FARMINGDALE, N.Y. _ It rained here, too, in 2002.
Tiger Woods was 26 when he won that U.S. Open at Bethpage Black, claiming the first two legs of the Grand Slam and battling weeklong downpours on his way to claiming his corner of history. And though it's not scheduled to rain this weekend, Monday morning's practice round had to bring back some heady memories.
There was Woods, around 8 a.m. at the first hole at Bethpage Black, clothed in a beanie and a sweater, batting rough conditions again: Rain, light but steady, wind, and cold May temperatures in the 40s. The circumstances now are wildly different than they were 17 years ago, but thanks to Woods' epic resurgence, some major points stay the same: Tiger Woods is trying to win his second straight major, and he's a favorite.
