Challengers plentiful for driver's seat in Mercedes

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

KAPALUA, Maui — From here, the views boggle the mind. Beginning today, the golf might boggle the senses.

Singh

There are no favorites.

Or maybe too many.

"You've seen the era of (Jack) Nicklaus, (Arnold) Palmer, (Gary) Player when they were at their best," said Vijay Singh, whose nine victories and $10 million last year took away Tiger Woods' No. 1 world ranking. "You're seeing the same thing right now. There's not just one guy dominating. There's three, four, five guys that can win Player of the Year any year soon."

Singh, the first to win nine times since Woods in 2000, is clearly one. Woods, starting his 10th PGA Tour season a week after turning 29, is another. In the midst of another massive swing change last year he won more than $5 million — and still fell from the top of the World Golf Ranking after a record 334-week stay.

"You would think that (winning nine times) is unlikely, but it's happening more than ever," said Stewart Cink, who was fifth on the money list. "I don't know how to explain that except for Vijay and Tiger just seem to be almost superhuman with what they can do with the ball.

"It's amazing, the distance and accuracy they have, and the short game. They have got the whole package, and when they are on, they are almost unbeatable."

Ernie Els, the man with the slow, easy swing, is in fast pursuit. He beat the Plantation into submission in 2003 and will pursue his third consecutive Sony Open in Hawai'i championship next week. Els, who was in contention at all four majors, finished second to Singh on the money list last year. He supplemented that $5.8 million by "moonlighting" on the European tour, where he was No. 1.

"Besides me," Singh said, "I think he had the next-best season."

Phil Mickelson, the only 2004 winner not playing this week, won his first major last year, along with another $5.8 million. Cink won twice, as did U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen, British Open champion Todd Hamilton, Adam Scott and Sergio Garcia, the 2002 Mercedes champion.

"I think you're going to see a season where there won't be too many new faces winning golf tournaments. The old guys will come back and be performing hard."

Maybe even guys that only appear old. Scott is 24 and Garcia turns 25 Sunday. The thought of Woods turning 30 this year is almost beyond belief.

So, still, are his accomplishments. He has won 40 tour events, including this tournament twice (1997 and 2001) and eight majors. He was the first golfer to win five straight Player of the Year Awards. And, even after a sub-par — for him — 2004, he still might be the man to beat.

"The guy has got power to burn," said defending Mercedes champion Stuart Appleby. "He's got talent to burn. He burned a bit last year and still finished fourth. He knows he had an average season.

"I think Tiger will have a great year this year. He's a great learner and that's what makes him a champion. He works hard and I think he'll be very focused on proving that last year was only a hiccup."

Woods sure sounded that way yesterday. He admitted his swing renovation took "longer than I would have liked," then sent a chill down the spine of an entire tour, speaking at length about how it all came together at the end of last year.

"I feel the swing is better," said Woods, who is not planning to play next week at Waialae Country Club. "Hard to explain, I just I worked my tail off and the results I had toward the end of the year just made it so exciting."

Playing hooky

Michelle Wie went from 10th grade at Punahou to the Pro-Am yesterday. Her group, with pro Ryan Palmer, followed the unlikely pairing of pro Fred Funk and rock legend Alice Cooper.

Other amateurs included baseball players Roger Clemens and Tom Gordon, and actors Dennis Hopper, Samuel L. Jackson and Kelsey Grammer.

Annika Sorenstam, who has an endorsement deal with Mercedes, was one of the pros.

The team of Joey Sindelar, Ed Laur, John Joyce, Jim Hill and Sandy Gillespie won the event by tie-breaker after shooting 54.

Wie will be busy

After she makes her second Sony Open appearance next week, Michelle Wie plans to play in the Hawai'i Pearl Open (Feb. 3 to 6), the LPGA's SBS Open at Turtle Bay (Feb. 24 to 26), Safeway International (March 17 to 20 at Superstition Mountain, Ariz.) and the Kraft Nabisco over Easter break (March 24 to 27 at Rancho Mirage, Calif.).

She has already qualified for the U.S. Women's Open, as low amateur last year, and can get exemptions into three more LPGA events. Her amateur schedule includes U.S. Amateur and Public Links qualifiers. Wie won the U.S. Women's Public Links in 2003 and was runner-up last year.

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