Woods Is a Favorite Topic When Subject Is U.S. Open

Question: Will Tiger Woods be the favorite when the U.S. Open begins in three weeks?

Answer: Yes. Tiger Woods will be the favorite in the U.S. Open for the next 20 years.

All right, so Woods didn’t win last week in Germany even though he held the third- round lead, but it does not matter.

No, what matters is how Woods prepares himself for the Open at Pebble Beach--a place where he won three months ago when he came from seven shots down with six holes to go at the AT&T; National Pro-Am.

Woods and long hitters may wind up with an advantage at Pebble Beach because the rough isn’t going to be as high as it usually is in the U.S. Open. The trade-off is that the greens will be extremely hard and fast.

So the good putters are going to be in the front row too. And the top three on the PGA Tour are Jesper Parnevik, Phil Mickelson and Davis Love III.

That’s not a bad group, especially because Mickelson, who has won three tournaments this year, seems intent on trying to win his first major title. However, as is usually the case, Woods is in a class by himself. He always seems to be making news, which is what he did last week at the Deutsche Bank-SAP Open when he “tested” a Nike golf ball for the first time, even though he has an endorsement deal with Titleist.

This brings up a couple more Tiger questions.

If Woods had won, would he have switched to the Nike ball as soon as he left the green?

Because he didn’t, should he have blamed the Nike ball?

In the meantime, there are reports that Woods’ ongoing endorsement extension deal with Nike includes a percentage of income from the sale of Nike Golf merchandise. Stay tuned.

This week, Woods is playing under the steady eye of Jack Nicklaus at Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, where you can be sure that the four-time U.S. Open champion is standing by to offer a few meaningful tips.

TIGER UPDATE

Woods’ endorsement deal with Buick is reported to be five years and $25 million. Also, Woods was paid an appearance fee of

$1 million to play last week in Germany.

TIGER UPDATE II

A round of golf with Woods went for $650,000 at a charity auction last week in Atherton, Calif.

The winning bid was submitted by Tom Mendoza, vice president of worldwide sales at computer storage company Network Appliance Inc.

Now while that may sound like a lot of money, Mendoza recently donated $35 million to his alma mater, Notre Dame, which is going to rename its business school for Mendoza.

As for his round with Woods, Warren Buffet will fly Mendoza there in his private plane, caddie for him and even offer a stock tip at the 18th hole.

You would pay $650,000 for that, wouldn’t you?

BOOK REPORT

It had to happen: Seven months after his death, the first two Payne Stewart books have hit the shelves--”The Payne Stewart Story” ($24.95) and “I Remember Payne Stewart” ($18.95).

THE KATHY TOUR

The celebrity golf tournament bandwagon known as the LPGA Tour rolls on in two weeks, when Kathy Ireland’s tournament is played at Myrtle Beach, S.C., only three weeks after the Vince Gill/Amy Grant tournament in Memphis, Tenn.

Ireland has lent her name and her support to the Kathy Ireland Greens.com LPGA Classic that benefits the City of Hope Cancer Center.

Ireland, a supermodel/actress and lifestyle product designer, lives in Santa Barbara and likes to play local nine-hole courses so she doesn’t take too much time away from her two young children.

“Golf is something new to me, but I know it’s one of those sports that can be so frustrating,” she said. “It’s very humbling.”

DO IT QUIGLEY

Tom Watson is a local guy and Jim Colbert went to Kansas State, so Dana Quigley was nearly forgotten by the fans in Sunday’s final round of the Senior PGA Tour event in Kansas City, Mo.

There was one guy who cheered for Quigley, so Colbert pointed him out. Quigley recognized the fan right away.

“Oh, yeah,” he said. “That’s the guy I played with in the pro-am.”

Cheering section or not, it didn’t seem to matter to Quigley, who went on to post a one-shot victory over Watson.

Said Quigley: “It was a miracle.”

Maybe, but at least Quigley has worked hard to make it happen. It was his 105th consecutive Senior PGA Tour event.

NOTHING MOCK ABOUT IT

Like those mock turtleneck shirts that David Duval wears? Chances are, you need to look now to see them with the news that apparel designer Mossimo is having financial problems after three of its creditors filed a petition in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Duval has a four-year, $4.95-million endorsement deal with Mossimo.

WEBB PAGE

Karrie Webb tied for second at last week’s Firstar LPGA Classic in Beavercreek, Ohio, her 11th consecutive top-10 finish. She needs five more to tie her record of 16, set in 1999.

Webb, who lost to Annika Sorenstam by one shot, took a two-shot penalty at the par-five No. 8 when she hit the sand with a practice swing in the bunker.

“It was just one of those things,” Webb said.

CELEBRATE

LaRee Pearl Sugg tied for 43rd and won only $2,702 at the Firstar LPGA Classic, but she was happy. Why? Her second-round 68 was the first time she broke par this year.

BUSINESS UPDATE

First-quarter sales of wedges rose 8.1% to $9.8 million--the fastest- rising segment in the putter, wedge, footwear and glove categories. Shoe sales were highest--$40.1 million, according to Golf Datatech.

OH, CANADA!

News item: The Golf Channel signed a 10-year deal to carry as many as six Canadian Tour events played in the United States.

Reaction: There’s no TV network in Canada that wanted to do this?

JUSTIN TIME

Speaking of slow starts (well, let’s start now), Justin Leonard is in the middle of one. He hasn’t finished better than 15th this year.

Why? Even though he enjoys a reputation as one of the most effective pros on the greens, would you believe it’s his putting?

Leonard is all right in total driving (tied for 38th) and greens in regulation (30th), but he is No. 150 in putting.

Is that bad? Last year, Leonard was 17th in putting. And no one had a more important putt than Leonard on the last day of the Ryder Cup.

UH-HUH, SURE

Lee Westwood, May 14: “I am in the worst slump of my career . . . I know I can’t compete.”

Lee Westwood, May 21: He shoots a final-round 64 to beat Woods and win the Deutsche Bank-SAP Open.

ALL HALE

Hale Irwin has had laser eye surgery, which can only improve his vision when he takes a look behind him and sees this: a total of 50 first- or second-place finishes (26 victories, 24 runner-ups) in 116 starts on the Senior PGA Tour.

That means Irwin has either won or finished second in 43% of the senior events. He needs two more victories to equal Lee Trevino’s senior record of 28.

MONEY NEWS

According to GolfWeek, PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem’s salary for 2000 is nearly $3 million, including bonuses. If that sounds like a lot, it’s only three weeks of exhibitions for Woods.

BIRDIES, BOGEYS, PARS

The UC Irvine Anteater Classic will be played June 19 at Mission Viejo Country Club. The event benefits the UCI Athletic Scholarship Fund. Details: (949) 824-5550 or www.athletics.uci.edu.

Defending U.S. Senior Open champion Dave Eichelberger and past champions Miller Barber, Dale Douglass, Simon Hobday, Irwin, Larry Laoretti, Graham Marsh, Orville Moody, Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Dave Stockton and Trevino are exempt into the June 29-July 2 event at Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pa. A record 3,007 entries were accepted.

The second Jim Murray Memorial tournament will be played Aug. 21 at Lakeside Golf Club in Toluca Lake. The event funds five journalism scholarships. Details: (818) 344-6195.