Years
from now, this Tour Championship will be easily distinguished by the highlights
of so many players wearing knickers to honor the memory of Payne Stewart.
As for that clip of Tiger Woods holding the trophy? That could be just about any
tournament.
Woods
closed with a 2-under-par 69 today at Champions Golf Club, giving him a four-stroke
victory over Davis Love III and another title in what has become the best season
on the PGA Tour in 25 years.
While Woods continued his staggering streak, his victory brought an end to a long
and sorrowful week in golf as players tried to cope with the Stewart's death in
a plane crash on Monday.
"Tracey
gave me a lot of strength," Woods said, referring to the powerful eulogy Stewart's
widow gave during a memorial service in Orlando, Fla., on Friday. "If she can
have that type of resolve after what's transpired, why can't I?"
Players have worn black ribbons all week. After Friday's service, some wore the
WWJD bracelet -- What Would Jesus Do -- that Stewart wore when he won the U.S.
Open in June. Today, most of them paid yet another tribute by wearing knickers,
the knee-length pants that made Stewart one of the most recognizable figures in
golf.
"I think he'd
be laughing because he had it put on him all these years," said Stuart Appleby,
who wore an outfit chosen from Stewart's closet.
As for Woods? That's no laughing matter.
The 23-year-old already has put a canyon between himself and the rest of the golf,
and the best may be yet to come.
Woods, who finished at 15-under 269, won for the seventh time in his last 10 tournaments
including a a victory in Europe, and the $900,000 pushed Woods over $5.6 million
for the year -- nearly as much as Jack Nicklaus won in his entire PGA Tour career.
He also wrapped up the
money title, even though $1 million is at stake next week in the World Golf Championship
event in Spain.
Still, while Woods has won 14 times on the PGA Tour and 17 tournaments worldwide,
this was more hollow than any of them.
"We've
all tried to come to grips with everything," Woods said. "It's been tough. I can
honestly say I'm pretty drained. I'm thankful this week is over."
Woods holed a short par putt on the 18th about 40 feet from a portrait of Stewart,
propped against a table holding the Tour Championship trophy.
"It's
just tough," Justin Leonard said. "There are constant reminders everywhere."
Indeed.
Tom Lehman ordered a pair of knickers for everyone who felt comfortable wearing
them. Stuart Appleby got permission from Tracey Stewart to pick out an outfit
from Stewart's closet the night before his memorial service Friday in Orlando,
Fla.
"It's like
walking in his shoes for one day," Appleby said. "I felt like him for one day,
even though my swing wasn't as fluent as his and I didn't putt as good."
Right now, no one is playing
anywhere near the level of Woods.
"His
Royal Eminence," Appleby said. "It's like boxing. He could knock you out with
a light punch. And when he needs to, he can step it up and knock you clean out
of the ring."
This
was the latter.
On a course softened by rain that played into Woods's hands with his awesome length,
the margin of victory was his largest since he won the 1997 Masters by 12 strokes
, and signaled that he might become the next force in golf.
But who could have imagined this?
"I
knew I could shoot a low number and still probably not win," said Love, who closed
with a 67. "I saw 27 holes of him yesterday. I wasn't 100 percent this week, but
my 100 percent still might not beat him. As long as he doesn't hit too many rocks,
he's going to be good for a long, long time. We're all going to have to get used
to it."
Woods smashed
through a baseball-sized rock on Thursday and left the course with a pinched nerve.
That healed quickly, and no one had much of a chance.
Chris Perry got within two strokes of Woods with a 30-foot birdie putt on the
first hole, but he had to take a penalty stroke and drop for an unplayable lie
two holes later and was never again a factor. Woods never led by fewer than three
strokes the rest of the way.
Brent Geiberger had a 69 and was third at 274. Perry bogeyed the last hole for
a 72 and was another stroke back.
It was the 11th straight time Woods has had at least a share of the lead going
into the final round and gone on to win.
A more stunning streak is how often he has been in contention -- and winning.
Dating to the Deustche Bank-SAP Open in Germany in May, Woods has won seven times
in 10 tournaments and finished lower than seventh only once.
"That's
just a staggering statistic," Phil Mickelson said. "What I have a hard time believing
is what a high level he has played at. Normally of all the guys in the field,
a couple will get hot and go low. And it's been Tiger every single week."
DIVOTS: The victory
was Woods's 15th top-10 finish this year, the most since Stewart in 1986. He also
becomes the youngest player to win eight times (including Europe) since Horton
Smith won eight tournaments at age 21 in 1929. ... The best Halloween costumes
today belonged to the infant daughters of Ernie Els and Mickelson. Samantha Els
was a pumpkin, Amanda Mickelson a bumble bee. ... Woods and Geiberger were the
only players to shoot in the 60s all four days. ... Love was undecided whether
he would go to Spain for the WGC event. He came to the course today preparing
to go home to Georgia, but planned to talk to his family first. ... Seven players
have won at least $2 million this year.
