His Outlook Is Open-Minded

It’s probably a longshot, but Tiger Woods is getting ready for the U.S. Open and the second part of what could be a Grand Slam. Off the course, Woods rightly downplays talk of the Grand Slam, but on the course, he seems to be doing a fairly good job of preparing for it.

On Monday in Germany, he won the SAP Deutsche Bank tournament in a playoff with Colin Montgomerie and today he begins defense of his title at the Memorial in Dublin, Ohio, where he is the three-time defending champion.

Woods leads the PGA Tour in its three most important categories--scoring average (68.84), earnings ($3,011,900) and victories (two).

This is a busy time for Woods, who is playing for the third consecutive week. There has been speculation he would add the Kemper to his schedule next week, then skip the Buick Classic, which is the week before the June 13-16 Open.

Last year, Woods played the Buick Classic at Westchester Country Club, but it followed the Open at Southern Hills. Woods usually does not play the week before a major.

There already is speculation building on possible contenders in the Open at Bethpage Black, with Woods drawing even more than the usual interest, if that’s possible. But he’s not alone.

To begin with, don’t discount Retief Goosen, the defending champion, who has sent notice that his game is together. And after getting off to a hot start and then cooling off, Ernie Els appears to be back with a tie for fourth at the Nelson.

Vijay Singh missed the cut at the Nelson, but the tied for 12th at the Colonial, was seventh at the Masters and won at Houston.

The longshots are many, but to name two, how about Nick Price and Kenny Perry. Price’s victory at the Colonial was his first in four years. And with the flat greens at Bethpage, you don’t have to putt like a maniac to win, which ought to help Price--and many others, probably.

As for Perry, he’s the 16th-ranked player in the world and almost nobody knows it. Perry has two seconds and a third this year and has won $1.3 million.

Zagat on Golf

You probably have heard of Zagat, the noted restaurant guide that uses feedback from diners to critique the eateries it surveys. Zagat has announced plans for a Zagat guide on golf courses that will be out in November.

If you are familiar with Zagat, this is how Riviera might fare:

For “people who live to play,” “Riviera’s reputation” (both the history and the Pacific Palisades layout) stretches farther than John Daly hits his driver, thanks to a novel “user-friendly” approach that lets you “mix and match” clubs to hit into the “nouvelle George Thomas” greens. (Hint: “Don’t miss the sixth hole with the doughnut bunker in the center of the green. Scrumptious.”) Other “aces:” “VIP” service, an “extensive” array of “comfortable” carts, “exquisite setting,” “totally al fresco,” all prompting sighs, especially after you find your “beautifully dimpled” golf ball after it is “infused” in the “hearty but possibly slightly overdone” Kikuyu grass. You’ll be saying, “I’d be here weekly if I could afford it.”

Court News

News item: A career criminal is convicted of selling bogus Masters badges and sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Reaction: When he gets out, Augusta National is going to be playing at 10,500 yards, with 350-yard par threes.

Do You Know Jack?

News item: The 24,000-square-foot Jack Nicklaus Museum, opened this week in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.

Reaction: Turning pro in 1961, the Nicklaus exhibit begins in the Prehistoric Section.

Reaction II: He is the only living golfer big enough to have his own museum. Wait until Woods thinks of it.

Tiger Update

Just in time for Father’s Day, anyone who buys special $54 Nike golf balls also gets a special Tiger bobble-head doll. Choose from three Tiger models--white shirt, blue shirt, red shirt. Each doll is smiling, probably because you just spent $54 to buy him.

Desmond Muirhead

Noted golf course architect Desmond Muirhead died of cardiac arrest and respiratory failure recently in Newport Beach. He was 79. Muirhead, who collaborated with Nicklaus on five courses, including Muirfield Village, where this week’s Memorial will be played, is most famous for designing the Dinah Shore tournament course at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage.

Dining News

News item: P.F. Chang’s China Bistro has signed PGA Tour pro Briny Baird to a promotional partnership.

Reaction: Briny Baird? Next, Hiromi Kobayashi will sign a promotional partnership with Marie Callender’s.

Mr. Europe

You have to say that John Daly is a traveling kind of guy, looking at his European Tour schedule. He already has played five times in Europe and has entered the BMW International at Munich in August as the defending champion. Last year, Daly set the 2001 European Tour record with a 27-under par at Golf Club Munched Ford-Eichenried.

Meanwhile, after a quick start, Daly is slipping a little over here on the PGA Tour. He has played 11 events and has two fourths--at Phoenix and at Torrey Pines--but hasn’t finished better than a tie for 15th since.

Chances are he’s saving himself for the U.S. Open. Or not.

Nick’s Time

If Price was seriously considering the Major Champions Tour for the 35-and-over set, he could be having serious doubts now. Since he tied for 68th at Phoenix, the 45-year-old has nine top-20s and six top-10s on the PGA Tour and won last week at the Colonial.

Price is up to fifth on the money list with $1.636 million.

Tiger’s Time

For what it’s worth, Woods has nearly as many victories in Ohio as the Bengals. Since 1998, he has won six consecutive times in Ohio--the last three times at the Memorial and the last three times at the World Golf Championship-NEC Invitational.

The Long of It

Belly putters ... broomsticks ... long-handled ... Whatever you want to call the long putters, Dana Quigley has a chance to be the first on the Senior PGA Tour to lead the putting stats with a long putter since Orville Moody in 1988. Quigley’s putting average is 1.701.

Birdies, Bogeys, Pars

Jim Everett, John “Blue Moon” Odom, Lawrence McCutcheon, Mike Lansford, Rafer Johnson, Greg Puga and Nathaniel Crosby are among the celebrities scheduled to play in the 20th Vince Ferragamo Foundation celebrity classic June 4 at Los Coyotes Country Club in Buena Park. The event, which benefits the Special Olympics, raised $194,000 last year. Details: (714) 633-1099.

The Office Depot Championship hosted by Amy Alcott raised its purse $500,000 to $1.5 million for 2003. The LPGA event benefits the City of Hope National Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute.

The Penny Lane celebrity tournament will be held Oct. 5-7 at Braemar Country Club in Tarzana. The event benefits Penny Lane, which provides help for abused and neglected teens, transitional housing for young adults and outpatient mental health services for children. Details: (310) 855-0172.

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*--* This Week All times PDT PGA TOUR Memorial When: Today-Sunday. Where: Muirfield Village Golf Club (7,224 yards, par 72); Dublin, Ohio. Purse: $4.5 million. Winner’s share: $810,000. TV: USA (today-Friday, 3-6 p.m., delayed) and Channel 2 (Saturday, noon-3 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.) LPGA TOUR Corning Classic When: Today-Sunday. Where: Corning Country Club (6,062 yards, par 72); Corning, N.Y. Purse: $1 million. Winner’s share: $150,000. TV: The Golf Channel (today-Sunday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.) SENIOR PGA TOUR Farmers Charity Classic When: Friday-Sunday. Where: Egypt Valley Country Club (6,909 yards, par 72); Ada, Mich. Purse: $1.5 million. Winner’s share: $225,000. TV: PAX (Friday, 10 a.m.-noon) and CNBC (Saturday-Sunday, 2:30-4:30 p.m.)

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