Tiger Growls About Decision to Reduce Par at Pebble to 71

For the U.S. Open only, the U.S. Golf Assn. has changed the No. 2 hole at Pebble Beach from a par five to a par four.

Tiger Woods thinks it’s a bad idea.

“I don’t think that’s right, just because now we can’t really compare all the past champions,” he said.

Par at Pebble Beach this week will be 71, not 72.

For Woods, a man chasing history, the change is significant.

“We’ve always played this golf course as par 72,” he said.

Why did the USGA alter the course?

Because of an insidious tree disease known as pitch canker, a Monterey pine near the No. 2 green had to be removed. Officials felt that, without the tree serving as an obstacle, most players this week would not attempt to hit a lay-up shot and instead try to reach the green in two shots.

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Rooms are so scarce in the Bay Area this week some people have resorted to creative lodging.

Mike McKenzie, working the U.S. Open as a correspondent for Sports Illustrated, could not find a room within 38 miles of Pebble Beach, so he called the Carmel Chamber of Commerce for advice.

They suggested he pitch a tent.

Seriously.

So, for $18 a night, McKenzie secured Lot 111 at the Laguna Seca Campground in Monterey County Park.

He says the site is only eight miles from Pebble Beach and has hot and cold running water.

He booked the site in advance and purchased a tent for $139.

His concierge for the week is “Ranger Tom.”

Tuesday, McKenzie cooked salmon over an open fire under a star-filled sky.

He said the campsite does not offer a turn-down service or a frequent-stay program.

What, no acorns on his pillow?

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If you consider either David Duval, Ernie Els or Davis Love III a favorite to win the U.S. Open, maybe you should think again.

While the players rank fourth through sixth on this year’s money list, they have gone a combined 115 events between tour victories.

Although Duval lost a playoff to Dennis Paulson last week, his last victory was 15 months ago at the BellSouth Classic.

Els hasn’t posted a win since the 1999 Nissan Open, and Love’s last victory was the MCI in 1998.

Jack Nicklaus says people today sometimes confuse earnings with titles.

“I look down the list and I see a guy that’s won a million and a half bucks and probably hasn’t finished better than fifth or something,” he said.

“My best year was about $320,000. I was the leading money winner, won seven tournaments or whatever it was, and these guys win twice that much every week.”

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Steve Elkington had to withdraw from the tournament because of a sinus and ear infection. He was replaced by Rory Sabbatini of South Africa.