From A Cub To A Tiger After 2 Years Of Amateur Status, Woods Set For Masters Pro Debut

The living quarters are entirely in keeping with the lifestyle of the average college student but incongruous with the antebellum clubhouse at Augusta National Golf Club. The rambling rooms on the third floor of the main building are called simply the Crow’s Nest, and they have been the only home Tiger Woods has known in his two visits to the Masters.

This is where the amateurs are invited to stay, a haven for the few days they are in residence at the first of the four major men’s professional golf championships. Woods was here as the U.S. Amateur champion and has played six rounds in this tournament, whose 61st edition begins this morning.

Times and circumstances have changed dramatically. Still the reigning U.S. Amateur champion, Woods has been a professional since last August, and instead of returning to the Crow’s Nest this year, he is ensconced with family and entourage in a private home.

After playing a practice round with Woods a year ago, Jack Nicklaus predicted that the prodigy out of Stanford would win more green jackets than he and Arnold Palmer did combined. Since they’ve won 10 between them, that was a mouthful coming from the man who captured his sixth Masters 11 years ago.

Woods, golf’s newest superhero at 21, was followed by huge galleries on his nine-hole round with Seve Ballesteros Monday and again Tuesday over a full tour of the lush acreage populated by those dogwoods, azaleas, and towering pines. Can he do it?

“I came here to win,” answered Woods, adding his familiar refrain: “It’s the way I approach every tournament.”

Woods has been able to approach this Masters without the added responsibility of keeping up his academic work in Palo Alto. Last Friday, for instance, he was able to join neighbor Mark O’Meara for a round at their Isleworth course outside Orlando, Fla. Woods shot 59.

That round featured a 27 on the front nine, and a birdie on No. 10 had Woods 10-under par through 10 holes.

“It was actually pretty easy,” said Woods. “I had irons on two par 5s and I walked away with par. Any time you do that, it’s disappointing.” A 59? Disappointing?

This is indicative of the inner drive that Woods brings to the Masters. Erratic with his irons and balky with his putter in The Players Championship last month, he returned to Isleworth and worked on what needed polishing before taking on an Augusta course with treacherous greens that requires precise ball placement.

“This golf course changes every year,” said Woods, who will be paired with Masters defender Nick Faldo for the opening round. There was no early preparation, just a Monday arrival to refresh the memory as to what he learned in two trips as an amateur.

“I learned the fairways are a lot narrower than you might think,” said Woods. “You’ve got to be on certain sides of the fairways in order to get to some of these pins. Your angle’s bad on some of these pin locations if you’re not. You’re pushing it if you want to fire at some of these pins. You’ve got to be patient with iron play.”

Last year Woods had returned Stanford and was watching on television when Greg Norman saw a six-shot lead dissipate in the final round. Faldo went on to win by five, and Norman became the game’s tragic figure.

“It was very painful,” said Woods. “I’ve been in that situation before. Granted, I’ve never done it at the Masters or in a major. I’ve done it in the amateur or junior levels. But it was sad. Any player who’s played golf can relate to that. It’s very sad to see him go through that.”

Woods is a student of the game’s history, and he has made periodic visits to the studios of The Golf Channel in Orlando to view films of past Masters, including last year’s.

“The one thing I’ve noticed throughout all the years,” he said, “is anybody who has won here has done one common thing. They’ve all kept the ball below the hole, and that’s the trick to playing this place. You have to be very strategic in your iron play.”

MEMO: Two sidebars appeared with the story: 1. MASTERS FACTS Event: 61st Masters. Dates: Today through Sunday. Site: Augusta National Golf Club, 6,925 yards, par 36-36 - 72. Cut: After 36 holes, field trims to low 44 scorers and ties and all within 10 strokes of the lead. Playoff (if necessary): Sudden death. Purse, winner’s share: To be announced Saturday. Defending champion: Nick Faldo. TV: Today and Friday: USA, 1-3:30 p.m. (live), 9-11:30 p.m. (replay); CBS, 11:30-11:45 p.m. (highlights). Saturday: CBS, 12:30-3 p.m. (live). Sunday: CBS, 1-4 p.m. (live).

2. MEASURING UP Woods hasn’t broken par 72 in his six rounds at Augusta. He missed the cut a year ago with successive rounds of 75.