Golf

FOX Sports Exclusive

Tiger and Sergio: No rivalry, just distaste

Share This Story

Robert Lusetich

After more than 20 years of covering everything from election campaigns to Olympic Games, Robert Lusetich turned his focus to writing about his first love — golf. He is author of Unplayable: An Inside Account of Tiger's Most Tumultuous Season. MORE>>
Updated Aug 7, 2009 2:27 PM ET
     
 

AKRON, Ohio

There was Sergio Garcia on Thursday, up against a tree again and there stood Tiger Woods ahead, watching. It's a scene which apparently repeats itself in golf, just like clockwork, every 10 years. "No, I mean there were some similarities with (Medinah) but it wasn't quite the same," said Garcia later. Next week it will be 10 years since we first caught a glimpse of this dashing young swordsman from Spain, then a wide-eyed 19-year-old who had the audacity to point an iron at Woods in warning at Chicago's venerable Medinah. The enduring image of that PGA was not of Woods holding off Garcia to win what was only his second major, but of the exuberant Garcia, closing his eyes as he hit a shot up against a tree that was filled with danger, then sprinting up the fairway to see it find the putting surface. While Woods won, it seemed like it would only be a matter of time before Garcia would break through, too. He looked that week for all the world a natural rival to Woods. But Garcia's time in the sun never came. If you wanted to be unkind, you'd answer "14 majors" if someone asked the difference between Garcia and Woods. In the opening round of the Bridgestone Invitational on Thursday, the two were paired together and don't think it didn't mean anything. These two don't like one another. Woods thinks Garcia's a petulant spoiled brat and Garcia thinks Woods is arrogant. They have "had words," as they say. Both, I think, have missed the mark in their characterizations of the other, but they've drawn their lines in the sand and, as Tiger likes to say, it is what it is.
downlevel description
This video requires the Adobe Flash Player. Download a free version of the player.
On the first tee, there was a perfunctory handshake. They didn't share more than a handful of words all day. But it was intriguing watching them play — alongside Sweden's Carl Pettersson — knowing the subtext: that it meant much more to both than a first round at a non-major normally would. Garcia hit the ball better all day but didn't really get the most out of his round. His mistakes were more costly. He did, however, look confident and composed with a putter, something which isn't often said of him. His par saves, especially, were impressive because they came from that range, 10 to 15 feet, which has never been a happy hunting ground for Garcia. Woods, on the other hand, did what he does best. He managed his game. It's hard to think anyone else in this field could've turned such a mediocre ball-striking round into a 2-under-par 68. Again, Woods was plagued by the misses to the right, his head dipping too much on the downswing, causing the blocked shot that's become his nemesis. But as a testament to his determination, he made just a solitary bogey, and even that was avoidable given he had plenty of green to work with on his chip shot but hit it too hard and missed the 8-footer coming back. Yet Woods was safely in with a 2-under 68 — he's never shot worse than 68 in his nine previous opening rounds at Firestone, where he's won six times — and it was Garcia whose 2-under-par round looked perishable on the last hole.
He'd missed the fairway way left, then hit a pitching wedge over the trees which ran too far and near a tree trunk, 90 yards from the green, in the right rough. "It seemed like nothing good wanted to happen for me on that hole," Garcia said. "I have no idea how that ball ended up there against that tree but I hit a great third shot and made the putt." That he did, matching Woods' 68 to leave them tied for eighth, four shots behind leader Padraig Harrington. "Perfect par, wasn't it," said Woods with raised eyebrows, "Four shots." Garcia, meanwhile, smiled when he remembered back to Medinah. "I've been out here 11 years but it feels like it's been about four; it's amazing how fast time goes," he said. "I know some people say it could've been better but I'm happy with my career so far. I mean, it could've been worse, too. Taking Tiger away, I'm only 29 and I think it's been pretty good." And then Garcia betrayed what lies between the two men, noting that it was "always good" to play with Woods because "you see how he can get it around even without hitting it very good." It was a little slap at Woods but don't think Woods takes the high road. Woods knew full well the last time he played with Garcia was in the final round at Hoylake three years ago. The day Garcia dressed all in lemon, or was it banana? The day Woods won the British Open and, of course, Garcia did not. "I think the last time was at Hoylake, was that the last time?" Woods said, with a straight face, when I asked him. "I think that was the last time that I played with him." Neither did Woods resist the temptation when he was asked whether he thought Garcia would've won a major by now. "Yeah, I would think so," he said, "You would've thought. He's been so close. He's been in the final group a few times and he's been right there with a chance. "Hasn't gotten over the hurdle yet. "It's just a matter of time. Sergio certainly has the talent to do it." Left unsaid was Woods' long-held conviction: that talent alone's never enough.

