Big Play with Wayne DeFrancesco

WHO: Tiger Woods

WHAT: 300-yard three-wood to 25 feet

WHERE: Par-5 12th at Doral

WHEN: Final round of the Ford Championship

WHY

Tiger Woods is back--not only as No. 1 in the World Ranking but also as a force who can dominate the game the way he did in 2000. As he showed with shots like his massive three-wood to set up an eagle at 12, Woods has regained his length (he blew it by Phil Mickelson all day at Doral) and his accuracy.

WAYNE'S TIP

Think Driver for a Big Three-wood

To get extra distance and carry from your three-wood, use more of a driver swing than an iron action. Position the ball an inch inside your left heel, take a wide stance, and put a little extra weight on your right foot. While playing the shot, imagine that you're sidearming a ball out ahead of you and up into the air (inset, top), rather than an iron swing, during which you'd toss a ball down and to the left (inset, bottom).

DeFrancesco teaches at Woodholme Country Club in Baltimore. He was the 2001 PGA National Club Pro champion.

... AND ANOTHER THING

"With generous fairways and little rough, Tour courses are set up to give the top players a huge advantage because they're all long bombers and great putters."

COLOR PHOTO

JOHN CAPELLA (WOODS, TOP)

TWO COLOR PHOTOS

ERICK W. RASCO (DEFRANCESCO); JOHN BIEVER (BACKGROUND)

COLOR PHOTO

ERICK W. RASCO (DEFRANCESCO); JOHN BIEVER (BACKGROUND)

DRIVER

COLOR PHOTO

ERICK W. RASCO (DEFRANCESCO); JOHN BIEVER (BACKGROUND)

IRON