Officials bow to stars and gripes

There's a philosophy about that generally likens professional golfers to spoilt kids; if you shout loud enough, and often enough, then eventually you'll get your way. Most times, the USGA officials tend to wear ear-plugs when gripes about their course set-ups for the US Open are raised but, this time, as Tiger Woods goes in search of an unprecedented fifth major in succession here at Southern Hills, they've listened and taken remedial action.

So it will be that the 18th hole, or more pertinently the green on that finishing hole, may not be as treacherous as, well, the USGA had hoped it would. "You could hit a good shot 22 yards onto the 18th green and find it has come back 50 yards off the green, all the players are complaining about it," observed Padraig Harrington. And, yet, the suspicion is that only Woods' remark that such a possible outcome was "a pretty harsh penalty" carried sufficient influence to lead to late modifications.

In an effort to address the players' complaints, the green wasn't mowed on Tuesday and yesterday the mowing level was raised 5/100,000th of an inch. Not much, but it should slow the green a bit. Also, it has been heavily watered. The same measures have been taken on the ninth green. "Our goal is to maintain effective speeds and firmness on these greens which are as fair as possible," said Fred Ridley, chairman of the championship committee.

Such changes may be more than merely cosmetic, but, if anything, they're likely to aid one man more than any other. Straight away, the only tricked-up elements of the course have been nullified and, since Woods generally makes fewer mistakes than other players, his hand - as he bids to retain a title he won by 15 strokes at Pebble Beach last year - has been further strengthened.

Woods is a red-hot favourite to continue his winning streak in majors which extends back a full year to that Pebble Beach conquest. His win at the US Masters in Augusta last April meant he became the first player to hold all four modern majors - Masters, US Open, US PGA and British Open - at the same time and, since then, his form has improved to such an extent that he has won five of his last six tournaments.

However, Woods doesn't believe that the fact he has won the last four majors will be a factor. "What I've accomplished in the past, that's great, but it doesn't hit any golf shots for me this week. I've still got to go out and execute my shots - and that's what I'm trying to do this week, go out there and give myself a chance to win come Sunday. I need to get my game right, because whatever I have done in the previous four majors isn't going to help me hit any shots out here. I'm not going to have an out-of-body experience, and sit there and watch myself hit a shot."

No doubt about it, Woods is the man they all have to beat. But it is stretching things a bit too far to say everyone else is playing for second place. As Nick Price, who won the US PGA championship on this course on the last occasion a major was played here in 1994, remarked: "The question is, `when he plays well, can anyone beat him? And the answer is, there are a few guys out there who can.' "

Phil Mickelson, for one, who has suffered more psychological scars at the hands of Woods than any other player, has shown enough consistency this season - without winning his share of tournaments - to be a genuine challenger. "It's very encouraging that I've been able to get into contention week in, week out. It gives me the confidence that, heading into this week, it is not hit or miss. I know that if I play well, if I play smart and make good decisions and manage my game, I don't need to have anything extraordinary happen to get into contention."

Much has been made of the heat, and how it will affect the European challenge. "They're not used to these conditions," insisted Woods. In fact, the last European player to win the US Open was Tony Jacklin in 1970, an extraordinarily long span, although Colin Montgomerie has twice finished runner-up inside the past seven years. Yet, there is a general consensus among the visiting players that they will be able to cope with the conditions.

Montgomerie has recovered from the back problem that afflicted him during last week's English Open while Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke are among other players who have expressed a liking for the traditional nature of the course. In terms of current form, the best chance of a European winner could come from Sergio Garcia, who has finished first and second in his two most recent outings on the US Tour.

Tellingly, perhaps, the man who did finish ahead of him in Garcia's most recent tournament was a certain Tiger Woods. "The course is going to be tough, the wind is going to be tough and the competition is going to be tough. It's the guy who wins the mental battle that will do it," said Davis Love. All too frequently, that man has been Woods. There is no reason to believe that this week will be any different.