Hunting Tiger at Kingston Heath? Here's some helpful advice
The Age
Thursday November 12, 2009
TIGER Woods fans who hit Kingston Heath for a first glimpse of the world's greatest golfer are in for a gruelling day as the Australian Masters begins.Australasian PGA Tour officials are urging spectators not to attempt to follow the world No. 1 for his entire round. "By all means follow him if you want, but I think it's fraught with exhaustion and frustration," said Andrew Langford-Jones, the tour's tournaments director."If they're prepared to put up with the crowd and the dust, then fine, but there are smarter ways of doing it."Woods hits off the 10th tee at 7.30am in his first appearance in Australia since 1998. Organisers expect the bulk of the crowd to be watching his group, which includes Craig Parry and defending champion Rod Pampling. But they have strategically placed a few other drawcards in groups who will be playing close to this time, including Australia's top-ranked player, Geoff Ogilvy, and young guns Marc Leishman and Michael Sim."It's going to be back to the Greg Norman days," said Langford-Jones. "It'll be 10 deep in places. But Leishman's one of the most exciting prospects in world golf, and so is Michael Sim . . . Per head of population, Australia has more world-class golfers than any country."Langford-Jones recommended that spectators who are following Tiger should take the following path:"Get there 15 minutes beforehand and go down to the first green, watching his second shot into the par five. Stay there and wait for Ogilvy to come through. Walk 30 metres to the back of the third green and watch Tiger hit in there. Skip holes four and five and watch Ogilvy come through three. Then walk to the back of the sixth hole and watch Tiger play that. Follow him down the seventh and watch the tee shot on the par-three eighth."Then go to the ninth green [near the clubhouse] and wait for Tiger to come through. By then you've probably seen Tiger play half a dozen holes, plus you've seen a bit of Ogilvy and others. On the back nine, go to the 10th green and watch Tiger play in there, skip the 12th and cut over to the 13th green to see him play that one."Walk down the 14th with him, then get behind the 15th tee, from which you can see the 14th green. Watch him play the 15th, which is a must because it's such a great hole, and then follow him through 16, 17 and 18 where there's plenty of room."
© 2009 The Age
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