Tucson's Willie Wood hopes familiarity breeds success at Cologuard Classic

Sometimes experience and familiarity can override sheer talent.

Willie Wood, a Tucson native and Sabino High School graduate, hopes that’s the case over the final two rounds of the Cologuard Classic. Tucson’s PGA Tour Champions tournament is headlined by ex-Arizona Wildcat Jim Furyk and Phil Mickelson, who’s looking to capture his third straight victory in the PGA Champions Tour.

Wood may know the course better than anybody else playing, Furyk and Mickelson included. Growing up on Tucson’s east side, Wood would often commute to Omni Tucson National; as a pro, he competed in the Tucson Open on several occasions. He shot 3-over par on Friday, and is tied for 65th heading into the final two rounds.

Wood, 60, talked to the Star this week about the importance of winning the Cologuard Classic, the atmosphere during a pandemic — and his connection to Tiger Woods, who is recovering from a severe car crash.

Does this tournament have a personal meaning to you being a Tucsonan?

A: “It does. I played a lot here in high school, believe it or not. Even though I lived across town, I would come over here and play. Bill Nanini, the owner at the time, gave me privileges to play here my senior year, which was wonderful. My mother lived here, my sister still lives here, but I won’t see her until the end of the week, so I’m gonna go by and see her after the tournament is over, because they kind of want us to be in this little bubble right now trying to stay free of the virus. It’s good to see friends though and they do pop up. I won’t get to see as many this year, but I’ll see some next year.”

How is it with limited fans in attendance?

A: “It’s quite weird, especially on (hole No.) 16, you normally get a lot of noise, whether it’s positive or negative. You hit a bad putt and you hear about it. You hit a good putt and you hear about that, too, so it’s going to be kind of different. Unfortunately, there won’t be as much adrenaline flowing as years past.”

Since you’ve played Omni Tucson National dozens of times, what’s your overview of the entire course?

A: “Well, it hasn’t changed much throughout the years other than they re-routed the back nine to keep fans west of the wash, which is a great change. If the golf course is in great shape and the weather is good, the scores will be really low again; They usually are. … It’s a birdie golf course and one you can really attack.”

As a Tucsonan, what’s your rankings of the top golf courses in town? Is there a favorite? Least favorite?

A: “My favorite course in town has always been Tucson Country Club. But I haven’t played much of La Paloma and Ventana Canyon, because they were built after I left.”

Having known Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk, what’s it like to have those two players take part in the Cologuard Classic?

A: “Adding those two to the Champions event is big, because we get a lot more attention and I think the TV audience will be tuning in to watch Phil and Jim play. Then there’s Steve Stricker here and Vijay Singh — this field is as strong as I’ve ever seen a Champions Tour field and I don’t know how far back you have to go to say, ‘No, not quite.’ Maybe with Jack (Nicklaus), (Arnold Palmer) and (Lee) Trevino, but that’s a long time ago. This is a big-time event.”

Your highest finish in a major championship came in the 1997 Masters. That was the year Tiger Woods won his first green jacket. What do you remember about that weekend?

A: “Well, I played in my first Masters as an amateur in ‘82, I think. (The ‘97 Masters) was my first as a pro quite a few years later. Tiger shot 40 or 41 on the front nine that year and then shot about 17-under par for the winning score. He played so good those last 63 holes, it was just amazing. I played quite solid and was really proud of the way I played and he beat me by 17 shots or whatever it was. I’m like, ‘I don’t think I can ever beat this guy. There’s no way.’”

Did you know then that Woods would become a global phenom who would change the game?

A: “I remember meeting him in his first event at the Milwaukee Open in ‘96. He didn’t set it on fire until the end of the fall and then he won at the (Walt Disney World Golf Classic) and then he won the (PGA Tour Championship). He played a limited schedule and then all of a sudden he’s playing in the tour championship and won, so you’re thinking, ‘All right, this guy is for real.’ You could see it. His talents were special. And they’ve stayed special for a long, long time as we all know.”

What are some personal experiences you’ve had with Tiger?

A: “We saw each other a lot, because we lockered next to each other more than we saw each other on the golf course. If there was ever a tournament that had a champions locker room, he was usually in that while I was still back in my locker spot. He was very engaging in the locker room and he liked to throw out a lot of BS and jokes and do everything that a young, normal person would do. But once he left that locker room, he put on a different face and was serious.”

How do you balance wishing Tiger to return to golf, but also remain thankful that he was able to make it out of the horrific crash alive?

A: “It would be a similar feeling to when we lost Payne Stewart, if it had happened, and we’re so grateful that it didn’t. (Woods) is not just one of the greatest of all time, he’s a great ambassador for the game and we’re all hoping — and I’ll be gone by then — play in the Champions Tour someday. … It won’t be long. Blink and he’ll be here. It’s going to be a long road now, because the injuries are quite severe to his leg. It certainly didn’t help his back, I would imagine because he was going through rehab for his back after his fifth of sixth surgery on his back. It’s going to be a tough battle for him, but he’s a tough fighter and I’m sure he’ll do everything possible to get back into normal shape — maybe not playing golf, but an active 45-50-year-old.”

What is the mood like amongst the guys right now regarding Woods?

A: “We didn’t know what to think at first, because we weren’t really sure about the prognosis and everything, but there’s some sadness and disbelief and a little bit of shock that this is happening. We’re supposed to wear red on Sunday, I saw a note on my locker, in tribute to Tiger. I don’t have a red shirt. I don’t wear red, because Oklahoma University is red. I’m an Oklahoma State Cowboy, so we were taught not to wear red. I don’t even own a red shirt. Hopefully, they’ll have a red ribbon I can wear or something, because I don’t have any red with me. I would imagine a lot of the guys don’t. We bring seven shirts to play and if you didn’t bring any red, you don’t have red. It’s going to be a hard one to do, but hopefully they’ll have some ribbons or something. … Maybe I’ll swing by a men’s store and get one or maybe I’ll just get a Tucson National red shirt from the clubhouse.”

Speaking of your college days, were you recruited by the hometown Wildcats?

A: “Rick LaRose had just taken over as the head coach, so he was brand new. He had a pretty good team and I spent time with Rick. But I visited Houston, Texas, Oklahoma State, BYU and did a quick little visit to Arizona State, and Coach (Mike) Holder did a heavy recruiting job on me. They had a terrific team and won national championships in ‘76 and ‘78 and then we won it in ‘80, my freshman year, and then in ‘83, my senior year. I have no regrets other than I had no idea how harsh the winter can be there and it is harsh.”

Lastly, what are you hoping to accomplish this weekend?

A: “Well, two years ago, I finished second and had a great week here. I’d love to do something similar to that. I gotta get the putter going, because I can’t attack these par-5s like some of these bigger hitters can, so I’ve got to hit some big putts and hope they fall. This is a great opportunity with a great field to show your old game off.”