TIGER NEEDS BUTCH HARMON TO STRAIGHTEN HIM OUT AGAIN

Richard Durrett covers golf for ESPNDallas.com.


Hall of Fame golfer Lee Trevino has some pointed advice for Tiger Woods after his final-round debacle on Sunday at Pebble Beach - become a student of Butch Harmon again.
"I would call a realtor (estate agent) in Henderson, Nevada, and I'd find out where Butch lived and I'd buy the house next door," said Trevino, appearing on ESPN Dallas on Monday afternoon. "I'd go over and ring the doorbell and say, 'Hi, neighbour,' and get back with Butch. That's exactly what I would do."

Harmon is currently Phil Mickelson's teacher and a former instructor for Woods. Harmon worked with Woods from 1996, when he won his third U.S. Amateur Championship, until August 2002. Woods won eight majors and played some of his most dominating golf under Harmon's watchful eye, including his 15-stroke victory at the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in 2000.

At Pebble Beach on Sunday, Woods started the day in contention, but shot 75 thanks in large part to woeful putting, while Mickelson shot 64 to win his 40th career PGA Tour event.

Trevino, who won six majors on the PGA Tour in his career, said he believes both Woods and Harmon should "bury the hatchet" and work with each other. Woods has worked with teacher Hank Haney after his departure with Harmon and is now with Sean Foley.

"I'm sure there's bad blood there, at least that's what I've heard," Trevino said. "I haven't talked to Butch in years, so I don't know how he feels with Tiger and I don't know if Tiger is too proud to ask for the help and if he asked for help if Butch would give it to him. But I think they speak to each other when they see each other at tournaments. If they do that, I don't see why two grown people can't sit down. He's all messed up right now."

Trevino said Woods isn't as intimidating to fellow golfers as he used to be.

"I think they know he can be had now," Trevino said. "They know. You know whether the guy is playing well or not. You can tell by his demeanor and the way he's walking around. Now he's talking to everybody. Before, he was more focused on what he was going to do and how he was going to do it."

Still, Trevino sees Woods' game improving and believes he's a threat at Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters, the first major of the season, in April.

"He's going to be someone to reckon with at Augusta," Trevino said. "I think he's really pointing to Augusta. I can see to where he is making some progress. He's putting some good rounds together, at least three rounds, and then Sundays he's not coming through. The spanking that he got yesterday, with him not hitting it very well and then Mickelson playing extremely well -- when you shoot 64, especially at Pebble, you've really walked the walk there -- Tiger will be back on the practice tee."

Trevino said Woods "doesn't trust what he's doing yet."

"He can't drive the ball," Trevino said. "That's the problem. He doesn't stay down long enough on the ball. Augusta would be the only one he has a shot at winning if he drives it poorly. He's not going to win the U.S. Open or PGA because there's too much rough."