Tiger ends 10-month winless streak
By TOM SALADINO AP Sports Writer
DULUTH, Ga. (AP)- It wasn't as if Tiger Woods was playing poorly.
The No. 2 player in the world just hadn't won in 10 months. And
there were whispers that golf's young superstar was getting frustrated.
Not so, the 22-year-old Woods said after winning the BellSouth
Classic on Sunday by one stroke over Jay Don Blake.
"Actually I've been playing very well," said Woods,
who shot a final-round 72 to finish at 271, 17 under par on TPC
at Sugarloaf. "I just hadn't been getting the breaks this
year,"
Despite the winless drought, Woods believes he's improved as
a player "in everything, course management, putting, you
name it."
After winning six of the first 21 PGA Tour events he entered
as a professional, Woods hadn't won on the tour since the Western
Open last July.
"I finished second at the Mercedes, third in San Diego
and second in Los Angeles this year," he said. "I was
right there, but I wasn't able to get the breaks I needed in order
to win.
"Despite playing good, sometimes you need luck to win,"
said Woods, who is ranked second to Ernie Els as the world's top
golfer. "This week I got a couple of lucky breaks and finally
won a tournament."
Woods earned $324,000 for the victory, improving his 1998 earnings
to $1,003,586 and his PGA tour career earnings to $3,861,013.
He now has seven wins, three seconds, four thirds and 19 top 10
finishes since turning pro on Aug. 26, 1996.
Woods took charge of the BellSouth on Saturday, when he shot
a course-record 63 to take a three-stroke lead over Blake.
Despite shooting nine shots higher on Sunday, Woods said he
enjoyed winning the way he did. He had three bogeys and three
birdies in his final round, making all three bogeys on the front
nine to let Blake get close.
"I think if you shoot a 62 to win it's not as satisfying
as grinding it out and winning while not having your best stuff,"
Woods said.
Woods, who won in Thailand in January, hadn't played on the
PGA tour since the Masters in April, when he finished eighth.
Blake, playing with Woods Sunday for the first time, shot a
2-under-par 70, with 16 pars and a pair of birdies.
"I heard all the stories about how far he hits it, and
he may be even longer," said Blake. "It was something
to watch him play. I hoped I could put a little scare in him and
make him nervous, but I never could do it.
"Every time I thought I had a chance, he would do something
to save himself."
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