2000 OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP TOP 5 SCORES
PLAYER, COUNTRY SCORE (TO PAR) WINNINGS
1. TIGER WOODS, USA 67-66-67-69 (- 19) $759,150
T2. THOMAS BJORN, DEN 69-69-68-71 (- 11) $371,983.50
ERNIE ELS, RSA 66-72-70-69
T4. TOM LEHMAN, USA 68-70-70-70 (- 10) $197,379
DAVID TOMS, USA 69-67-71-71
Results: GolfObserver.com
the fact that in four days, on a
routing pocked with 112 bunkers
(many of them fiendishly hidden), Woods didn’t set foot in the
sand once.
In four rounds, Woods would birdie 22
holes and make just three bogeys. He would
suffer just three three-putts on the Old
Course’s sprawling green complexes.
“We’ve just got to figure out a way to beat
him,” said Jesper Parnevik. “It’s great when
you do, because you absolutely know he’s
going to be a legend. I appreciate that he’s
an unbelievable player, and that moti-
vates me.”
Woods returned the compliment, after
a fashion, four years later by marrying
Swedish beauty Elin Nordegren, who
had been working as the Parnevik fam-
ily’s nanny when Woods met her.
That was then.
Long before Woods had become an
easy target for his critics, winning had
been an easy target for him. But, to be
fair, there was more to him than the rise and
the fall. Not many have reminded themselves
lately that Woods’ foundation does a lot of
good things for a lot of kids.
SI’s Steve Rushin wrote this about Woods’
last minutes at St. Andrews in 2000 following
his victory:
“He ducked into a building on the
grounds of the Old Course and said thank
you to the tournament committee. He posed
for pictures while flustered staffers struggled
to work their instamatics. Finally, Claret Jug
in his left hand, he raised a glass of champagne with his right. Said Woods, ‘I’d like to
make a toast to St. Andrews.’ . . . The new and
future champion took a small sip, grimaced a
smile and, another duty done, politely began
to make his exit. But his girlfriend wouldn’t
have it. ‘Keep drinking!’ Jagoda ordered.
Woods dutifully emptied the flute.”
To be sure, there were stories that week
involving other players. But there was just one
main stage.
On Thursday, Woods’ former college
teammate Notah Begay arrived at the Road A
