By Pepper Hastings
Weekend at Tiger's
10/7/2002 3:48:23 PM
Editor’s Note: Beckett’s Pepper Hastings was one of four media representatives offered on-site access to Upper Deck’s Win a Round of Golf With Tiger Woods promotion. Hastings and an Upper Deck photographer spent part of the morning and afternoon in a golf cart following the group while intermingling with the four amateurs and Tiger himself. He filed this story from Florida.
WINDERMERE, Fla. – By 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, the best golfer in the world had mounted yet another dramatic comeback, scoring birdies on the last three holes on his home course at Isleworth to win by two holes in match play.
Against a foursome of amateurs, that is.
“I was putting on the carpet in my hotel room this morning,” said policeman Greg Nichols who, along with three other men, won the opportunity to play a round of golf with Tiger Woods as a part of a 2002 Upper Deck Golf pack promotion. “He had a little left for us at the end. We didn’t have any answer.”
How’d they get here? Two “instant win” cards for the rare prize were randomly inserted into packs of 2002 Upper Deck Golf packs. Two additional winners, one being Nichols, were randomly selected from sweepstakes entry cards featured in packs and online.
Nichols, a 37-year-old policeman from Meadville, Pa., joined hobby shop owner Lee, 53, of Hamilton, Ohio, as random winners. Rounding out the amateur foursome were redemption winners Michael Pecoraro, 34, an executive from Coltsneck, N.J., and Feldt, also from New Jersey.
The amateurs played a best-ball scramble against Tiger’s individual score, and did manage to draw to within one hole of Woods after nine. Fired up by the challenge, the players good-naturedly exchanged smack talk during the back nine. The amateurs tied the match on 15 when New Jersey executive Jim Feldt dropped a 14-footer for birdie.
“Three to go, baby, and all square,” said Woods, bristling to the challenge. “Let’s go!” Three holes and three birdies later, Woods had slammed the door with a 66 over the 7,179-yard, par 72 track. The amateurs scrambled their way to a respectable 67.
“Sorry guys,” said Tiger, as his 8-footer for birdie dropped on 18 to win 2-up. “I didn’t mean to do that.” The players then exchanged handshakes. Woods politely signed scorecards, shirts, hats and photos for the players, who truly enjoyed Tiger and the day to themselves. There were never more than eight people in the “gallery” at anytime during the match, and those who circled the greens were course officials and invited reporters.
“It’s amazing that what started off as five strangers just turned into five guys playing golf,” said amateur player Dale Lee. “It was like playing along with your buddies, except one of them happened to be the best golfer in the world.”
Despite the good natured ribbing, Woods was the perfect playing partner all morning, genuinely encouraging the players and advancing the pace of the round with his bristling drives from the championship tees and crisp iron play from the 14-for-14 fairways he hit. Like any good playing partner, Woods acknowledged his group’s good shots and never offered instruction unless it was solicited.
“I asked him to take a look at my swing on the ninth hole,” said Nichols. “I hit a pretty decent shot, and he said ‘Don’t change a thing.’ Now, I can go back home and tell everyone that Tiger said not to change a thing about my swing.”
Woods, who tended flagsticks, sanded divots, spaded ball marks, and wiped down his own clubs, seemed at ease in the 90-degree heat on his backyard course where he shot the course record of 59 in 1997.
“If the guys want to tip back a few beers today, that’s great. This is for fun,” said Woods. “I’ll offer some tips if they ask.”
