Mayfair Tames a Tiger

Proving once again that golf is indeed a quirky game, a slightly roundish, middle-aged (by golf standards) son of a car dealer beat the best player in the world (by popular opinion) in a sudden-death playoff in the Nissan Open.

Go figure. Billy Mayfair can’t hit the ball as far as Tiger Woods, he can’t wear as many swooshes and he can’t pump his fist after willing putts into the hole nearly as well as Woods.

But out there at Valencia Country Club, where the greens look like there are a few Volkswagens buried under the grass, all Mayfair did Sunday was shoot a four-under-par 67, birdie the last hole of regulation to tie Woods, then beat him with another birdie on the first playoff hole.

The guy who looks like the night manager at Ralph’s beats the most important figure in golf. Is that a big victory or what?

It wasn’t merely his first victory in nearly three years, it also pumped $378,000 into the Mayfair family coffers, which is plenty important when you have twin 110-pound Rottweiler sisters to feed.

Mayfair seemed relieved.

“I guess the big thing is I know I can win again,” he said. “You go for a while without winning and you start thinking, ‘Can I ever win again?’ And then to beat Tiger Woods. Wow.”

It was a compelling end to an historic week of golf in the Santa Clarita Valley, which hasn’t seen so much excitement since the sugar beet crop came in.

Stephen Ames, the Trinidad-born Canadian who had visa problems getting here, earned $142,800 for his trouble by finishing third.

Ames closed with a 68 and wound up three shots out of a playoff. John Daly, who had a 66, tied for fourth place with Payne Stewart, who shot 70.

It was Daly’s best finish since he won the 1995 British Open.

But the star of the show might have been the guy who finished second. All right, so Woods didn’t win, but he did manage to scare the heck out of Mayfair.

He is regarded as the man to beat in every tournament, and Woods isn’t all that unhappy to accept such a burden . . . even if it doesn’t always work out.

“If the guys are thinking that way, that’s good for me,” he said. “I can’t do it every time, though. Unfortunately. I wish I could, but it just doesn’t always work out.”

Woods birdied three of the last four holes to get into the playoff with a final-round 66 and stuck his swoosh right in Mayfair’s face.

Woods played the last 36 holes in 11 under par (65-66) and even held a one-shot lead until Mayfair caught him with a birdie on the last hole that was routinely spectacular.

Woods already had birdied the hole, even after driving into the rough and then finding the right greenside bunker before he rolled in a 15-foot putt. That put Woods at 12-under, which is a good place to be.

“Let’s put it this way,” Woods said. “At worst-case scenario, I knew I’d be in a playoff.”

He was right. Mayfair, who heard the cheers, figured that Woods had gone ahead.

So Mayfair, who failed to birdie No. 18 the first three rounds, did it when it mattered. He hit his second shot safely into the front bunker, then came out to within four feet and calmly sank the putt to catch Woods.

That he would have to deal with Woods came as no surprise.

“I knew he was going to be playing well,” Mayfair said. “I knew Tiger would be there at the end of the day. I was just hoping that I would be there too.”

Having made certain, Mayfair hopped into the front seat of a golf cart and rode out to the 18th tee again to begin the playoff. Woods, who was in the cart ahead of Mayfair, turned back to look. It was the last time Mayfair would be behind.

Woods said he had trouble with his tee shots many times Sunday because his right arm was too far behind his body. It happened both times he played the 18th, with the same result: a drive over the cart path into the right rough.

He got away with it the first time, but Woods missed the green to the right in the playoff. He chipped to 15 feet above the hole, but his birdie putt slid past to the left.

“I hit it right where I wanted to,” Woods said. “I just didn’t think it would flatten out like it did. It went dead straight. . . . Hard to believe.”

All that was left was for Mayfair to knock in a five-footer straight uphill, which was what he left himself after laying up to 85 yards on his second shot.

He reacted predictably once the ball stopped rattling around in the bottom of the hole.

“Awesome,” he said.

Now maybe he can lose some of the baggage he’s been carrying around. Like the short putt he missed in 1995, when he lost the World Series of Golf in a playoff after holding a four-shot lead with five holes to play.

When he stood over his putt in the playoff Sunday, Mayfair wondered “if this was the World Series of Golf all over again.”

But it wasn’t the same tournament and he isn’t the same player. An off-season of working with Todd Rolfes, his former assistant coach at Arizona State, helped Mayfair regain his stroke and his confidence.

Most important, at 31, he knows how it feels to win again. He’s happy and his wife Tammy is happy. As for his two dogs, named Dallas and Tulsa after his marriage in Dallas and his Tour Championship victory in Tulsa, well, their lives might be changed too.

Mayfair said he might have to get a new dog. The name already is chosen.

“Valencia,” he said.

