U.S. Open could be Tiger's greatest challenge

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When you have accomplished what Tiger Woods has on the golf course, sometimes it can be difficult to find another challenge.But that is not the case heading into this week's 108th United States Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego. Should Woods win at the North Course, one of his favorite venues since he first played it as a youngster, come Sunday evening this might be his greatest triumph of his mercurial career, which includes 64 PGA Tour wins (third all-time) and 13 majors (second).Woods also holds the record for lowest score and largest winning margin in U.S. Open (12-under, 15 shots in 2000) and Masters (18-under, 12 shots in 1997) history while also recording the lowest score ever in a major (19-under at the 2000 British Open) history.But when Woods did these unthinkable deeds, the world's top-rated player wasn't limping into the events, both figuratively and literally.Thanks to arthroscopic knee surgery shortly after his runner-up finish at the Masters in April, Woods has not played in a tournament since. Two years ago following the death of his father, Woods also took two months off and didn't play prior to the U.S. Open at Winged Foot. The results were un-Tiger like -- a pair of 6-over 76s to miss the cut at a major for the only time in Woods' 12 years as a professional.A repeat of that kind of performance at Torrey Pines would hardly be surprising. Nonetheless, many fans will still see Woods as the Open favorite."Fair or not fair, it doesn't really matter,'' Woods said recently at a news conference for his tournament, the AT&T National outside Washington, D.C. in July. "... But it's not like I haven't been down this road before. I had a procedure done and came back at Torrey Pines (to win the Buick Invitational in 2006)."So I know what it takes to win a tournament coming back off after having a procedure done, and it is just a matter of being prepared, getting all my practice time in, making sure my shots are how I want them, trying to understand what my misses might be. But you don't really know until you get under tournament heat what your misses are going to be. Hopefully I can rectify them if that happens.''Indeed, Woods has six career wins at Torrey Pines. But the conditions of those triumphs (softer winter greens and fairways for a regular tour event) will bear little resemblance to the way the USGA will set up (critics say trick up) Torrey Pines this week, lengthening it to more than 7,600 yards and reducing it a shot to a par-71."Obviously when you get there, you check it out in the practice rounds and figure out a game plan,'' Woods said.Easier said than done at an Open venue. Tiger has only two U.S. Open victories in 11 tries as a professional. Since winning at Bethpage Black in 2002, Woods has finished second twice and finished outside the top 15 twice to go along with the Winged Foot disaster. The five-year Open gap is Tiger's longest between winning a major as a professional.This is understandable as the U.S. Open places emphasis on accuracy off the tee -- not one of Woods' strengths in recent years (he's 142nd in driving accuracy this year).But the toughest thing facing Tiger this week is his own recipe for success at majors. It's been a simple formula -- get ahead early, then stay ahead as others fall off. In all but two of his major victories, Woods has led or had a piece of the lead after two rounds. He has never come from behind on the final day to win a major.It's simply unrealistic to think Tiger can grab the early lead vs. an elite field in his first two competitive rounds in two months.One thing is certain. With the final two rounds over the weekend bleeding into primetime on the East coast, NBC will be rooting hard for more Woods' magic.Critics often bash TV guys for hyperbole when describing Woods' feats. This week will need no such hype. If the Tiger roars this time, it will be his greatest ever.(E-mail John Lindsay at lindsayj(at)shns.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)