August 25, 2000

We could learn by watching the focus of Tiger

Could we be so privileged as to witness the beginning of the prime of the best golfer ever to walk competitive fairways? In the wake of Tiger Woods' third straight major championship victory and his fourth victory of the last five major tournaments of the golfing world, it's a reasonable supposition.

The heretofore greatest golfer of the modern era &emdash; Ben Hogan &emdash; inspired millions of golfers to pursue what all serious golfers know as the "Five Fundamentals," (as in Hogan's Five Fundamentals, as illustrated for Sports Illustrated and on the racks of golf shops for most of the last half-century in book form.)

If Hogan, of whom Woods' is a devoted student, illustrated the physical game, Woods shows us the psychological. In the dictionary next to the word "zone" should be a picture of Woods in the hunt for victory. The world's second-best golfers &emdash; i.e. the top 10 percent of the PGA Tour other than Woods &emdash; sheepishly admit Woods plays on a higher plain which they do not understand.

Other than gawking in awe at Woods' prowess from tee to green, what lessons can mere mortals find in Tiger Woods' excellence? For starters, focus and diligence. Woods puts himself in a position to win through relentless practice, a trait he shares with the immortal Hogan. He clearly is focused on winning major tournaments. The Buick Open? Who cares. It's just a little workout for Woods. The Masters. The U.S. and British Opens. The PGA. That's where Woods puts his mental effort, and where he shines.

While few among us ever will touch the green of a major golf tournament, each of us has our own major tournaments of life, the goals we harbor in our heart of hearts. And if we harbor just a smidgen of Tiger Woods' determined focus, we just might get there.