Playing with Tiger makes their day

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

Jeff Wooley, Tiger Woods, Dennis Francis and Greg Garde watch Pro-Am partner Joe Cox (not shown) hit his drive on the first tee at Kapalua's Plantation Course. Eric Risberg • Associated Press

"He's got persona, he's not uptight," said Dennis Francis, one of Woods' partners in yesterday's Mercedes Championships Pro-Am at Plantation Course. "He's really good to play with. I've played a lot of Pro-Ams, with a lot of different pros. He's by far the easiest to play with."

"There's nothing pretentious about him at all," agreed teammate Jeff Wooley. "It was the most enjoyable Pro-Am I've ever played. He went out of his way to be nice."

All that, and a pretty good golfer, too. At age 28, Woods is coming off his fifth consecutive Player of the Year performance. He won here in 2000, in a remarkable playoff shootout with Ernie Els.

There is also this: "He can do things with the golf ball other people haven't even thought about," Wooley said.

Picking him as a partner was a quirk of fate followed by a stroke of incredible luck, particularly for Francis. The Honolulu Advertiser's general manager got into his second Mercedes Pro-Am because a Mercedes dealer from the Mainland dropped out. Late Monday, Francis got word on O'ahu that his team had been blessed with the No. 1 pro pick. Els, the defending champion, was reserved, but the other 33 pros were available.

Wooley admitted he and Mercedes colleagues/amateur partners Greg Garde, from Atlanta, and Joe Cox, from San Jose, were "dumbstruck" with the first pick. They sat in silence for a few moments, then made the "obvious choice."

"He's the greatest golfer in the world today and very likely the finest in history," Wooley said. "It was just a special moment in our lives."

Every moment. The fivesome went out first at 7 a.m., as the moon slid behind Moloka'i and about a thousand people surrounded the first tee. Francis, who plays to an 18-handicap, proceeded to play the front nine in 3-over 39 and finished with an 8-over-par 81. The team finished 15-under.

"It's a once-in-10-lifetimes experience because a player like Tiger comes along only every so often," Francis said. "Having a chance to play a complete round of golf with him is pretty special. It was a special day, a lot of fun. Tiger was so relaxed, so at ease around hackers — regular golfers. He's very helpful, nice, very personable."

And accessible, to a point. Woods was generous with his time and autographs yesterday. The pack that always hounds him was out in force even before dark.

For most fans, it was as close as they will ever get. "On the Mainland, we couldn't have even gotten close," one said to his buddy, who didn't get an autograph.

How do you become one of the 136 amateurs with a shot at playing with Woods at Kapalua?

Not easily. Mercedes reserves 40 spots, with some of those going to guys like Andy Pettitte, Roger Clemens, Mark Wahlberg, Dennis Hopper and Kyle MacLachlan. Invitations go out in March to those who played this year.

Usually, that's enough to sell the tournament out — at $8,500 apiece for the basic package and $11,700 with seven nights at the resort. For their dime, golfers get a two-day all-amateurs tournament, the Pro-Am, private hospitality privileges and free golf and tennis for the week, access to the Sky Boxes on the finishing hole, tournament passes and a tee package that this year consisted of Burberry and Club Glove duffles, the new Titleist 983 driver, a Bettinardi putter, Ashworth and Tommy Bahama shirts, Tiffany crystal, a silk throw with embroidered pillow cover and various other gifts and parties.

And, for the very fortunate few, there is the chance to play with Tiger Woods.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8043.