Monday Backspin: Westwood's win, Tiger's toughest task

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A win is a win, even if it comes when the leader triple bogeys the final hole to help give it to you. Lee Westwood never got down on himself through the years, and I'll get to his first victory on the PGA TOUR in a dozen years in a minute, but first am going in the direction of someone else doing a little searching this week: Tiger Woods.

I had what turned out to be a 20-minute or so candid conversation with Woods' caddie, Steve Williams, the other day for a story looking back on Woods' record-setting performance a decade ago at Pebble Beach. Toward the end, it segued into how different things are for Woods this time as the U.S. Open looms.

"I love a challenge and he loves a challenge," Williams said. "And I view next week as his greatest challenge.

Champion's Replay

Want to hear what Lee Westwood said about his win at the St. Jude Classic presented by Smith & Nephew? Click here Final round: Replay Westwood's round MORE ST. JUDE • Shot of the Day • Final-round highlights • Complete tourney coverage

"The biggest thing is that he's had very little game time. His form has been average at best."

Those are fairly strong words when you consider the source. They're also honest ones, because that's what Williams is.

There's no question there are more questions surrounding Woods coming into this major than almost anything else in his career. On the course, his play has been erratic at best. Off it, he remains distracted by all the extraneous stuff that's going on. And that has affected his golf.

Williams, though, is hoping a return trip to the place where Woods had the most dominant performance in the history of the game will help jog the memory, or at least conjure up some of the shots he hit that week 10 years ago.

"I'm thinking Tiger will have some great memories," Williams said. "Hopefully that triggers some good play and he's able to turn things around."

If it doesn't, the summer is only going to get longer for Woods.

Stock up

Heath Slocum: After going his first nine starts with just one finish in the top 15, Slocum has four top-12 finishes in his last six starts. One reason: Slocum is fourth in driving accuracy and eighth in greens in regulation on TOUR. FedExCup rank: 36 (42 last week) Ben Crane: A bogey-free 67 Sunday in Memphis gave Crane his fourth straight top-12 with half of those top-5s. In his last four tournaments, Crane is a combined 40 under. He'll be a good Ryder Cup fit, too. FedExCup rank: 5 (5 last week) Tim Petrovic: He likes to call it "Petro golf." Whatever you call it, Petrovic has three finishes in the top 15 in his last four starts, which is certainly better than how he started the year when he missed his first six cuts of 2010. FedExCup rank: 77 (90 last week)

Stock down

Paul Goydos: There wasn't a lot of Sunshine from Goydos in Memphis, where he withdrew mid way through his second round. