As easy as 1, 2, 3?

Tiger who? Karrie Webb is tearing up the women's tour just as impressively, and she can beat Woods to the punch this week by winning her third major in 2000.

By BOB HARIG

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 10, 2000

Winning three major championships in a single season is considered an extraordinary feat, one that will be discussed often during the next few days. Tiger Woods resumes his schedule this week at the Buick Open, and next week goes for his third major at the PGA Championship.

But Karrie Webb has a chance to beat him to the milestone.

The LPGA star who seemingly does everything in the shadow of Woods goes for her third major of the year beginning today at the du Maurier Championship at Royal Ottawa in Canada.

It was only a year ago that Webb kept hearing the questions about why a major title was lacking from her resume. After all, she had done just about everything else, winning numerous times on the LPGA Tour.

Then she won the du Maurier and things have not quite been the same.

Webb captured the Nabisco Championship in March and the U.S. Women's Open last month. Now she's won three of the past four major championships.

"It just keeps amazing even myself that these career goals that I set for myself I am achieving at such a young age," said Webb, 25. "Obviously, the U.S. Open was one of those.

"It's just amazing what winning the U.S. Open can do for your career. I won 20 tournaments before the U.S. Open, and now people are coming out to watch me play practice rounds and pro-ams. The 20 other wins don't even total, as far as awareness to the fans, as much as one U.S. Open."

At least Webb is getting a taste of what life is like for Woods.

She's done everything else so far. Just like Tiger, Webb has won three of the last four majors. Just like Tiger, she has 21 career tour victories. Just like Tiger, she's going for a third major in the same season.

If successful, Webb would become the first player since Pat Bradley in 1986 to win three majors in a single season on the LPGA Tour. (Woods will attempt to become the first since Ben Hogan in 1953.)

Webb admits that comparing herself to Woods is a difficult task. Different genders, different tours. They never compete against each other.

And yet their early success, their smashing of records at such an early age, makes them unique.

"I never really thought there were too many secrets to it," she said. "Obviously, I think -- and I probably speak for Tiger -- I think we were both born to be in the position we are in. We both were born with a gift to play golf."

Webb started playing golf as a youngster in Australia. She won the Women's British Open in 1995 at age 20 before attempting to earn her LPGA Tour card. On the eve of the qualifying, Webb fell down some stairs and suffered a broken wrist. She was heartbroken, figuring her shot at the tour would have to wait another year.

Nonetheless, Webb played through the pain and endured the qualifying tournament. She then won four times as a rookie in 1996 -- right about the time Woods was emerging on the professional scene -- and became the first player on the LPGA Tour to win $1-million in a season.

She's only gotten better. This year, Webb has won five times, including the two majors, and is on pace to become the first player to win $2-million in a season. She's finished in the top 10 in 12 of 14 tournaments this year and is fifth on the all-time money list with more than $5.7-million.

When she won the U.S. Women's Open, Webb earned her 27th point, which gives her enough for entry into the LPGA Hall of Fame. She'll need to play for another five years, however, to reach the Hall's 10-year tour commitment.

"When people tee it up with Tiger, they're playing for second," said Miami's Cristie Kerr, who finished second to Webb at the U.S. Women's Open. "When Karrie plays well, we kind of all feel that. It's just like the Tiger scenario. How many people actually have a chance to beat her on any given week?"

At age 25, what's left? Webb has already played well enough to make the Hall of Fame. She's captured a U.S. Women's Open. A career Grand Slam would be accomplished with a victory at the LPGA Championship, where she missed a playoff by three strokes earlier this year.

"Right now, I'm just looking at finishing off this year as well as I can, try to win a couple more tournaments," Webb said. "Then at the end of the year I'll review what I want to do.

"I think just winning golf tournaments is a good enough goal. I like to be in contention to win, and have a chance to hit certain shots at certain times to win tournaments. For right now, I think that's a pretty good goal."

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

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