Tiger Woods‘ 15-stroke victory in the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach was not only his most dominant performance. It was the most decisive margin in major championship history.
With the Open returning to Pebble Beach on Thursday, can the soothing lines of the familiar course help Woods recapture his game?
Recommended Stories
If anyone knows how Pebble can re-kindle the flame it’s former Open champ Johnny Miller. He won 25 times on the PGA Tour, all but two between the ages of 24-35. The outliers — coming at ages 39 and 46 — were victories at Pebble Beach.
But even Miller doesn’t believe Pebble is enough to make Woods an Open threat.
“It would still take a small miracle for him to win the U.S. Open right now,” Miller told the New York Post. “He’s struggling with the driver and hitting half the fairways is not going to get it done.”
The current issue of Golf magazine deconstructs Woods’ swing. It’s too out and around in the backswing, too steep in the downswing, too low in the finish.
But local instructor Steve Bosdosh of Four Streams says Woods needs to forget about mechanics and become a feel player again.
“I’d take him out at night,” said Bosdosh. “He needs to feel his shots again.”
After the departure of Hank Haney, Woods is his own swing coach. On Tuesday, Woods discounted the significance.
“You’re always your own swing instructor,” said Woods. “When you’re out there playing, you’re the one who has to fix it, no one else.”
The club Woods must fix is his driver. He ranks No. 113 in driving distance and No. 164 in accuracy. In 2000, Woods ranked No. 2 in distance and No. 54 in accuracy.
The severe course setup will prevent Woods from using the driver much this week.
“Probably only going to hit just a handful,” said Woods. “The golf course is getting so fast. Some of the holes where you would think you would hit driver, 3-wood’s now starting to become a choice.”
And with that, Woods may be a better choice than some believe.
