Garcia was
mobbed by autograph seekers -- most of them kids -- after Tuesday's
practice round here and again before Wednesday's pro-am.
It was an extension of the gallery support he received on Sunday
at Medinah, when the crowd became more pro-Garcia than pro-Woods.
"I don't know if it was the largest crowd I have played in
front of," Garcia said, "but it was one of the best. A crowd has
never pushed me and helped me as much as they did."
Woods, asked if Garcia's sudden popularity will relieve some of
the pressure that has been on him since 1996, said, "No doubt
about it. Now, he is getting the galleries and the attention, the
media coverage. When I first came out, it was very tough to focus
on golf and budget your time with all the demands on it. David
(Duval) went through the same thing. Now Sergio is starting to find
that out."
Garcia's shot from the base of a tree on the 16th hole on Sunday
-- and his dash up the fairway and leap to see the ball reach the
green -- will be a highlight of the 1999 season.
Woods doubted that Garcia, who also jokes and appears to be
genuinely having a good time on the course, can maintain that
enthusiasm.
"I don't know if he can play with such emotion day to day for
12 months," Woods said. "Speaking from my own experience, I
couldn't. I remember in 1997 I was still a very emotional player,
but by the time I got to just past the U.S. Open, I was worn out
because I had never played that much golf in my life.
"For me to last for 12 months, I had to be a little more
subdued on the golf course. I don't have the highs and lows like I
used to, and hence I can last for 12 months."
Woods, who finished fourth in his first International last year,
liked his chances here because of his length off the tee and his
ability to make birdies, which are rewarded under the modified
Stableford scoring system used in this event. A player gets 5
points for an eagle, 2 for birdie, 0 for par, minus-1 for bogey and
minus-3 for double bogey or worse.
"This is one of those weeks that I can thoroughly enjoy because
you can stretch it out there," he said. "You can be aggressive.
In fact, you have to be aggressive. You have to get birdies and
hopefully a few eagles along the way."
Garcia, meanwhile, was still adjusting to Castle Pines'
6,200-foot elevation, which causes shots to fly 10-15 percent
farther than at sea level.
"Last week I was hitting a 3-wood about 260 yards," Garcia
said. "Today I hit a 3-iron that went 280 almost. I'm sure I am
going to hit some shots over the green. We're not used to playing
here, but it will probably affect me a little more because it is my
first time playing here."
