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| |  Monday, 9 April, 2001, 01:17 GMT 02:17 UK Woods is all-time greatest Woods seemed impervious to the weight of expectation Former Ryder Cup star and BBC Sport pundit Ken Brown says Tiger Woods' victory at Augusta confirms he is the greatest golfer to have played the game. Tiger is a golfer who appears not just once in a lifetime but perhaps only once in the lifetime of a sport. He is not just the complete golfer but the complete competitor. He has virtually swallowed the game whole. Tiger may not have the best record as he is still only 25 years old, but he is a phenomenal talent. He hits it longer and straighter than anyone else and the whole of his game is superb. To win one Major you have to be an outstanding player but to hold all four at the same time is a breathtaking feat.
In the end it all seemed quite academic but don't forget he finished 3-4-3. He seems to possess this inner calmness which allows his to find that little bit extra whenever anyone makes a move on him. He can almost make a birdie at will. And he never really makes any silly mistakes, a trait he probably gets from his mother. He always has everything completely under control. And of course when you've produced one finish like that it gives you extra confidence to take into the next shootout. I don't think there was one absolutely crucial shot that won it for him.
But his second shot to the 11th was beautifully executed and his tee shots at the 13th, 15th and 18th were superb. The thing is with those three drives was that they were so well positioned that they set up opportunities on the green. The further you hit it the smaller the margin for error but his accuracy was spot on. He said afterwards that he had been practicing the drive he hit at the 13th for several months just in case he needed it. That is the sort of meticulous planning he puts into everything. When he played in the recent Dubai Classic, he was playing shots with Augusta in mind. And you can tell he has been planning for this since the start of the year. He leaves no stone uncovered in his pursuit of excellence. To come out on top in four tournaments on four very different golf courses is phenomenal, especially this week when there was so much pressure on him. Golf is not like other sports in that it is so much harder to dominate. There are so many variables to take into account. And don't forget you are playing 150 people every week so it's so much harder to find that edge at the top four tournaments in the calendar. There is always the argument that this was not a genuine Grand Slam. But you can bet that having won this one, Tiger will be aiming to settle the debate once and for all by winning the next three Majors of the season. Someone is going to have to play extremely well to stop him. | |
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