Where Will Tiger Tracks Lead?

The Tiger Woods Lotto sure has been picking up a lot of players lately:

He’s leaving Stanford. He’s turning pro. He’s endorsing a new line of clubs, the Tiger Woods. Brent Musburger says on the air that Tiger’s leaving. Tiger enters two PGA Tour events at the end of the summer. School’s just about out.

It seems that everyone expects Woods to turn pro pronto except the Tiger person himself.

All we really know about Woods is his schedule, which may offer a clue.

Woods is playing the U.S. Open later this month and the British Open in July. The two-time defending U.S. Amateur champion goes for a third title Aug. 19-25 at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club just outside Portland, Ore.

After that, Woods has entered the Greater Milwaukee Open Aug. 29 and the Quad City Classic Sept. 12 at Coal Valley, Ill. Woods’ junior year at Stanford begins Sept. 28.

Musburger and others read Woods’ entry into the two pro events as an indication that he’s coming out. But Earl Woods said his son only intended to get some more pro tournament experience before school.

A third consecutive U.S. Amateur victory wouldn’t leave much for Woods to conquer on that level, but he hasn’t exactly proven to be all that successful in pro events.

Beginning with the 1992 Los Angeles Open, Woods has entered 12 tournaments and made the cut only three times. He tied for 41st in the 1995 Masters, tied for 57th in the 1995 Western Open and tied for 68th in the 1995 British Open.

Woods has played those 12 pro events at 91 over par.

If he won either at Milwaukee or Coal Valley, Woods would get a two-year exemption to play on the PGA Tour and probably would be out the door at Stanford before you could say term paper.

His other options would be to win enough money to work his way into the top 150 on next year’s money list and gain an exemption, or to play as a sponsors’ exemption--eight are allowed--or to try qualifying school.

Or he could stay at Stanford.

That much is known, but the rest is pure speculation, at least right now.

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History lesson: With the U.S. Open returning to Oakland Hills in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., at least two major moments on the legendary Donald Ross-designed course are sure to be inspected again.

One would be the strange fate of T.C. Chen, who had a four-shot lead on the last day of the 1985 Open, but hit the ball twice on a chip shot on the fifth hole, wound up with a quadruple bogey, closed with a 77 and finished tied for second.

The other occurred in the 1951 U.S. Open, when Ben Hogan came from behind to beat Bobby Locke. Hogan shot a 67 on the last day, one of only two subpar rounds in the tournament.

When told of Hogan’s score, Locke asked, “Did he play every hole?”

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Unguaranteed: For what it’s worth, Golf Digest has chosen Colin Montgomerie as the favorite to win the U.S. Open, which begins June 13.

After Montgomerie, who has not won a major title, are five who have: Nick Faldo, Greg Norman, Fred Couples, Corey Pavin and Ernie Els.

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Oh, doctor: Dr. Richard Coop, who helps Pavin with the mental approach to golf, listed the seven deadly sins of golfers in the June issue of Golf magazine.

They are: Sloth, fear, self-loathing, perfectionism, haste, indecision and stubbornness.

No mention was made of the dreaded four-putt.

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Capt. Zero: John Daly made a lot of news at the Kemper Open with a zero-iron, so-called because it has less loft than a one-iron.

Daly said he hits the zero-iron about 275 yards and that’s 15-20 yards longer than he hits his one-iron.

He told reporters at the Kemper Open that his use of the zero-iron is not a marketing scheme.

“It’s not something I’m doing for marketing, although with all the write-ups you guys have been giving me, maybe I should,” Daly told Golf World.

Golf Notes

A golf tournament to benefit the American Lung Assn. will be held Thursday at Soboba Springs Country Club in San Jacinto. Details: (619) 341-6795. . . . The 14th East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Youth Activities League golf tournament will be played June 27 at Brookside. Details: (213) 267-0012. . . . More than $50,000 was raised at the Watts Foundation Community Trust charity golf tournament at El Caballero. The organization helps inner-city youth with medical and dental services.

The 10th Notre Dame High Alumni golf tournament will be held June 24 at Porter Valley Country Club in Northridge. The event benefits the Notre Dame High School scholarship fund. Details: (818) 501-2300, ext. 307. . . . Martha Marie Clemons of Auburn won the LPGA Foundation’s Dinah Shore Trophy. The award honors a female collegiate golfer with both academic and athletic credentials.

To receive applications for practice-round tickets for the 1997 Masters, telephone (706) 667-6700. Completed applications must be postmarked by July 15. . . . Tom Flores’ golf classic will be held June 27-29 in Reno, Nev. The event benefits the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo graphic communication department. Details: (805) 253-301.