Tiger’s Off to Roaring Start in Year 2000

Even by Maui’s standards, Tiger Woods is riding an incredible wave. And there’s no indication he’s about to get knocked off.

Pushed into a heart-stopping playoff by two-time U.S. Open champion Ernie Els, Woods kept alive golf’s longest winning streak in 46 years Sunday with a 40-foot birdie putt on the second sudden-death hole to win the Mercedes Championship.

It was his fifth consecutive victory, the most since Ben Hogan won four consecutive tournaments in 1953, and inched Woods a little closer to the record once thought untouchable--11 in a row by Byron Nelson in 1945.

“It feels a lot better when you can beat the best players,” Woods said. “Fortunately, I got him this time.”

With a spectacular finish to the first tournament of the year, Woods and Els matched eagles on the 18th hole to force the playoff, and Woods made a six-foot birdie putt on the same hole 20 minutes later to keep the playoff going.

He ended it with his 40-footer on the first hole, stepping off to the side as it got closer and unleashing a fist pump as it fell. Els tried to keep the thriller alive, but his 35-footer stopped about a foot short of the hole.

“I think he’s a legend in the making,” Els said. “You guys have helped, but he’s backed it up with his golf game. He’s 24. He’s probably going to be bigger than Elvis when he gets into his 40s.”

Along with $522,000--enough to move him to No. 3 on career money list after fewer than four full seasons on the PGA Tour--Woods won a Mercedes SL500 Sport that sells for $88,000 and a blazer made of cashmere and silk valued at $3,300.

He also sent a scary message to the rest of the PGA Tour. It will likely take a superhuman effort to beat him.

“We were both out there grinding our butts off,” Woods said. “To make a putt like this, that’s all you can ask for.”

Els outplayed Woods from tee to green, but missed two short putts on the back nine that might have sealed the victory before it reached the 18th hole.

“At least I pushed him to extra time,” said the South African known as the “Big Easy.”

Woods gave Els new hope when he missed the green on No. 17 and lipped out a par putt. What had been a great display of golf only soared to another level.

“When you’re in competition that close, you don’t realize what you’re doing,” Woods said. “You’re just trying to hit this shot, right here, right now.”

That’s what they did. Both players bombed their drives on the 663-yard closing hole, Els a few yards longer. Woods hit first, a three-wood that hit softly on the right side of the green and caught the slope, rolling closer to the hole until it stopped eight feet away.

As he had done all day, Els was up to the challenge. His three-wood hit short, bounded onto the green and stopped 6 feet away. Both gave each other a thumbs-up and a smile as they walked to the green.

Woods again put on the heat by making his eagle putt, worthy of a trademark pump of the fist. The Big Easy didn’t blink, and rolled his eagle putt on top of Woods to force a playoff.

Els again hit the 18th green in the playoff with a three-wood from 323 yards, while Woods’ approach stayed right of the green. His 60-foot effort came up six feet below the hole, and Els thought he had it won until his 30-foot eagle putt veered off to the right at the last turn.

Woods made his birdie, then clinched the 16th victory of his young career on the next hole with a putt that surprised everyone but Woods.

Woods and Els both finished with a 68 for 16-under 276. Defending champion David Duval had a 68 and was four strokes behind.

Woods now has won eight out of his last 11 PGA events.

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MOST CONSECUTIVE VICTORIES ON THE PGA TOUR

11: Byron Nelson, 1945

6: Ben Hogan, 1948

5: Tiger Woods, 1999-2000

THE STREAK

AUG. 29, 1999

NEC Invitational: $1 million

OCT. 24, 1999

National Car Rental Classic: $450,000

OCT. 31, 1999

The Tour Championship: $900,000

NOV. 7, 1999

American Express Championship: $1 million

JAN. 9, 2000

Mercedes Championship: $522,000

Total money won: $3,872,000

Note: In this span Woods also won one unofficial PGA Tour event, the World Cup of Golf, on Nov. 21, 1999

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Head to Head, Hole by Hole

The Tiger Woods-Ernie Els pairing in Sunday’s final round of the Mercedes Championship was virtually match play, considering the players entered the day tied for the lead at 11-under and were four strokes ahead of the field at the end of regulation play. A look at their rounds:

Woods 1: 4 2: 3 3: 4 4: 4 5: 4 6: 3 7: 5 8: 3 9: 4 Out: 34 10: 3 11: 3 12: 4 13: 4 14: 4 15: 4 16: 4 17: 5 18: 3 IN: 34 Total: 68-276 Playoff: 4 Playoff: 3 ***

Els 1: 4 2: 2 3: 4 4: 4 5: 4 6: 4 7: 4 8: 3 9: 4 OUT: 33 10: 5 11: 2 12: 4 13: 4 14: 4 15: 5 16: 4 17: 4 18: 3 IN: 35 Total: 68-276 Playoff: 4 Playoff: x