At Women’s Open, Bailey Tardy has a Tiger day

PEBBLE BEACH — So again there’s an unrequested but not unneeded reference to Tiger Woods during the U.S. Women’s Open. What else should you expect about a spectacular shot on the 6th hole at Pebble Beach? 

Only the other day Shannon Rouillard, the U.S. Golf Association executive, in telling us how thrilled she was to have the ladies match their games against Pebble, alluded to that Woods gem in 2000.

He drove wildly into the right rough but then, as he could do in those wonderful rounds when he — and we — were younger, Woods powered it out the long grass against long odds, landed onto the green in the next shot from the long grass and made birdie four as he was marching into victory.  

This is not to equate Bailey Tardy with Woods, but Friday, in the second round of the U.S. Women’s Open, on the same sixth hole where Tiger made jaws drop in the process of making history, Tardy hit a Woodsian type of ball.

It came on the second of that sixth hole, listed at 490 yards, led to an eagle 3 for a second straight day, and when play finally concluded, for the lead for the first day.

Tardy was called “The Bomber” when she played at the school in her home state, Georgia, and since graduation several years ago, she’s lost none of her distance — or confidence.

“I’ve always believed in myself to win any tournament that I enter,” said Bailey, and yes another Woods comparison.

Remember Tiger repeatedly telling us he didn’t enter any tournament, major or minor, unless he thought he would win? And, of course, he has won 82, second all-time to Sam Snead.

Tardy, 26, doesn’t have victories on the LPGA Tour, and going into Saturday’s third round of an Open for which she qualified when another competitor three-putted the last hole, is only one shot ahead. 

Still, Tardy says she’s playing relaxed on a Pebble Beach course which elicited these comments, which had emotional meaning.

“I love this place,” she said. “It’s heaven on earth. I think every hole is incredible. The views are incredible.”

Hard to disagree with that last observation. Pebble is a gift of nature, with the surf and the hills. Yet a missed putt or two can alter an opinion. Bogeys under pressure have a way of distorting what we see.

Tardy, however, is young enough and seems as strong mentally as any golfer nicknamed “The Bomber” might hope to be.

"It feels great. I haven't performed great in the previous majors this year,” said Tardy. "So it's finally coming together and meshing well, and it just happens at the right time."

It usually does when you play well enough to win.