More Stories From Robert Lusetich

World Golf Tour


Trending Now

Stories | Photos | Lists | Videos

GOLF Videos

Tiger Woods 13: Legacy mode Posted: Feb 09, 2012
Tiger Woods talks about the new 'legacy mode' in Tiger Woods 13.

Keeping up with Kuchar Posted: Jan 18, 2012
FOXSports.com talks with PGA Tour golfer Matt Kuchar.

Golfers hit up Vegas Posted: Dec 15, 2011
Phil Mickelson and Alvaro Quiros pull off golf shots at some Las Vegas hot spots...

MORE FOXSPORTS VIDEO »

Fox Sports Store

    itemName itemURL imageSrc price itemDescription
    Mitchell & Ness Los Angeles Lakers #8 Kobe Bryant Gold Authentic Throwback Basketball Jersey http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Los_Angeles_Lakers/browse/featuredproduct/124407/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_124000/FF_124407_xl.jpg&w=100 259.95 Mitchell & Ness Los Angeles Lakers #8 Kobe Bryant Gold Authentic Throwback Baske..
    adidas Milwaukee Bucks #22 Michael Redd White Home Swingman Jersey http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Milwaukee_Bucks/browse/featuredproduct/141061/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_141000/FF_141061_xl.jpg&w=100 29.99 adidas Milwaukee Bucks #22 Michael Redd White Home Swingman Jersey
    adidas San Antonio Spurs Black Primary Logo T-shirt http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_San_Antonio_Spurs/browse/featuredproduct/172441/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_172000/FF_172441_xl.jpg&w=100 17.95 adidas San Antonio Spurs Black Primary Logo T-shirt
    adidas Los Angeles Lakers Purple Primary Logo T-shirt http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Los_Angeles_Lakers/browse/featuredproduct/172442/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_172000/FF_172442_xl.jpg&w=100 17.95 adidas Los Angeles Lakers Purple Primary Logo T-shirt
    adidas Miami Heat Black Primary Logo T-shirt http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Miami_Heat/browse/featuredproduct/173566/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_173000/FF_173566_xl.jpg&w=100 17.95 adidas Miami Heat Black Primary Logo T-shirt
    adidas Boston Celtics Green Primary Logo T-shirt http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Boston_Celtics/browse/featuredproduct/173567/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_173000/FF_173567_xl.jpg&w=100 17.95 adidas Boston Celtics Green Primary Logo T-shirt
    adidas Atlanta Hawks #15 Al Horford Navy Blue Road Swingman Basketball Jersey http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Atlanta_Hawks/browse/featuredproduct/178055/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_178000/FF_178055_xl.jpg&w=100 49.99 adidas Atlanta Hawks #15 Al Horford Navy Blue Road Swingman Basketball Jersey
    adidas Boston Celtics Green Primary Logo Long Sleeve T-shirt http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Boston_Celtics/browse/featuredproduct/179331/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_179000/DS_179331_xl.jpg&w=100 19.95 adidas Boston Celtics Green Primary Logo Long Sleeve T-shirt
    adidas Boston Celtics #5 Kevin Garnett Green Road Swingman Basketball Jersey http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Boston_Celtics/browse/featuredproduct/182418/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_182000/FF_182418_xl.jpg&w=100 59.99 adidas Boston Celtics #5 Kevin Garnett Green Road Swingman Basketball Jersey
    adidas Denver Nuggets Light Blue Primary Logo T-shirt http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Denver_Nuggets/browse/featuredproduct/188059/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_188000/DS_188059_xl.jpg&w=100 17.95 adidas Denver Nuggets Light Blue Primary Logo T-shirt