A different practice round for Tiger

Last month as Tiger Woods began to focus on the U.S. Open, he was asked whether he enjoyed playing in New York.

A long pause ensued, then a smile.

``Do I have to answer that?'' he said.

On Monday, it all made sense.

Woods arrived at Bethpage State Park about 3 p.m., headed to the practice range to warm up and then entered the ring, so to speak, when he got to the first tee.

The scene was incredible. There wasn't an empty seat in the grandstand behind the tee, and about 10,000 people crammed around the tee box and spilled down both sides of the first fairway.

Making it even more of a circus, there was an announcer on the tee -- for a practice round, no less -- to introduce Woods and set the gallery into a frenzy.

``Do you believe that?'' Woods said as he walked off the first green. ``I'm just trying to hit my tee shot and it sounds like a fight breaking out.''

It only got worse.

Cameras were clicking and flashing from the time he stuck his tee in the ground until he launched a 3-wood into the left rough. A bloc of about 100 kids screamed at him as he stood over his shot like they were watching the NBA Finals. Marshals had to ask them for quiet.

No one had it worse than Charles Raulerson Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla., one of 22 guys who had to go through 18-hole local and 36-hole sectional qualifying. Raulerson thought he was playing a practice round alone -- until Woods joined him on the first tee.

Players have to walk through a tunnel to get to the second tee, and the noise was thunderous when Woods came by, with people screaming his name and holding out caps and flags for him to sign.

Twenty minutes later, as Woods made his way along the front nine, only a dozen players gathered around the first green to watch Robert Karlsson of Sweden play.

This is the sixth time Woods has played in the metropolitan New York area. He has played in the Buick Classic three times, missing the cut as an amateur in 1994, tying for 43rd in 1997 and tying for 16th last year at the Westchester Country Club. He withdrew from the 1995 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills as an amateur after injuring his wrist in the second round, and tied for 29th in the '97 PGA Championship at Winged Foot.

TRADING PLACES

Vijay Singh and Mike Weir might have been the most entertaining pair in Monday's practice round -- especially when they got to the 18th.

Both hit 3-wood down the middle, and then the fun began.

``Hit this one,'' Singh said to Weir, handing the Canadian his 3-wood.

One problem -- Weir is a lefty.

``Read the back of your ticket,'' Weir said, alluding to the small print that says ticket-holders assume the risk of being hit by a ball. The crowd gave him a big cheer for hitting a weak fade about 200 yards.

``Look how big this club is,'' Weir said in protest, noting that he's about 5-foot-7 and Singh is close to 6-4.

Then, it was Singh's turn.

He jokingly aimed at the gallery, straightened and hit a hard draw in the same direction as Weir's ball -- only about 50 yards farther.

FLEISHER OUT

Bruce Fleisher is loyal to the Senior PGA Tour -- even to the point of skipping the U.S. Open.

Fleisher qualified for Bethpage State Park as the U.S. Senior Open champion. He decided to withdraw last week, citing a commitment to play the senior tour this week.

Fleisher will be replaced by Felix Cases of the Philippines, who was the first alternate and remained in San Francisco since his June 3 qualifier in nearby Daly City.

HONORING HEROES

The U.S. Golf Association plans to honor those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks during a ceremony Wednesday at Bethpage State Park.

The USGA will present an ambulance to the Fire Department of New York, and will accept a golf ball found in the rubble of the World Trade Center for the USGA Museum.

``When we remember that many New York City firefighters and emergency personnel regularly play at Bethpage, we recognize that this occasion provides an appropriate time to honor the people, the heroes, who make this country strong,'' USGA president Reid MacKenzie said.

The USGA also bought ambulances for St. Andrews, Scotland, and Pearl Harbor during World War II.