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Nissan Open at a Glance

THE FINISH LINE

At Valencia CC--Par 71

Final 72-Hole Scores

272 (-12)--$378,000

xBilly Mayfair: 65-71-69-67

272 (-12)--$226,800

Tiger Woods: 68-73-65-66

275 (-9)--$142,800

Stephen Ames: 66-71-70-68

276 (-8)--$92,400

John Daly: 73-71-66-66

Payne Stewart: 70-67-69-70

277 (-7)--$67,988

Jeff Gallagher: 69-71-68-69

Bob Estes: 69-70-67-71

Scott Hoch: 67-71-68-71

Tommy Armour III: 69-68-67-73

3 tied at 278 (-6)

x--Won playoff on first extra hole

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NISSAN OPEN AT AT A GLANCE

FINAL SCOREBOARD

Mayfair wins on first playoff hole.

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Hole Yards Par Mayfair Woods 1 540 5 5 5 2 400 4 4 4 3 180 3 2 (Birdie) 3 4 422 4 4 4 5 367 4 4 3 (Birdie) 6 427 4 4 4 7 185 3 3 3 8 369 4 4 3 (Birdie) 9 460 4 3 (Birdie) 4 Out: 3,350 4 3 (Birdie) 4 10 470 4 4 3 (Birdie) 11 400 4 4 4 12 387 4 4 5 (Bogey) 13 386 4 4 4 14 211 3 3 3 15 529 5 4 (Birdie) 4 (Birdie) 16 202 3 3 2 (Birdie) 17 466 4 4 4 18 566 5 4 (Birdie) 4 (Birdie) In: 3,617 36 34 33 Total: 6,967 71 67 66 72 Holes 272 272

