Tiger Woods aims for historic triumph

World number one among favourites to win US Open starting today.

ARDMORE: Tiger Woods will try and follow in the iconic footsteps of Bobby Jones and Ben Hogan this week with a historic victory at Merion, despite heavy rains that have drenched the 113th US Open.

The year’s second major championship begins today on the old 6,996-yard course with the red wicker baskets atop its flagsticks, one of many oddities that makes Merion a strong test of shotmaking and patience even when soggy.

“I don’t think we have an exact feel for it yet, what we’re going to have to do and what we’re going to have to shoot,” said Woods. “The conditions keep changing. We haven’t dealt with teeing it up in a tournament yet with it raining and drying out for a couple of days and the mud balls appearing. That’s going to be interesting, especially the longer holes.”



World number one Woods, a 14-time major champion chasing the all-time record of 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus, has not won a major title since the 2008 US Open but he has won four times this year and is again among the favourites.

Meanwhile Rory McIlroy, who won the 2011 US Open at rain-soaked Congressional and also took last year’s PGA Championship, likes his chances this week after struggling for much of this season.

“My game is in much better shape than it was last year,” said McIlroy. “I feel coming in this year I’ve got a way better chance than I did last year.”

Garcia leaves locker room note for Woods

The Tiger Woods-Sergio Garcia ‘fried chicken’ spat rumbled on after the two men failed to have a clear-the-air talk over comments the Spaniard made last month.

However, Garcia was unable to make a face-to-face apology when he failed to get a chance after making a round during the US Open practice. In the end, the Spaniard left a note in Woods’ locker, purportedly saying he was wrong to have said what he said. “Obviously we saw each other yesterday on the range,” said Garcia. “I was hoping to meet him after the round, but he was gone. But I did leave him a note.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 13^th, 2013.