AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2007 > September > 16 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USFedEx reaches proper conclusion
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Furman Bisher
There would be no “Georgia Quadruple” for Zach Johnson. There would be no victory for the size 54-XLs. There would be no repeat for the defending champion, Adam Scott, who turned his final round into a parade of bogeys. But there would be, at last, redemption on Sunday at East Lake for Tiger Woods, and how timely. And this time he left no doubts and took no prisoners. The margin was eight strokes, over Mark Calcavecchia and Johnson.
Tiger not only finally won the Tour Championship on this course, but the bonus that came with it was the first FedEx Cup, and as it will be recorded in the history of golf, it was as it should be. The leading golfer in the world, playing out the hottest season on the tour, dominated the field of 30 and in so doing, brought “the chase” to the proper conclusion, which nobody could deny. Though in Woods’ eye, it was not as much the inaugural cup as it was winning the tournament, which he had made clear earlier. He could have finished second and still won the Cup, but of the possibility of that, he said before, “If I lose the tournament and win the FedEx Cup, I don’t think I’m going to be happy that I lost the tournament.”
Not having that to deal with, there was the more pressing matter of his negative relationship with the East Lake course. Five times before he had played in the Tour finale here, and five times he had left empty-handed. He had finished second to Phil Mickelson one year, but on other occasions had been taken to the cleaners on Sunday. One year, leading Retief Goosen by four strokes, the South African crushed him by four. Another year, the rustic Texan, Bart Bryant, beat him for the championship by six strokes. Another he finished 20th, very un-Tiger-like.
This year he went out Sunday afternoon with a comfortable three-stroke lead, and who did he have to beat? A 47-year-old veteran, Calcavecchia, who ranks 54th in the world, and has a well-fed figure that stirs up memory of Porky Oliver. Porky was more than just corpulent, he was a gifted player, and one of the more classic pairings in Masters history was his head-to-head clash with Ben Hogan in Hogan’s dominant year of 1953.
As unlikely a pair as were they, Hogan trim as a sprinter, Porky quite befitting his nickname, so were Calcavecchia, the portly one, and Woods, as trim as a whippet, it was a final pairing that left little to imagination. It wasn’t as if Woods isn’t capable of falling victim to a Sunday slump, as previously suggested, but it seemed that some super force was driving him here. What he put together were rounds of 64-63-64-66, for a total of 257, tying the third lowest score in PGA Tour history held by Mike Souchak and set at a municipal course in the Texas Open of 1955 in San Antonio. The record is held by Tommy Armour III, 254 in the Texas Open of 2003, also in San Antonio, but at a different course. Second lowest, in case you wondered, is held by this same Calcavecchia, 256 set in the Phoenix Open of 2003.
Chasing rainbows has not been a plank in Woods’ golf campaigning. “You don’t start off the year chasing awards,” he said. “You know if you win golf tournaments, it takes care of everything else. That’s the way I’ve always looked at it.”
Sunday had not been an effective “closing” day for Woods in Tour Championships. His lowest Sunday score was a 68 in his first Championship at Southern Hills in 1996, but that only served to ease the pain of a 78 he’d shot on the second day. This round of 66, of course, was his lowest on closing day at East Lake and, truth to tell, the rain-soaked course was a sitting victim from start to finish. Tiger himself said earlier, “I can’t remember too many golf courses that have been easier.”
The money, ah, the money. Well, Tiger collects $1,260,000 on the spot for the Tour Championship. Then there’s the heralded sum of $10 million that comes in deferred payment and can’t be collected until he retires, or reaches the age of at least 45. Said to be the largest payout in sports history, which has been questioned in some quarters, but in the long run, what does it matter? Whatever it may be, it won’t be anything until it moves into his account. Or his grandchildren’s.
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Comments
By John
September 17, 2007 11:28 AM | Link to this
Calchavechhia should not be on the pga tour. I have never witnessed anyone so unhappy to be in such a special event. It doesn’t reflect well on him or the tour. If it’s respect he wants, it will not come with that attitude. This guy would be a disaster in business.
By Janet James
September 17, 2007 11:28 AM | Link to this
Granted- Tiger win. And he has talent. However - there were 29 other TALENTED goflers out there - just some mention of them would be nice. I am so tired of hearing the accolades of Tiger, while everyone else is treated as an also ran. He does not win every tournament he enters. The other pros are not exactly chump change. Please give them reognition also……Phil, Singe and others are not to be laughed at!
By Fernando Echeverri
September 17, 2007 11:57 AM | Link to this
Soy Colombiano y estoy orgulloso del lugar que ocupo Villegas en este torneo, 9 puesto. viva colombia.
By CG
September 17, 2007 12:52 PM | Link to this
Get over it Janet, greatness needs to be recognized! Tiger is not only the all-time GREATEST golfer but one of the greatest athletes in history. Who else on tour can you say that about? Tiger is the Tour so deal with it!!
By JK
September 17, 2007 2:10 PM | Link to this
In the big picture Tiger Woods makes for some boring golf!