It was stunning, the world’s greatest golfer sounding like every duffer ever tempted to heave his clubs in the drink. Tiger Woods is trading his 3-wood for a fishing rod.
At least for a week or three.
“I’m going fishing,” Woods announced adamantly yesterday.
After – horrors! – failing to win his last two tournaments, the frustrated 25-year-old says he isn’t even interested in what needs fixing.
“I don’t know, and I don’t care,” Woods said. “I am going to take some time off.
Woods has made about $4 million just in prize money in his last seven tournaments, but his tied-for-16th finish at the Buick Classic yesterday sealed his vacation plans.
“I just don’t want to play,” Woods said. “Sometimes it’s nice to take a little break. I’ve taken three weeks off heading into a major before and I’ve won.”
Asked if a vacation really recharges him, Woods answered immediately.
“Yes. It does, he said.
Woods, who came here denying reports of a heel injury, said he may still play the Western Open July 5-8, but even that is iffy before the British Open July 19-22.
“I will play the Western, as of now. I might [withdraw], but as of right now it looks pretty good,” Woods said. “Don’t let the golf get in the way of the fishing.”
He won the Bay Hill, the Players Championship, the Masters and the Memorial, finishing tied for third in the Byron Nelson, tied for 12th in the U.S. Open and wound up yesterday with a 4-under 280, finishing the Buick Classic with an even-par 71.
After a fatal first-round 75 and the threat of missing the cut for the first time in 71 tourneys, Woods charged to 5-under at the third-round turn Sunday. The rush, however, ended there and he began the final round eight behind Sergio Garcia, before finishing 12 off the winner’s pace.
“[Sunday] I had a chance to a halfway decent score where I might have a chance going into today. But I went the other way and let it slip away,” Woods said. “Then I was a little frustrated, a little disappointed, because I know what I can do on that back nine, and I just wasn’t able to do it.”
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OUCHING TIGER
After two consecutive weeks of disappointing play, Tiger Woods said yesterday he needs some time off. Here’s a look at Woods’ schedule leading up to his recent breakdown:
6/25/01 Buick Classic T16 (-4) $56,000 Westchester Country Club, Harrison, NY
6/17/01 U.S. Open T12 (+3) $91,733 Southern Hills Country Club, Tulsa, OK
6/03/01 The Memorial 1 (-17) $738,000 Muirfield Village Golf Club, Columbus, OH
5/13/01 Byron Nelson Classic T3 (-13) $234,000 TPC Four Seasons Cottonwood Valley GC, Irving, TX
5/01/01 Deutsche Bank-SAP Open 1 (-22) $396,000 St. Leon Rot, Heidelberg, Germany
4/08/01 The Masters 1 (-16) $1,008,000 Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, GA