Vincent Publishing - Index

Vincent Publishing - 2008 Wachovia Championship - Index

GO AHEAD. TRY AND EXAGGERATE HIS ABILITY. TRY AND OVERSTRESS HIS RECORDS.
TRY AND AMPLIFY HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS. YOU CAN’T.
BEN HOGAN USED TO SAY HE WOULD LET HIS CLUB DO THE TALKIN’ IN THAT QUIETLY
CURT, YET CIVIL TEXAS ACCENT. THIS GUY DOESN’T HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LET THE NUMBERS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES—
IN ANY LANGUAGE—IN ANY DIALECT.
To paraphrase a famous movie line: “ Is this perfection?” “No, it’s Tiger Woods.”
And he might be about as close to perfection as is humanly possible without
performing some sort of well-documented miracle, like turning vats of water
into a nice Chianti. The beginning of his season is nothing short of miraculous.
In his first two starts he was seen dominating the seemingly hapless fields at the Buick
Invitational held at Torrey Pines, hauntingly the site of the U.S. Open in a month and a
half. Then, after a three-week hiatus to allow others in his profession to feed their families,
he returned and went lights out at the World Golf Championships—Accenture
Match Play Championship where, after looking nearly mortal in his first match against
an unsuspecting J.B. Holmes, he ripped through the rest of his opponents, finally burying
an unassuming Stewart Cink.
Woods overwhelmed him with 14 birdies in 29 holes for an 8-and-7 victory, the largest
margin in the 10-year history of the event. It was Woods’ 15th WGC title and his fourth
TOUR victory in a row dating back to September. It was the third time in his career he’s
done that.
The WGC title gave Tiger his 63rd career PGA TOUR win, and in doing so, passed
Arnold Palmer on the all-time career win list. He will tie Ben Hogan with his next victory.
"I think this is the best stretch I've ever played," Woods said.
Stretch indeed.
BY JIM CHIAFFREDO
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY PGA TOUR/GETTY IMAGES
2008 Wachovia Championship Official Event Program 31