Maxwell, 7, and his sister Madeline Mitchell, 9, of Augusta show off the ball given to them by Tiger Woods' caddie Mike ``Fluff'' Cowan on the 18th hole Saturday. (Steve Shelton/Augusta Chronicle)
Tiger casts spell on kids in gallery
Web posted 04/13/97
The 21-year-old phenomenon was entering the tee box, when the Nike-wearing kid from Atlanta yelled to his hero: ``Hey Tiger, nice shot.''
``Thanks, bud,'' is all Tiger said, but it was the type of brush with greatness a kid will never forget.
``(Tiger's) whole face just lit up,'' Marvin's dad said. ``He's great with kids.''
As Woods thundered through another magnificent round Saturday to push his lead to nine strokes, there was a buzz among a legion of young fans who were part of a huge gallery of adults.
The kids may not have been able to see over the adults, but somehow they had a connection to the guy - almost their peer - who has the golf world by the tail. Tigers's troops - most wearing some type of Nike garb - want to be like him.
Ryan Parker, 12, was on his dad's shoulders at the sixth hole just to catch a glimpse of Woods as he made quick work to the green. It seems the hype around Woods's $60 million Nike contract is working. Ryan, sporting Nike shoes, was checking to see that his favorite golfer was wearing them.
Ryan couldn't believe how far Woods hits his drives.
``It disappeared,'' Ryan said. ``You can hear it, but you can't see it.''
Most of these kids are golfers themselves and were watching Tiger to gain some pointers. That was the case with Victoria Reynolds, 9, who was following Woods around with friends of her parents.
The Augusta-area girl was barely taller than a golf umbrella, but she ran to the ropes when Woods passed on the third hole.
Austin Jackson, 14, a golfer at Westminster Schools, identified with Woods' emotional hand pumping after a good hole. It was almost unimaginable that a guy not much older than himself was poised to take a green jacket in his first visit to Augusta as a pro. Woods's rocket success shows what discipline can do, Austin said.
``It's unbelievable,'' Austin said. ``He's got more people following him than Jack Nicklaus. This is the most I've ever seen follow just one person. His fame has come so quick.''
At moments, even though Woods was dominating the best golfers in the world, he himself seemed like a kid. Walking up the fairways - particularly the 18th - Woods simply could not hide an ear-to-ear smile in response to another standing ovation. A smile not at all unsimilar to Marvin's.
