Monday, Jul 22, 2002
Monday, Jul 22, 2002 |
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Golf
GULLANE, Scotland, JULY 21. South African Ernie Els looked like a strong favourite to win his first British Open Sunday after opening up a 2-stroke lead after 10 holes. Els, the two-time U.S. Open champion, bogeyed the first hole and birdied the third to pick up his dropped shot. He then birdied the ninth with a 4-foot (1.3 meter) putt and the 10th with a 15-footer (5 meters). But there was a congested look right behind Els. Australian Steve Elkington, who was 1-under after 54 holes, drew to 5-under through 12 holes with a 3-under 33 on the front nine. Playing partner Japanese Shigeki Maruyama, who had the lead briefly at 6-under after nine, had bogeys on 10 and 12 to drop to 4-under. Els' playing partner Soren Hansen of Denmark was 5-under after 10 holes and pressing the South African. At 4-under and still on the course were Padraig Harrington of Ireland (after 14), Thomas Levet of France (after 13), and Retief Goosen of South Africa (after 17). With three-quarters of the field having completed play, Englishman Gary Evans — who has never won a tournament with a best of second in the Spanish Masters 10 years ago — shot a 65 to take the clubhouse lead at 5-under 279. Evans dropped a 50-foot (15 meter) putt on the 17th to save par and needed a tense 8-footer (2.5 meters) for a bogey on the final hole. World No. 1 Tiger Woods shot a 6-under 65 on Sunday — 16 shots better than Saturday's disastrous, wind-blown 81 — to finish on even-par 284 for the tournament. Woods, who failed in an attempt to win the third event in golf's Grand Slam, called Saturday ``one of those fluke days'' and said he was not soured on the British Open despite the unpredictable and often abysmal weather. ``Certainly not,'' he said. ``This is the oldest championship there is in our sport. One that all the players certainly respect and have admiration for. Yesterday was just one of those fluke days that you had to throw out. It was just a brutal day for all of us.'' ``I played some of the toughest conditions I have ever seen.'' Woods was trying to become the first to win all four majors in one year — the Grand Slam. He could still win three of four by taking next month's U.S. PGA. Woods has already won all four majors in succession — known as the Tiger Slam — but over two seasons. ``Two was a great year. I think sometimes the media and everybody tend to lose perspective on how difficult it is to win a major championship. Any time you win one major in a year it is going to be a successful year.''
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