By Bob Harig
Special to ESPN Golf Online
Monday, July 24

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland -- The Old Course produced another golf legend, one who no doubt plays a game with which Old Tom Morris, Bobby Jones and other conquerors of storied St. Andrews are not familiar.

	Tiger Woods, 24, got to 20 career wins faster than anybody.

Jones, the great amateur, coined that phrase in reference to the young Jack Nicklaus, whose records Woods is now chasing.

With his victory at the British Open on Sunday, Woods now has won four professional majors -- and counting. He has captured each of the four titles to become only the fifth player in history to win a career Grand Slam.

Now what?

"He is the best player who has played the game right now and he's only 24," said Mark Calcavecchia. "Jack Nicklaus was the greatest of all time and he has the greatest record of all time but . . . If Jack was in his prime today, I don't think he could keep up with Tiger."

Who can? Various players have tried, only to be flicked away like an annoying bug.

David Duval. Phil Mickelson. Ernie Els. Hal Sutton. Sergio Garcia. All have had their moments. None have been able to sustain the excellence of Woods, who now has six PGA Tour victories this year and 21 overall.

Can he match Nicklaus' 18 majors and 70 PGA Tour titles? What once seemed ludicrous is now a realistic goal. At his present pace, Woods could knock off both marks by his early 30s.

"The guy is simply in a different league," said Nick Faldo, whose St. Andrews record of 270 set in 1990 was eclipsed by Woods. "In a way, it's fantastic for him. All credit to him. He's thrown all these old myths out of the window, that you can't physically train for golf, you can't be strong or you are going to lose your touch.

"All these 15-year-olds ... they have to stop eating the doughnuts, they have to get out there, they have an incredible opportunity now. If they can grasp all this knowledge, they've got to go out and chase. It's no good sitting back and thinking 'I won't go and practice because it's raining.' If you are going to compete and beat Tiger, you have to be out there doing as much if not more."

Woods shot rounds of 67-66-67-69 for a total of 269, 19 under par at the Old Course, winning his third major championship in 11 months and his fourth overall. He has reached 21 PGA Tour victories at a younger age than any player in history.

Next month, Woods attempts to defend his PGA Championship title Aug. 17-20 at Valhalla, a Louisville course designed by Nicklaus. Of course, it doesn't much matter what type of layout Woods tackles these days. None seem to deter him.

"It's hard to put much past this kid," Calcavecchia said. "He's so good that every course out there is to his advantage."

"Some of the golf I have seen from this young man has been pretty phenomenal," Nicklaus said. "He should get even better. If he does, I'm going to be first there to say well done."

Nicklaus said he welcomes Woods striving to break his records, that it's good for the game. But he also believes it won't always come so easy.

"Tiger is a phenomenon who will get even better," Nicklaus said. "But players like Vijay Singh, Ernie Els and David Duval will also develop. And some kid watching television today will turn up to challenge him too. Tiger will not get a free run."

"He is not going to do this at every major, at least I hope not," Calcavecchia said. "You just have to take your hat off to him. The way he has dominated in today's game when there are as many good players as there are is really incredible."

	“	Tiger is a phenomenon who will get even better. But players like Vijay Singh, Ernie Els and David Duval will also develop. And some kid watching television today will turn up to challenge him too. Tiger will not get a free run. ”
		— Jack Nicklaus

"The guy is just so good, and all I can tell you is that I play with him, practice with him and I know him probably as well as anybody besides his mom and dad and maybe his girlfriend," said Mark O'Meara. "But he is one of those sports figures that comes along every so often.

"Certainly he has brought the game to new heights and I'm proud of him as a close friend and I hope he continues on the same path."

Woods' run of late has been remarkable, especially in the major championships. After a tie for 18th at the 1999 Masters, Woods has tied for third at the '99 U.S. Open, tied for seventh at the '99 British Open, won the '99 PGA and finished fifth at this year's Masters.

That's three victories and a total of six top-10s in the last six major championships.

"I've been very fortunate to have my game peak at the right times," Woods said. "That's what you try to do. I've always said you would like to have your game peak at four different times a year, and that's something you always hope for and wish for and you plan for. To actually have it happen is a different story.

"I've had my game peak pretty good three times so far. I had a wonderful chance at Augusta, and then I've won the last two.

"I've got one more, and hopefully my game will be ready by the PGA."

Anybody betting against it?

Bob Harig, who covers golf for the St. Petersburg Times, writes a column every Tuesday for ESPN Golf Online.