Tour Has Reached a Low Point

The way it’s going, the PGA Tour pros are posting scores so low, the only way you can keep track of them is with sonar.

David Duval wins his first two tournaments of the year with a combined 52 under par. He shoots a 59 on the last day to win the Bob Hope. Tiger Woods wins the Buick Invitational with weekend rounds of 62-65. Ted Tryba beats up Riviera with a course-record 61.

Where’s it all going to end? Probably with lower and lower scores, so better get used to it.

Tryba said his 10-under round was simply a matter of trying to run with the right crowd.

“You got to keep making birdies because these guys are coming,” he said. “You’re not going to stop them.”

Tryba birdied the first hole at Riviera, which you have to do to keep up around this place, then just kept on going.

“Heck, I thought I was playing in a J.C. Goosie [mini-tour] event down in Florida,” he said. “The courses are so easy down there. You know you got to keep making birdies. If it’s not you, somebody is.”

The 65 Woods shot Saturday was his best at Riviera and he said there’s no longer a margin for error.

“It’s very difficult to win a golf tournament that’s not a major shooting a bad round of one over or two over,” Woods said. “You used to be able to get away with that.

“Now, you always know somebody is going to go low out there. It’s just a matter of keeping pace.”

Davis Love III agreed.

“If you’re going to compete with 61s, you’d better not make any bogeys,” he said.

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Woods was followed by his usual large gallery. He was asked if the crowd will help him today.

“Depends on when they take a picture,” Woods said.

Woods was distracted in the last round at Torrey Pines when a fan snapped a picture of him during his swing.

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It’s a little-known fact that the pin placements are easier on Saturday, Woods said.

“For TV,” said Woods, who believes the pins are tougher on Thursday and Friday to “weed out” the field.

“[To] get them out of there,” Woods said. “They’re a little more generous on Saturday. People like to see birdies. They want to see somebody shoot a low round.”

Dave Lancer of the PGA Tour said the pin placements are no easier on Saturday.

Love said the philosophy is for six hard pin locations, six medium and six easy ones, despite what Woods may believe.

“They probably look easier to him when he shoots 65,” Love said. “If he shoots 75, maybe they won’t look so easy.”

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Love said he isn’t jealous of all the attention Duval is getting.

Said Love: “I’m jealous of the fact that he’s had more days than me in Sun Valley this year.”

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In about two minutes, Ernie Els anointed both Duval and Woods as the top player in the world.

Els said this: “David Duval is definitely the best player in the world right now.”

And then this: “Tiger’s the best player in the world . . . and the most exciting player in the world.”

So which is it, Ernie?

“There’s probably a pretty good tie there,” he said. “I’m not saying any more.”