The final round was fantasy golf turned real, the most emphatic and typical way Tiger Woods could demonstrate he is not just back, or back to fitness, but back to his best.
At last week's Memorial Tournament in Ohio, Woods came from four strokes behind to win by one, shooting a 65 that included an eagle and seven birdies, picking up strokes on the 17th and 18th, both long and difficult par fours. The birdie on the 72nd, which secured the $1,050,000 cheque, was a tap-in courtesy of a flighted seven-iron shot that came to rest 14in from the hole. But for those who harbour hopes for any other contender to win this week's US Open, even that customary burst of brilliance from Woods to snatch the prize was not the most deflating news. That lay buried in the statistics: Woods did not miss a fairway in his final round - a feat he last achieved in 2003 - and missed only seven of 56 all week, which gives an accuracy rating of 87.5%, equal to the best of his career.
Before he did that, there was a strong argument that the particular demands of Bethpage Black, colloquially known as Deathpage Black, the notoriously long and demanding New York municipal track chosen for the championship, would make his chances of winning his fourth US Open and 15th major title improbable.
The argument went like this: Woods won the 2002 US Open, the only other time it was held at Bethpage Black, but the course was set up very differently back then. The rough was penal, as it always is when the sadistic officials of the United States Golf Association are in charge of preparation, but it was uniformly penal. An inch was no better than a country mile from the fairway; indeed, it was often worse. That year, when Woods sprayed it wide but long, he was able to muscle the ball to the green while those who strayed by small margins could only chop the ball sideways onto the fairway.
The set-up at Bethpage this year is more calculated. The rough is graduated, becoming deeper by stages. If you are close to the fairway, it's playable; quite close is punishing; wider than that and you go hunting with a wedge and a prayer. Until last week, that seemed to spell doom for Woods. His driving since his return from knee surgery had been wild. At The Masters, his first major since last year's US Open, his tee shots were all over the property. "I hit it so bad warming up today," he said after finishing his final round.
Advertisement
"I was hitting quick hooks, blocks, you name it. Then on the first hole, I almost hit it into the eighth fairway [across the ninth fairway and the members' practice area]. It's one of the worst tee shots I've ever hit starting out. I fought my swing all day and just kind of Band-Aided it round."
Woods finished sixth, testimony to his powers of recovery and his peerless putting. But, so the argument concluded, at Bethpage Black such poor driving and erratic swinging would make contention impossible, even for Woods. Those who mounted the case against Woods noted that on the practice ground at Augusta National he seemed to be at odds with his coach of five years' standing, Hank Haney. Some observed that Woods had never driven the ball very well during those five years and speculated that Haney would soon be seeking other employment.
"You guys jumped the gun on that one," Woods said amid the bonhomie of his victory press conference last Sunday. "Hank's been phenomenal for my game and my development. He's helped me through a lot and we work great together. He's one of my best friends."
No comfort there, then, for the prosecution. Neither was there much to be gained by noting that Woods chose to keep his driver in the bag for most of his tee-shots at the Memorial Tournament. He hit low screamers with his three-wood and five-wood, most of which exceeded 300 yards.
Beyond Woods, public sentiment will be firmly behind Phil Mickelson, who returned to the tour in Memphis last week for his first tournament since his wife, Amy, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Always more popular than Woods in New York, Mickelson turns 39 on Tuesday. He was runner-up at Bethpage in 2002 and might have seriously challenged but for two late final-round bogeys .
Advertisement
Padraig Harrington can also be expected to finish high up the leaderboard. He was tied for eighth seven years ago but is a much more assured and decorated performer these days. Furthermore, his major wins have come on severely testing courses where par is the mark of excellence. Another in the top grinding category is Jim Furyk, the only player who was straighter off the tee than Woods at the Memorial, where he finished second, a stroke behind.
But such worthies will probably be playing for second place while Woods looks past his immediate opponents for challenges. The most obvious target he has is the four further majors to tie and five to exceed the record of Jack Nicklaus. And while he reels in Nicklaus, Woods can have some cross-sport fun and banter with Roger Federer, who has also stamped his old authority.
During the morning before his final-round 65 last week, Woods watched on television as Federer demolished Robin Soderling at Roland Garros and then telephoned to congratulate him. "It's remarkable when he gets it going," Woods said. "He hits shots nobody else can hit. It's fun to watch."
The comparison is uncanny. Federer and Woods, the twin wonders of our sporting times, are level on 14 major championships and can both be confidently expected to collect several more. Both faltered physically last year but have returned to full strength and both are clear favourites for imminent championships. Woods goes first, starting on Thursday, and could not be in better fettle.
Asked if he could remember when he last hit the ball so consistently well for a whole tournament, he replied without hesitation. "Hoylake," he said. "I did all right there." Oh yes. We remember it well.