Columnist Victoria Sun: Webb breaks out of ‘slump,’ shuts up misguided critics

Victoria Sun

Wednesday, June 27, 2001 | 10:40 a.m.

Victoria Sun's golf column appears Wednesday. Reach her at 259-4078 or by e-mail at victoria@lasvegassun.com.

Webb and Woods.

Woods and Webb.

LPGA player Karrie Webb became only the fifth woman in history and the youngest ever to complete a career Grand Slam with her victory Sunday at the LPGA Championship, more than justifying the comparisons that have been made between herself and PGA star Tiger Woods.

The two have more in common than being the best golfers in the world, which is why if anyone can understand how Woods feels about his so-called "slump," it's Webb.

Being at the top of your profession clearly seems to be a double-edged sword for the two golfers.

They're subjected to much higher standards of success -- the ones they've already set for themselves. So when they don't take home the trophy at the end of the week, many wonder what is wrong.

In truth, there usually isn't anything terribly wrong.

Webb and Woods have superior athletic ability in comparison to most of their counterparts, but they are still human.

Many were shocked when Woods didn't win the U.S. Open two weeks ago, instead finishing 12th.

More gasps were probably heard over the weekend at the Buick Classic when Woods tied for 16th.

After his final round, Woods was asked what he planned to do to get himself ready for the British Open next month.

He replied that he was going fishing.

When more questions were asked about what parts of his game needed fixing, he answered that he didn't know and he didn't care before announcing that he would take some time off. Deep down, it can be assumed that Woods does know and he does care because he is a tremendous competitor, one of the reasons he is the best at what he does.

It can also be assumed that Woods will work on his game as meticulously as he always does.

The reality is, a "bad" day for Woods or Webb is usually a great day for everyone else.

Think all the guys who finished worse than Woods at the Open or the Buick wouldn't like to have traded places?

Earlier in the year, Webb was understandably annoyed when asked about her "slump" prior to winning her first tournament of the year, the U.S. Women's Open.

She had only finished second or in a tie for second at three other tournaments and had top 10 finishes in three other events.

That's it, Karrie, you should have quit right then.

If Woods doesn't win his next tournament, he will inevitably elicit more questions about his game, the same way he did earlier in the year when he failed to win in five tournaments.

He then went on to win the Bay Hill Invitational, the Players Championship and the Masters.

So what's wrong with Tiger Woods now?

Nothing he can't fix.

The 50-year-old golfer has traveled in her motor home to the Casablanca Resort/ Hotel Casino in Mesquite to try to shoot lower than 99, believed to be the best round for a blind female golfer. Johnson-O'Rourke will go for the record next Thursday and hopes her feat will be documented in the Guiness Book of World Records. Currently, Johnson-O'Rourke said there isn't a category for blind golf.

"I want to break a 98," O'Rourke-Johnson said. "By playing golf, I'm trying to educate blind and sighted people because people say that 80 percent of the blind are completely non-functional and that's a shame.

"I don't think it should be that way. I think golf is a great medium to get blind people out. If they have fun, they'll go out and practice, then their quality of life gets better and their physical skills get better."

Johnson-O'Rourke said she was reluctantly dragged out to the golf course three years ago by a friend, but became addicted to playing after she hit her first ball.

Since then, she has been traveling around the country playing in blind golf tournaments as well as playing with the women on the Ladies Challenge Golf Tour. The number for the Angels Blind Golf Foundation is (801) 201-8668.