Tiger Woods doesn't expect to use his driver much this week at Olympia Fields because of the many doglegs and hazards that put a premium on position.
Ordinarily, that might take away his advantage.
That doesn't appear to be the case in this era of technology, which Woods believes is getting out of hand.
While most of the attention has been on golf balls, Woods believes the governing bodies should take a closer look at whether the trampoline effect in thin-faced drivers — known as the "coefficient of restitution" — is exceeding the limits.
"I think that's our biggest concern out here on tour, to make sure the CORs are correct," Woods said after the Memorial two weeks ago.
On Tuesday, while practicing for the U.S. Open, he offered some anecdotal evidence.
"I used to be able to hit my 3-wood past a lot of guys' drivers," Woods said. "All of a sudden, guys are blowing it by me with drivers."
Woods said it isn't his Nike clubs. He said the company has made him "fast faces" to try out, but he is more concerned with being able to shape the ball in different directions.
The PGA Tour is not interested in setting equipment guidelines, preferring to follow the U.S. Golf Association.
Still, the tour had planned to introduce a portable test to measure COR next month at the Western Open, but that was postponed indefinitely.
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LIFESTYLE CHANGE:@ Kenny Perry's popularity is soaring.
The hottest player on tour after consecutive wins at the Colonial and the Memorial, Perry took a week off but didn't get much of a break. Congratulatory phone calls and endless interviews left little time for rest.
"I told my caddie I had to come back to work to get a good night's sleep," Perry said.
Perry, who has six career wins, came closest at a major when he lost to Mark Brooks in a playoff at the 1996 PGA Championship. But after pocketing $1.8 million in two weeks with his consecutive wins, he's a man people want to watch.
He's not complaining about the attention. It's just different.
"It's not been easy. I had a lot of people following me today," he said after a practice round Tuesday. "I've kind of flown under the radar out here for 17 years. I've had a good career, nothing fantastic. And then I win two tournaments back-to-back, and it's like the whole world changed."
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MICKELSON'S MISHAP:@ Dot Winkler picked a seat high in the stands at No. 18, figuring she was safe from any errant practice shots.
She was wrong.
The 78-year-old fan and avid golfer was nearly plunked by a wayward shot from Phil Mickelson, whose approach at the closing hole landed 10 rows deep in the grandstand — right next to Winkler.
Mickelson's adventure began when he hooked his drive badly into the rough on No. 1, which runs parallel to the 18th fairway.
Instead of picking up the ball, Mickelson crossed the ropes, waded through the gallery and launched his second shot over a patch of trees and into the stands. The ball landed 6 inches from Winkler.
"I sat here because I thought it would be safe — a nice shady spot to watch from," said Winkler, of nearby Lansing. "But that's Phil. He does try some crazy shots."
Winkler wasn't hurt. And better yet, she came away with a souvenir: Mickelson's golf ball.
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NO LOVE:@ The last time Davis Love III played in Chicago it was the fans — not the golf course — that gave him fits.
Love was the runner-up last year at the Western Open, losing to Jerry Kelly by two strokes.
He didn't fare as well with the gallery.
A few of the spectators at Cog Hill in suburban Lemont heckled Love relentlessly during his final round. At one point, after knocking his ball out of the rough and onto the green on No. 17, Love stared down a fan, walked toward him and admonished him to be quiet.
Love isn't expecting more bad manners at the Open.
"I think Chicago sports fans are generally very, very good," he said. "I don't think it matters who the player is if somebody's been over-served (alcohol) in the gallery. And usually that doesn't happen as much at a U.S. Open."
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LONG ODDS:@ Rory Sabbatini will face long odds this week after winning the Capital Open on Monday.
No player has won the event prior to the U.S. Open and then gone on to win the Open. The only player to come close recently was Corey Pavin, who lost a playoff at the 1995 Kemper Open and then won the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills the following week.
Sabbatini has played in one U.S. Open. That was in 2000 when he missed the cut at Pebble Beach.
