Open Court: The buzz

I first caught the buzz on Tuesday morning.

I was standing about 20 feet away from the 18th green at the South Course at The Gallery at Dove Mountain.

A handful of the world’s top golfers hit the course early that morning to complete their final practice rounds. The World Golf Championships—Accenture Match Play tournament was set to begin the next morning.

At just after 10 a.m., a few spectators and media members had gathered beside me. A man wearing a black Nike sweater held a sand wedge in his hand 120 yards away.

“Is that him?” asked a soft-spoken man in his 60s.

Yes, it was.

The man in the fairway took a pair of nonchalant practice swings, addressed his ball and made an effortless, compact swing. The ball hung in the air a split-second longer than normal, finally coming to earth three feet from the pin.

We shook our heads in disbelief and cheered as the man in the black sweater walked toward us. As his facial features came into focus, the gallery slowly realized that we were within earshot of the greatest golfer of all time and one of the five most famous people on the planet.

You never forget the first time you see Tiger Woods in person.

The applause continued as Woods fixed his ball mark and briskly walked toward the media interview tent.

During his half-hour press conference, Woods answered the questions like a seasoned professional. Alternating between humorous, engaging and informative, Woods makes it clear that all the time he’s spent in the limelight has turned him into a finely tuned media machine.

Once his session with reporters ended, Jack Nicklaus passed by to wish him luck on the upcoming tournament.

Words can’t possibly describe this experience. The two greatest golfers ever to strike a Titleist, shaking hands, exchanging pleasantries with me standing 10 feet away.

It felt like I had stepped outside myself for a moment and watched the entire sequence unfold on television.

Curious to see if my brief brush with greatness would be transferable to other areas of my life, I wrapped up my work day at 8 p.m. and rushed home to play Tiger Woods 2005 on my Playstation 2.

I’m not much of a real-world linksman, but I am a phenomenal video golfer. Playing as Woods, I tore through the video Pebble Beach course with a vengeance, posting an unbelievable 24-under-par 48—with the mulligans turned off.

Feeling energized and excited, I spent my entire Wednesday covering the tournament. I staked out a prime spot next to the No. 1 tee, where I watched nearly every elite golfer tee off in succession.

Ernie, Vijay, Phil, Sergio and countless others thrilled the assembled crowd, but we were all waiting for one man.

Just before noon, the world’s 65th-best golfer—J.J. Henry—approached the first tee. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Woods wrapping up his pre-round putting routine.

Once Woods finally stepped foot on the No. 1 tee, the crowd erupted. Every available media member with a camera was focused on Woods.

The excitement and anticipation was palpable as Woods stuck his tee into the pristine green turf.

Each golfer before Woods made the same sound during his tee shot. There was the zip (the backswing), the click (the point of impact) and the hiss (the ball traveling through the air).

Woods’ approach makes entirely different sounds. A Woods tee shot makes a woosh, a thwack and a zoom. The man is playing an completely different game with a never-before-heard swing.

For any Woods opponent to stand a chance in a head-to-head mach, he must learn how to overcome the buzz. Henry and Tim Clark couldn’t. Nick O’Hern could, which is why he defeated Woods in 20 holes on Friday.

Even though Woods joined the ever-increasing list of big-name early exits at the Accenture Match Play, I know I’ll never forget the buzz for as long as I live.

nprevenas@gvnews.com | 547-9736