Woods in the Hunt at the Tournament Nicklaus Built

By Damon Hack
Courtesy of the New York Times

From the moment Tiger Woods taped Jack Nicklaus's records to his bedroom wall as a boy, Woods has been shadowed by the specter of Nicklaus. They have drawn more comparisons than any other two golfers - for their length off the tee, for their hunger for championship trophies, for their pure putting strokes in time of need.

On Thursday, in the tournament that Nicklaus built, Nicklaus and Woods were simply two men looking for a return to form. Playing two groups apart under cloudy skies at the Memorial tournament, Woods shot a three-under-par 69 at Muirfield Village Golf Club in his first round since missing the cut at the Byron Nelson Championship three weeks ago.

Nicklaus, who has said that next month's British Open at St. Andrews, Scotland, will be his final competitive tournament, posted a three-over 75.

Both trailed Jeff Sluman, who shot a seven-under 65 to take a one-stroke lead over Rory Sabbatini.

Though shouts echoed all day over this tree-lined course, the gallery saved its heartiest roars for Woods and Nicklaus. Woods has played here every year since turning professional nine seasons ago, winning a record three times.

Nicklaus, born in nearby Columbus, Ohio, designed the course and has played in every Memorial since the tournament's inception in 1976, winning it twice.

"I had a chance to shoot a pretty darn good score," the 65-year-old Nicklaus said. "I shot 75. That's about my game."

Though Nicklaus was unhappy with his score, he finished better than several other major champions, including Mike Weir (76), Vijay Singh (77) and Davis Love III (78).

"It's Jack, you know?" Woods said. "If he shoots over par, he's going to be mad. He's going to probably go out on the range and work a little bit so he's ready tomorrow. That's what made him the greatest player to ever play this game. He's never satisfied."

Woods showed no effects after ending his record streak of cuts made, which was stopped at 142 when he bogeyed No. 18 in the second round of the Byron Nelson. Woods opened Thursday with 10 pars before making three birdies in five holes to put him within reach of the leader board. On a course with fast fairways and long rough, Woods made no bogeys and concluded, "I didn't really do anything wrong all day."

Though dark clouds lingered over Muirfield Village, only a few sprinkles fell during the day. The course played fast and dry, conditions that can sometimes bedevil wayward drivers of the ball.

Although PGA Tour leader boards are typically filled with big drivers, it was the short-and-straight-driving Sluman, who was playing on a sponsor's exemption, who coaxed seven birdies and no bogeys out of the 7,300-yard course.

Because of his size - 5 feet 7 inches and 140 pounds - Sluman is one of the first names mentioned in any discussion of players viewed as lagging behind in the era of power golf. His ball flight takes a lower trajectory than, say, Woods's. His ball does not sound the same, either, coming off the clubface.

Still, golf rewards the player who gets the ball in the hole the fastest, whatever the means. A couple of weeks ago, Sluman switched his putting style to a modified "Claw" grip, and it paid dividends on Muirfield Village's fast greens.

"It's been delightful to putt again like you feel like you're a kid," said Sluman, 47, who won the 1988 P.G.A. Championship and whose last victory was at the Greater Milwaukee Open in 2002. "It really does open and expand your game in that respect. You're not as concerned if you miss a green, so it's been a pleasurable experience since I went to that grip. I think it's here to stay."

Although Sluman has six career PGA Tour victories, he is 0 for 12 in tournaments in which he has held the first-round lead. In 14 previous trips to Muirfield Village, he has only one top-15 finish.

If rain eventually materializes, as it often does at the Memorial, the course will play longer and become more difficult. That recipe favors a player like Woods. In the past, it even aided a player like Nicklaus.

But even well past his prime, Nicklaus sometimes puts up a memorable round, often on a course he loves. Last year, he made the cut here and finished tied for 63rd. This year?

"I think I might have a chance to play a decent round," Nicklaus said. "We'll see."