Tiger real crowd pleaser

Steve Cunningham

Friday, Oct. 24, 1997 | 9:23 a.m.

There was little Michael Co-Ward II, snuggled tightly next to the ropes behind the green, with his pen ready should the opportunity for an autograph present itself.

Over by the trees, Darla Bragan of Baltimore and her friend, Ashleigh Lazanni, were set up with binoculars, scoping out all the action from afar.

And Al Anderson walked up each fairway, sometimes shaking his head, sometimes allowing a smile to form on his lips. He was liking what he saw.

Tiger Woods' Rainbow Coalition of supporters was out in full force again Thursday at Las Vegas Country Club to witness the defending Las Vegas Invitational champ in action. The troops weren't disappointed-- their leader fired an eight-under 64 -- and as they always do, formed the largest contingent of fans on the course.

Woods teed off at 8:20 a.m. with a healthy following that started picking up converts immediately. By the time he reached No. 9, a huge throng was gathered around the picturesque green and they boisterously cheered his eagle; it was much the same at No. 18 where he tapped in for birdie.

They were short and tall, big and small, young and old, local and visiting and came in a wide array of colors. While the young phenom has taken the golfing world by storm with his game, his biggest accomplishment has been opening the doors for the masses to enter what once was a mostly white, upper-class enclave.

"I'm telling you, there's a big cross-section of people here," said Anderson, a retired Army officer who has played with Woods' father, Earl. "(Tiger) has brought a lot of people out, brought a new interest to the game."

The Co-Ward family seems to be a perfect example. Michael, the father, needed a no-impact sport for exercise and took up the game in December, passing it on to his son. Both have made tremendous strides -- the father, a former college referee, is a 10 handicap; the son, a winner of two junior tournaments, is a 14 from the front tees.

While the younger Co-Ward was scrambling up a tree for a better vantage point from which to view Woods, his dad was explaining how the two came upon the sport.

"I didn't play golf, didn't even consider golf," he said. "Then I found myself watching golf during the NFL playoffs. It's infectous. I think (Woods) played a part in our interest."

The younger Co-Ward, a shy sort, carried a small sign with him most of the day -- Tiger: You're the man but watch out for me. Somebody, most likely, the guy wearing gray and black adorned with plenty of swooshes, has to be responsible for that bravado at such a young age. Dad thinks the golfing future is bright for his son.

"He just went through the Arnold Palmer Golf Academy and the guy up there pretty much told me to save my money and invest it in him," the older Co-Ward said.

Anderson was watching Woods in support of the family; the Co-Wards, to whet their ravishing golfing appetites. Bragan and Lazanni, sipping early-morning Miller Lites, admitted their attendance was purely social, with Tiger as the hip-hop attraction.

It is stories like theirs which makes this phenomenon so interesting. Golf is suddenly cool, something to do.

"I mean, look at him," Bragan said. "He's good looking ... God, what a smile. It's exciting being around here today. I used to think this was a game for old guys in bad pants."

"About halfway through our flight we realized we could see him," Lazanni said. "We can gamble all we want at night. How many times do you get to be this close to Tiger?"

Woods signed his scorecard at the 18th green, inked his name on a couple of hats then was whisked away by his security team. The large gathering began a mass exodus -- some trickled out across the course, others bee-lined straight for the shuttle bus.

Anderson peeled off the Tiger watch early on the back nine. Bragan and Lazanni loped off to take a nap. And 8-year-old Michael Co-Ward most likely didn't get the autograph he was longing for.

But everybody seemed to have a grand time.