O'Neill: Tiger shows no signs of distraction

All those concerns about Tiger Woods losing his killer instinct … all that speculation that the arrival of new daughter Sam Alexis, and the joys of fatherhood, might turn Woods into competitive putty … those ideas that his assault on the record books of professional golf would slow down considerably … Never mind.

Since Baby Sam was born, Daddy Eldrick has played six tournaments in a combined 56 strokes under par. During the last four of those events, he has three wins and a tie for second. The performance includes victories in a World Golf Championship event, a major championship and last week’s PGA Tour playoff tournament in Chicago.

At age 31, the “distracted” Woods now has 60 PGA Tour career wins. Only four other players have won as many, and they included legendary figures, Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer.

The previous youngest to hit the 60 mark was Nicklaus, who made the turn at the age of 35, or four years older. How many more will Woods have in four years? He has six victories thus far this season, the fifth time in his 10-year career that he has had as many in one season. Could he have 80 wins by age 35?

“I’ve exceeded my expectations, and it’s been a lot of fun to enjoy that road, that whole process to get to 60,” Woods said. “It’s been a lot of work. There have been some changes along the way. But I think that’s all been great.”

Surprise, surprise. Woods’ 63 on Sunday at a cushy Cog Hill puts him in the driver’s seat to win the FedExCup, even though he skipped the first of the playoff events at The Barclays. The world’s No. 1 player has finished second and first the last two weeks.

While Woods is planning to play in the Tour Championship this week, he could skip it, as well, and his chances coming out on top of the point standings would be high. Only four players in the remaining 30-player field can unseat him - Steve Stricker, Phil Mickelson, Rory Sabbatini and KJ Choi.

For Sabbatini and Choi, it will take a win at East Lake Golf Club to have a chance. Stricker needs at least a third-place finish, while Mickelson must finish second or better to be in contention. You can tell Mickelson is worried sick about it – after passing on last week’s third leg.

On one hand, the PGA Tour playoffs have accomplished getting both Mickelson and Woods to play in this season-pending Tour Championship, something neither player did last year. On the other hand, actually winning the event becomes somewhat anti-climactic for someone other than those four players. Or will winning the FedExCup be anti-climactic?

Hard to say.

ZACH ATTACK
Masters winner Zach Johnson has a chance to capture three victories in the state of Georgia this year when he tees it up this week.

Johnson already has won the Masters at nearby Augusta, and the AT&T Classic in Atlanta.

If he wins at East Lake, he’ll be the first player to win three PGA Tour events in one state in the same season since Tom Watson captured three titles in California in 1980.

The last player to win two events in the same city in the same year was Tiger Woods who won twice in San Diego in 2003. Phil Mickelson won twice in Atlanta back in 2000.

ELS BELLS
Ernie Els, ironically, is featured in a commercial putting his game face on and banging his head on a locker to get psyched up for the PGA Tour playoffs. Of course, Els was so psyched up he skipped the second tournament in the series.

At the BMW Championship last week, Els was among several players who indicated four playoff tournaments in succession is too much. He noted that the Tour never got the players’ feedback on the idea before implementing it.

“They did not express anything to the players,” Els said. “They asked those questions, but they didn't come out and say, ‘OK, look, this is what we’re going to do, what do you think?’

“It wasn't directly asked. And unfortunately, we are in this position now because they didn't either listen or they just went on with the decision. And this is where we are.”

TWO LATE
Only two players have recorded top-10 finishes in each of the three playoff events — Stricker and Sabbatini.

A HORSE FOR A COURSE
With his win at the BMW Championship, Woods now has seven tournaments he has won at least four times each. He has six wins each at the World Golf Championships-CA Championship and Bridgestone Invitational. He has five wins at the Buick Invitational and four each at the PGA Championship, Masters, Arnold Palmer Invitational and BMW Championship.

HE’S A SLU-MAN
Jeff Sluman will make his Champions Tour debut this week at the Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn. Sluman is a six-time winner on the PGA Tour and one-time major winner — the 1988 PGA Championship.

Sluman also is Jack Nicklaus’ captain’s assistant for the third time in the upcoming Presidents Cup matches.

NATIONWIDE SHOWDOWN
The Nationwide Tour Oregon Classic presented by Kendall Automotive Group will feature every winner on the 2007 Nationwide Tour with the exception of recent PGA Tour graduate Nick Flanagan and Paul Claxton. The field also boasts 48 of the Top 50 money winners, with the exceptions being, again, Flanagan and Claxton.

Del.icio.us | Digg it | Athlon Sports RSS Feeds