ESPN Golf Online: North: Trying to focus on golf


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North: Trying to focus on golf

By Andy North
Special to ESPN Golf Online
October 26 9:05pm ET

The death of Payne Stewart on Monday is going to have a serious impact on The Tour Championship.

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Each week Andy North will answer three user questions. If you have a question, send it to Andy and check back next week to see if he answers it.
What should the PGA Tour do as a tribute to Payne Stewart?
-- Brian Caratina, Albany, N.Y.
North: That will have to come from the players. I don't know if we should do something. Name The Tour Championship after him? I don't know. We do things like that for players like Palmer and Hogan. Whatever they do, I hope they don't do anything too quickly. Spend some time, talk to his family and then make the proper decision.
What do you think of the choice of Curtis Strange as Ryder Cup captain?
-- Ron Weatherman, Wellington, Nev.
North: He was a natural pick, at the age where they look at guys. He's been a great champion and tough competitor that guys will enjoy playing for. He'll be a very good captain, but he will create a very different atmosphere than the one surrounding Ben Crenshaw. But he's going to The Belfry for one reason, and that's to bring the Cup back home.
With all the young guns dominating golf now, do you think we will ever have a two-tour winner again like Raymond Floyd? If so, who?
-- Robert Paduano, Scottsdale, Ariz.
North: Tom Watson came pretty close, winning at 49 last year. But it's going to take a special player. I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see Greg Norman do it if he keeps playing like you think he will in future years. But the problem is guys have learned you can't do both. Even Watson won't be playing the regular tour anymore, except for a couple majors. Guys think they can do both, then they get to be 50 and realize they should just do the Senior Tour.

So much of what happens this week will be how guys react to Payne's death. The tournament is going to come down to who can concentrate through the week and who can't.
We could see some guys withdraw and decide not to play. We won't know for another day or so, but it's going to be a difficult few days. Still, this is a very big championship and the guys will play the best they can under the circumstances. If Payne were here, he'd be doing the same.
The Tour Championship isn't a major, but it is a special event. It's very much like The Players Championship. It's a great honor to be there, something you've worked all year long to reach.
There's a lot of pride involved in this tournament. Beating the other 29 best players on tour is a big deal. It doesn't have the history of a major, but it's one tournament everybody would love to win.
Tiger Woods pretty much has the money title wrapped up this year, but this event with its huge purse usually has a big impact on that race. But even with the No. 1 spot decided, this is an event where a guy can move way up the money list.
In a normal week, Woods is the guy everybody would be talking about. He's on as good a streak as anybody has in a long, long time. Things are happening to him now like Jack Nicklaus. When Jack got a lead, nobody made moves on him.
That was obvious last week when Woods shot 73 on Sunday and nobody could catch him. That just doesn't happen. That's part of being the best player, however. When they get on the leaderboard, that's all people can talk about.
Even a player like Ernie Els spent all last week talking about how good Woods is and how much better Tiger is than everybody.
Woods' streak -- winning six of his last nine tournaments -- is more impressive than David Duval's situation early in the year. Even though Duval was winning, he did it by consistently playing very well. Tiger is a different kind of intimidating. Duval can't do the kind of things Tiger can do.
You just know Woods can shoot 27 or 28 on nine holes at any time.
That could happen this week, but it's not likely. Champions Golf Club is a wonderful golf course where you have to drive the ball well. Position off the tee is very important, because it sets up your shots to the greens.
Champions doesn't really favor any particular player. The short hitters like Loren Roberts have just as much chance as anybody, because the greens are a decent size. If the guy is playing well, he can score well.

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