By Compiled from Times wires
Published July 29, 2003
RANCHO SANTA Fe, Calif. - Team the two best golfers with nine victories this year and 11 major championships between them, and guess what happens?
"We got waxed," Tiger Woods said.
Woods and Ernie Els never had a chance Monday night in the made-for-TV "Battle at the Bridges," falling behind on the first hole and losing hope when Sergio Garcia and Phil Mickelson saved their best for the bright lights of the Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe.
Garcia and Mickelson, both without a victory of any kind this year, were clinging to a 1-up lead on the back nine when the sun dropped behind the foothills and the floodlights came on.
Both found the fairway on the 571-yard 16th. Both cleared the water and hit the green. Garcia rolled in a 30-footer for eagle and a 2-up lead, and they closed out the match on the next hole for a 3-and-1 victory.
"Sergio hit two great golf shots on 16 and made a beautiful putt," Woods said. "They both played really solid. They put a lot of pressure on us. Ernie and I didn't quite get it done."
It was the fifth version of Monday Night Golf, the made-for-TV exhibition designed to bring golf to prime time.
All four players were grinding, halving seven straight holes on the back nine as Mickelson and Garcia, who never trailed, tried to protect their lead.
Els hit his approach on the 16th into the water, and Woods caught a bunker left of the green and blasted out to 6 feet.
Garcia, who had missed several birdie putts that could have given his team a big lead, finally came through with a 30-footer.
Woods went back to his old Titleist driver for the first time in 18 months, but that wasn't a problem on the Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe.
"I had good looks at putts on three holes in a row and I didn't make them," Woods said. "That was key to getting back to even."
Garcia and Mickelson were a combined 8 under through 17 holes. They each earned $600,000 from the $1.7-million purse, while Woods and Els got $250,000 each.
REMEMBERING HOPE: When Bob Hope celebrated his last birthday, it was the only time he was happy to hit 100. He played golf for fun but was serious about the game, taking lessons from every pro he could find to correct a swing he described as looking like "a polo player without a horse."
Hope, who died Sunday night, was golf's great ambassador, doing more to popularize the game than any non-champion except perhaps President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
"Golf is my profession," Hope said famously. "Show business is how I pay the bills."
CHRYSLER CHAMPIONSHIP: The Tampa Bay Lightning and Chrysler Championship have expanded their partnership with the creation of the Lightning Foundation Pro-Am to be held Oct. 27 in conjunction with the PGA Tour event at the Westin Innisbrook Resort's Copperhead Course.
Each fivesome will include a tour player and a Lightning player or coach. Only 30 spots (sold as singles or in threesomes) are available, with threesomes paying $10,000 and single players $4,000. Each golfer receives a premium gift pack and two XO Club tickets to a Lightning game.
Also available are 21 honorary caddie positions in which fans can walk with a fivesome and help out with chores as needed. A donation of $500 includes two plaza level tickets to a Lightning game.
Call Nancy Crane of the Lightning Foundation at (813) 301-6590.
