Page 23 - AT

A23
SPORTS Tuesday 29 OcTOber 2019
Woods tied with Snead, and no one else is close

By DOUG FERGUSON during his seemingly age-
AP Golf Writer less career that stretched
The toughest competition across three decades. He
for Tiger Woods has always also has team events, like
been history. the Inverness Four-Ball Invi-
What captured the public's tational, counted among
attention when Woods won his official tally.
the first of his 15 majors, the The PGA of America ran
1997 Masters, was whether tournament golf in Snead's
he could match or beat time and there wasn't a
the 18 majors won by Jack standard tour schedule like
Nicklaus, long considered there is now. The PGA Tour
the gold standard in golf. researched the records
That remains the ultimate and settled on 82 wins for
target. Snead. Whatever argu-
Until then, he landed a big ments are made, that's the
one in Japan. official mark.
Woods was coming off a That's what Woods
two-month break that be- matched, an astonishing
gan with a fifth surgery on feat considering the litany
his left knee, this one to re- of obstacles he has faced
pair minor cartilage dam- — five surgeries on his knee,
age. He opened his new four surgeries on his back,
season with three straight the embarrassment of be- Tiger Woods of the United States poses with volunteers for souvenir photos after winning the Zozo
bogeys, and then followed ing caught in a personal Championship PGA Tour at the Accordia Golf Narashino country club in Inzai, east of Tokyo, Ja-
with 27 birdies to win the scandal that cost him his pan, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019.
Zozo Championship by marriage and universal cor- Associated Press
three shots. It was his 82nd porate support, a mug shot
career victory, tying the from his DUI arrest two years Tour through 2006 at Torrey he won the last of his offi- without a victory, his win-
record Sam Snead estab- ago when he mixed pain Pines. cial victories at the Greater ning rate is still 22.8%. That's
lished in 1965, 10 years be- medications. But the better measure of Greensboro Open in 1965, the highest ever for the
fore Woods was born. "It's satisfying to dig my way his greatness is not the leg- only two other players had PGA Tour with a minimum
That's three victories in 13 out of it and figure out a ends Woods is chasing. more than 50 career wins of 200 tournaments. Hogan
months, and no indication way," Woods said. "There It's the players he is beat- — Hogan (64) and Nelson is next at 21.3%, followed by
it will be the last one. are some hard times try- ing. (52). Nelson at 18.1%. Nicklaus is
"The ball-striking exhibition ing to figure it out, but I've Generations are tough to Woods now has 82 victo- sixth at 12.2%.
I've seen the last two days come back with differ- compare even with simple ries. Dustin Johnson, the win-
is a joke," said U.S. Open ent games over the years, numbers like 18 and 82. That's more than Phil Mick- ningest player of this gen-
champion Gary Wood- moving patterns, and this The game, the courses, elson (44) and Vijay Singh eration, with 20 PGA Tour
land, who played the final one's been obviously the the equipment, everything (34) combined. The other titles, has a winning rate of
two rounds with Woods on most challenging." evolves. No one will ever Hall of Famer from his gen- 7.7%. PGA Tour Commis-
a rain-soaked course north- Woods has been linked know how Woods stacked eration is Ernie Els, who trav- sioner Jay Monahan was
east of Tokyo. "I don't see with Nicklaus his entire ca- up against Snead, Nelson, eled and won worldwide in Japan and could only
him stopping anytime soon. reer. He has been men- Ben Hogan or Bobby Jones. but has 19 victories on the think, "Wow," when he con-
Eighty-two is pretty special. tioned alongside Byron Nel- No one can say how Nick- PGA Tour. sidered what Woods had
I think there's a lot more in son, not only for breaking laus would fare against to- They all had access to done — and if it will ever be
store." his record for consecutive day's generation. the same game. Woods seen again. "I'm a never-
Expect plenty of debate cuts, but for twice getting What made Snead's record played better than anyone say-never kind of person,
until Woods makes it 83 and at least halfway to Nelson's 82 victories even more im- imagined. but you start looking back
has the record to himself. unthinkable 11 straight pressive than the number Even after going through — the longevity, the con-
Snead always argued he victories. Woods reached alone was that no one else so many injuries that led sistency, what goes into it,"
won more than 82 times seven in a row on the PGA was close to him. When to Woods going five years Monahan said. q

Continued from Page 18 ing measures that could Ogunbowale so she could son spoke only on condi- sports is facing legislative
NCAA rules have long take effect even earlier. compete on the television tion of anonymity because pressure on an issue that
barred players from hiring A possible place for the show "Dancing With the the working group is not has been hanging over the
agents and the associa- NCAA to start is allowing Stars." making its work public. NCAA for years. Finding a
tion has steadfastly refused athletes to make money Still, the NCAA would like Such a stance would mean solution that satisfies more
to allow players to be paid from non-athletic business to draw a line between al- prohibiting an athlete from than 300 schools compet-
by their schools, with some opportunities, which is cur- lowing athletes access to cutting a deal with a lo- ing in Division I is a chal-
exceptions. The California rently prohibited. McGlade money-making opportuni- cal business to appear in a lenge.
law would prevent athletes said the NCAA has been ties that have well-defined commercial, for example, "And I don't think that it's
from losing their scholar- approving waivers at a market value and those but letting athletes take possible to have state-by-
ships or being kicked off high rate to allow athletes where payments could be advantage of opportuni- state legislation or laws,"
their teams for signing to earn money if they, for arbitrary and used in lieu ties to monetize their social she said. "But I also believe
endorsement deals. The example, develop a prod- of improper recruiting in- media followings. strongly in that the model
measure doesn't take ef- uct or write a book. ducements, a person who McGlade, in her 12th year should not move so far to
fect until 2023, leaving In a notable recent case, has been briefed on the as A-10 commissioner after the point that there is a
time for the NCAA to take the NCAA provided a work done by Smith and 10 years with the Atlantic 'pay-for-play, employee-
its own steps even though waiver to former Notre Ackerman's group told The Coast Conference, said employer relationship' with
other states are consider- Dame basketball star Arike Associated Press. The per- she is frustrated college student athletes."q