No talk of slump as Tiger Woods eases into the season

US TOUR: Tiger Woods is still seeking his first win of the season, but unlike this time last year - when there was unending talk of a so-called "slump" - the world number one is being allowed to ease his way into the season.

Indeed, Woods will be in action in this week's Buick Invitational in San Diego and, once again, will use the new Nike driver that has been designed for him, even though he concedes that he doesn't "know where the ball is going".

While there has been no nonsense talk - so far - that Woods is in another slump, his two appearances so far on the US Tour this season bare startling similarities to last year. In the Mercedes Championship last month he finished tied-10th (tied-eighth last year) and, in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, he finished tied-12th (tied-13th last year).

For the record, he finished fourth in the Buick Invitational a year ago.

Woods, troubled by the effects of a fever for the opening three rounds of the Pro-Am, produced the joint low round (68) of the final day.

But, anxious to watch the Super Bowl at home, he had departed Pebble Beach - the scene of his US Open and Pebble Beach Pro-Am wins in 2000 - long before Matt Gogel exorcised the ghosts of two years ago to take victory.

Two years ago, Woods produced an eagle-birdie-par-birdie finish to come from seven shots behind with seven holes to play to overtake Gogel. On Sunday, he found redemption and joined Jerry Kelly as a first-time winner on the US Tour this season.

Gogel became the third consecutive player to come from at least four shots back on the final day to win at Pebble Beach. His prize was a cheque for $720,000.

Gogel's route to victory was helped in no small way by the misfortunes that befell overnight leader Pat Perez in a roller-coaster ride of a final round.

Perez, who had started the round with a four-stroke lead, but finished with a 76 to finish on his own in second place, had chipped in for birdie on the 13th hole, only to hit his ball out-of-bounds on the 14th.

Still, Perez had restored his one-stroke lead with a birdie on the 17th, only to hit his drive out-of-bounds on the last, and he compounded matters by hitting his fourth shot into the Pacific Ocean.

Meanwhile, Richie Coughlan - who earned a place in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am because of a medical exemption but then failed to survive the cut - must play a game of wait and see before he knows if he is to get into this week's Buick Invitational. Coughlan is third alternate, and will get a place only if three confirmed players withdraw.

Christy O'Connor Junior has an even more remote prospect of gaining a place in the Ace Classic tournament on the US Seniors Tour at Naples in Florida.

O'Connor, who made a competitive return to the circuit when finishing tied-24th (seven shots behind John Jacobs) in the weather-hit Royal Caribbean Classic last weekend, is ninth reserve for a place in the Naples tournament.

PEBBLE BEACH PRO-AM (US unless stated, Par 72) - Leading final totals: 274 - M Gogel 66 72 67 69 277 - P Perez 66 65 70 76 278 - A Magee 69 70 67 72, L Janzen 68 67 70 73 280 - JM Olazabal (Spa) 70 71 71 68, P Tataurangi (Nzl) 67 72 70 71, J Smith 67 69 72 72 281 - V Singh (Fij) 69 71 70 71, K Jones 70 71 70 70, M Goggin (Aus) 69 72 68 72, P Goydos 72 70 67 72 282 - T Woods 70 73 71 68, T Petrovic 70 71 70 71, C Howell 71 71 68 72 283 - R Sabbatini (Rsa) 69 72 72 70, T Fischer 71 73 71 68, J Rollins 67 77 68 71, B Quigley 70 73 69 71, B Schwarzrock 64 75 70 74, J Parnevik (Swe) 67 72 70 74, S Flesch 73 67 69 74 284 - T Barranger 72 70 68 74, F Couples 69 68 72 75.