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HOW THEY FINISHED

$2.1-MILLION NISSAN OPEN

At Valencia CC--Par 71

Final 72-Hole Scores

272 (-12)--$378,000

xBilly Mayfair: 65-71-69-67

272 (-12)--$226,800

Tiger Woods: 68-73-65-66

275 (-9)--$142,800

Stephen Ames: 66-71-70-68

276 (-8)--$92,400

John Daly: 73-71-66-66

Payne Stewart: 70-67-69-70

277 (-7)--$67,988

Jeff Gallagher: 69-71-68-69

Bob Estes: 69-70-67-71

Scott Hoch: 67-71-68-71

Tommy Armour III: 69-68-67-73

278 (-6)--$52,500

Barry Cheesman: 72-73-67-66

Scott Verplank: 68-72-70-68

Jay Haas: 73-70-67-68

279 (-5)--$42,000

Hal Sutton: 72-69-66-72

Skip Kendall: 69-73-64-73

280 (-4)--$33,600

Loren Roberts: 68-73-72-67

Bobby Wadkins: 69-72-70-69

Kirk Triplett: 74-69-68-69

Fred Funk: 71-70-70-69

Kevin Sutherland: 70-73-67-70

282 (-2)--$24,465

B. Chamblee: 73-70-70-69

Frank Lickliter: 71-71-70-70

Jerry Kelly: 68-71-71-72

Jim Carter: 71-68-71-72

283 (-1)--$17,430

Tom Pernice Jr.: 71-74-70-68

Guy Hill: 71-74-67-71

Michael Bradley: 71-71-70-71

Brett Quigley: 69-70-69-75

Rick Fehr: 71-67-70-75

284 (E)--$13,650

Scott Simpson: 70-73-70-71

Mike Springer: 70-73-70-71

Dan Forsman: 71-74-71-68

Tom Kite: 68-75-69-72

Mark Wiebe: 68-72-69-75

285 (+1)--$11,603

Doug Barron: 75-71-68-71

Omar Uresti: 73-73-69-70

286 (+2)--$9,465

Lee Rinker: 70-73-71-72

John Cook: 70-71-72-73

Tom Lehman: 73-71-68-74

Clarence Rose: 71-75-70-70

Steve Jones: 71-72-74-69

Jonathan Kaye: 74-68-75-69

Neal Lancaster: 72-71-78-65

287 (+3)--$6,258

Mike Standly: 67-73-73-74

Richard Coughlan: 71-72-73-71

Nick Faldo: 73-70-73-71

Harrison Frazar: 73-71-72-71

Bob Friend: 71-74-71-71

Larry Rinker: 69-75-68-75

Chris DiMarco: 69-72-76-70

Willie Wood: 71-75-72-69

P.H. Horgan III: 68-78-72-69

288 (+4)--$4,925

Andrew Magee: 69-75-71-73

Keiichiro Fukabori: 67-74-75-72

Phil Mickelson: 67-76-74-71

Niclas Fasth: 73-70-75-70

289 (+5)--$4,746

Robert Gamez: 72-72-70-75

Joe Daley: 69-72-75-73

D.A. Weibring: 73-73-72-71

290 (+6)--$4,557

Iain Steel: 72-72-73-73

Dennis Paulson: 75-71-71-73

Kent Jones: 75-68-75-72

Brad Fabel: 74-72-72-72

Fuzzy Zoeller: 72-74-73-71

S. Maruyama: 67-79-75-69

291 (+7)--$4,389

Sonny Skinner: 71-72-73-75

Fred Couples: 70-73-74-74

292 (+8)--$4,284

Ben Bates: 69-75-71-77

Brent Geiberger: 70-71-74-77

Craig Barlow: 73-73-72-74

293 (+9)--$4,137

Kelly Gibson: 74-71-71-77

Ted Schulz: 73-72-75-73

Duffy Waldorf: 72-73-76-72

Lee Porter: 75-71-75-72

294 (+10)--$3,990

Blaine McCallister: 72-72-72-78

Mike Reid: 70-74-76-74

Glen Day: 72-74-79-69

295 (+11)--$3,906

K. Wentworth: 72-72-74-77

302 (+18)--$3,864

Ken Conant: 74-72-74-82

x--Won playoff on first extra hole

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WINNERS

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Year Winner Score Course 1926 Harry Cooper 279 L.A. CC 1927 Bobby Cruickshank 282 El Cab. CC 1928 Mac Smith 284 Wilshire CC 1929 Mac Smith 285 Riviera CC 1930 Densmore Shute 296 Riviera CC 1931 Ed Dudley 285 Wilshire CC 1932 Mac Smith 281 Hillcrest CC 1933 Craig Wood 281 Wilshire CC 1934 Mac Smith 284 L.A. CC 1935 Vic Ghezzi 285 L.A. CC 1936 Jimmy Hines 286 L.A. CC 1937 Harry Cooper 274 Griffith Park 1938 Jimmy Thompson 273 Griffith Park 1939 Jimmy Demaret 274 Griffith Park 1940 Lawson Little 282 L.A. CC 1941 Johnny Bulla 281 Riviera CC 1942 Ben Hogan 282 Hillcrest CC 1943 No Tournament 1944 Harold McSpaden 278 Wilshire CC 1945 Sam Snead 283 Riviera CC 1946 Byron Nelson 284 Riviera CC 1947 Ben Hogan 280 Riviera CC 1948 Ben Hogan 275 Riviera CC 1949 Lloyd Mangrum 280 Riviera CC 1950 Sam Snead 280 Riviera CC 1951 Lloyd Mangrum 280 Riviera CC 1952 Tommy Bolt 289 Riviera CC 1953 Lloyd Mangrum 280 Riviera CC 1954 Fred Wampler 281 Fox Hills CC 1955 Gene Littler 276 Inglewood CC 1956 Lloyd Mangrum 272 Rancho Park 1957 Doug Ford 280 Rancho Park 1958 Frank Stranahan 275 Rancho Park 1959 Ken Venturi 278 Rancho Park 1960 Dow Finsterwald 280 Rancho Park 1961 Bob Goalby 275 Rancho Park 1962 Phil Rodgers 268 Rancho Park 1963 Arnold Palmer 274 Rancho Park 1964 Paul Harney 280 Rancho Park 1965 Paul Harney 276 Rancho Park 1966 Arnold Palmer 273 Rancho Park 1967 Arnold Palmer 269 Rancho Park 1968 Billy Casper 275 Brookside 1969 Charlie Sifford 276 Rancho Park 1970 Billy Casper 276 Rancho Park 1971 Bob Lunn 274 Rancho Park 1972 George Archer 270 Rancho Park 1973 Rod Funseth 276 Riviera CC 1974 Dave Stockton 276 Riviera CC 1975 Pat Fitzsimons 275 Riviera CC 1976 Hale Irwin 272 Riviera CC 1977 Tom Purtzer 273 Riviera CC 1978 Gil Morgan 278 Riviera CC 1979 Lanny Wadkins 276 Riviera CC 1980 Tom Watson 276 Riviera CC 1981 Johnny Miller 270 Riviera CC 1982 Tom Watson 271 Riviera CC 1983 Gil Morgan 270 Rancho Park 1984 David Edwards 279 Riviera CC 1985 Lanny Wadkins 264 Riviera CC 1986 Doug Tewell 270 Riviera CC 1987 T.C. Chen 275 Riviera CC 1988 Chip Beck 267 Riviera CC 1989 Mark Calcavecchia 272 Riviera CC 1990 Fred Couples 266 Riviera CC 1991 Ted Schulz 272 Riviera CC 1992 Fred Couples 269 Riviera CC 1993 Tom Kite 206 Riviera CC 1994 Corey Pavin 271 Riviera CC 1995 Corey Pavin 268 Riviera CC 1996 Craig Stadler 278 Riviera CC 1997 Nick Faldo 272 Riviera CC 1998 Billy Mayfair 272 Valencia CC

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