Even Tiger Can’t Win Them All

FORT WORTH, Texas — No three-peat for Tiger Woods. Instead, it was David Frost, winning for the first time in three years, who took the Colonial golf tournament here Sunday, watching on television the unusual sight of Tiger’s game falling apart.

Frost was already in with a 67, waiting to see whether Woods would either force a playoff or win by doing something spectacular. Having won his last two tournaments, Woods seemed capable of anything on this par-70 course.

When he came to the 17th hole--which Frost had birdied with a 25-foot putt--Woods was one shot behind the leader.

Using a pitching wedge, Woods put his second shot at the 383-yard par-four over the green. From there, he tried a “bump-and-run” that he struck too hard, sending it back across the green and into the sand.

The double-bogey six Woods took on that hole cinched the tournament for the 37-year-old Frost, who won by two strokes. Frost said, “I don’t feel sorry for him. I just went out there and played my game.”

Woods slid to a 72 and a tie for fourth place.

“I didn’t play well all day,” said Woods, who made only three birdies.

Third-round leader David Ogrin had amused Woods the day before, guaranteeing to his face that there would be “no three-peat for that guy.” Woods had to cover his mouth with his cap to keep from laughing out loud.

Ogrin’s intention had been to end Woods’ winning streak himself. But the best he could do was match his playing partner’s 72 and settle for a second-place tie with Brad Faxon.

Although they carded the same score Sunday, the easy-going Ogrin said, “I have about as much chance of matching Tiger shot for shot as I would matching Nolan Ryan fastball for fastball.”

There were a number of shots Woods would like back, particularly those from his double bogeys at the ninth and 17th holes.

He was leading the tournament at 16-under upon reaching the ninth tee. Then an eight-iron shot, from 146 yards out, fell short of the green and went into the water. That’s where it remained until a 15-year-old Texas high school student named Ryan Stanford jumped into the hazard to retrieve Tiger’s ball.

“I was hitting a lot of long iron shots over the green, and then I finally hit one short on nine, where there was water,” Woods said.

Even so, Woods, Ogrin and Frost were involved in a three-way tie for the lead until Ogrin missed a short putt at the 15th green, just as Frost was ramming home a 25-footer at the 17th.

Frost completed his round and then stood with his young son, watching Woods on a TV, outside the clubhouse. He would have gone indoors to relax for a possible playoff, but on a hot, windy day, Frost didn’t want to freeze in an air-conditioned room.

It was Woods who wilted at the 17th hole.

The 268 total left him three strokes behind Frost, tied for fourth place with Long Beach’s Paul Goydos.

Asked afterward if the pressure was off him now, Woods replied: “The pressure never was on me.”

Frost was a popular winner here. A resident of nearby Dallas, having long ago moved from his native South Africa, he dedicated the victory to a fellow Texan, golf legend Ben Hogan.

“I didn’t try to beat Ogrin or Tiger,” said Frost, who had been winless since the 1994 Greater Hartford Open. “It’s such a challenge just to meet your own challenges.”

Ogrin, also a Texan, had on Saturday compared playing against Woods to facing Michael Jordan in a game of basketball or Greg Maddux in baseball, the best in the business.

And then Ogrin added, with a straight face and with Woods seated right beside him: “To beat Tiger tomorrow is going to be a big thrill.”

Somebody did beat Tiger, but it was somebody else.

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Tiger’s Troubles

2 Double bogeys in final 10 holes

2 Strokes over par in final round

9 or 50% of greens hit in regulation

3 Strokes behind winner David Frost

$ $216,000 difference between 1st and 3rd