In The Zone

I explained earlier that for those of us in New England the golf season pretty much starts on Masters weekend.  And boy, did it ever start with a bang today.

Tiger Woods is clearly one of those athletes who can literally move themselves 'into the zone' with their concentration and effort alone.  For those of you who do not participate or follow sports, 'the zone' is that rarified air that, when reached by an athlete at any level, but particularly by elite athletes, great things happen, and seem to do so effortlessly.

Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Joe Montana, Tom Brady, Wayne Gretsky - all have certainly spent time 'in the zone'.  When 'in the zone' the game almost seems to move in slow motion.  The pressure is always seemingly, though not in reality, on the other guy.  The batter who steps to the plate and everyone knows will get the winning hit, the basketball player who comes through in the clutch, the closer who gets the key strikeout are all visitors to 'the zone'.

I recall vividly two famous visits to 'the zone'. Michael Jordan in a playoff game against Portland raining in three pointers from all over the floor.  After he made his sixth, I believe, he turned to the press desk and shrugged - he didn't know himself what was happening.  And in the first NBA All-Star game in which a 3 point contest was held the winner was Bird.  He told the other contestants ahead of time they were playing for second.  Then, as he put up the last ball in the final round he walked away with the ball still in the air and his index finger aloft.  The ball swished through the net.

Oh, sure, Woods struggled a bit today.  He hit it wild right on several holes.  He left his chip short of the green on 17 as he tried to recover from one of those errant tee shots.  But when he absolutely had to have it - the chip on 16, the putt on the first playoff hole - he was golden.  I've seen that chip holed from that position previously; the Sunday pin position on 16 is always near the water, at the bottom of the slope.  And if it hits in just the right spot with the right spin, the ball just tumbles toward the hole.  From behind the green the principle is the same, but the shot requires a lot more touch.  Woods nailed it.

Chris DiMarco was magnificent, especially considering how he started the day, finishing up his third round giving strokes away.  He held together, starting slowly, then putting together a very strong back nine to push it to extra holes.  But Woods, when he had to have it, entered 'the zone'.  Just remember that it's never easy to win, even with a lead.  Just remember the historic collapse of Jean Van de Velde at Carnoustie in The Open in 1999.

Woods spends more time in 'the zone' than the others.  He seems to put himself there - he was there today when he needed it.

UPDATE:  For those who wish to re-live Woods' chip in on 16 over and over, there's an unauthorized 'ultimate Nike commercial'.  Link via Michelle Malkin.