Cook Is a Tiger in His Own Way

A theory developed last year that playing golf with Tiger Woods was hazardous to your psyche, that an afternoon of watching him consistently outdrive you by 20 yards or hit short irons while you’re still trying to muscle the ball onto the greens will wreck your confidence.

Well, at La Costa Resort and Spa on Thursday it was Woods who had to suffer through the agony of watching his playing partner run off to the early lead in the Mercedes Championships while his own game disintegrated.

John Cook shot a seven-under-par 65 in the first round to end the day one stroke ahead of Nick Price. Woods, the defending champion, mis-putted his way to a 72.

Woods did his long-drive thing with tee shots up to 315 yards, but Cook found success by playing his own game.

Cook’s signature is accurate approach shots--he finished second on the PGA Tour last year in greens hit in regulation--and he missed only one green Thursday during his bogey-free round.

“There’s a lot more to golf than just a pretty swing,” Cook said. “I’m not going to hit as far as Tiger or putt as good as Brad Faxon or hit irons as high as Greg Norman. You’ve got to go with what you are.”

Part of the problem that comes with playing with Woods comes from the huge gallery, which includes some newcomers to the etiquette of golf. But Cook said “I’ve played enough with Tiger to relax,” and that Woods’ fans are becoming more familiar with golf protocol.

There’s still some strategy to playing with Woods, particularly when putting.

“You’ve got to take your time and let people settle down,” Cook said.

Woods, aware of how boisterous the crowd can be when he sinks putts, helps the cause.

“He’ll mark his ball and let you go first,” Cook said.

Thursday, that might have been a courtesy to keep Cook from waiting too long.

Woods four-putted on the par-five second hole and three-putted for a bogey on 18.

So Woods couldn’t take advantage of a day when the course yielded low scores.

“I think it’s going to take about an 18-under [to win] this year,” said Phil Mickelson, who is tied with David Duval at 68. Ernie Els and Frank Nobilo are at 67.

But with rain expected by the weekend, the fairways could get muddy and take out the long bounces, shortening the drives and making it tougher to climb back into contention. That could affect people such as Woods and Faxon, also at 72; Nick Faldo and Mark O’Meara at 71, and Norman at 73.

Cook, who qualified for this tournament of 1997 champions by winning the Bob Hope Classic, couldn’t wait to begin the 1998 season.

“I was excited to get going, get the year started,” he said. “Normally, I would have come down on Tuesday afternoon. I came down on Monday night.”

If Cook was eager, Price is in a welcome state of calm. The pace of Price’s life picked up after 1994, when he won the British Open, the PGA Championship and four other PGA Tour events.

“Every time the phone rang, someone wanted something,” Price said.

His method of getting away from it all didn’t sound too appealing: “Sometimes it’s just bliss to sit in your hotel room for two hours and not even turn the TV on.”

Price went through a two-year drought on the PGA Tour. But after he finally won another tournament, the MCI Classic in Hilton Head in April, he had to suffer through the death of his caddie, Jeff “Squeeky” Medlin, from leukemia in June.

Thursday showed the events of the last few years have not drained Price completely.

“I’m still fired up about playing golf,” Price said.

“What I did well today was I stayed patient, and I never got ahead of myself.”

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The Leaders

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At La Costa Resort and Spa

Par 72; 18-Hole Scores

John Cook: 32-33--65 -7

Nick Price: 35-31--66 -6

Ernie Els: 34-33--67 -5

Frank Nobilo: 33-34--67 -5

David Duval: 34-34--68 -4

Phil Mickelson: 32-36--68 -4

Gabriel Hjertstedt: 34-35--69 -3

Billy Ray Brown: 35-34--69 -3

Paul Stankowski: 33-36--69 -3

Steve Jones: 36-33--69 -3

* COMPLETE SCORES C14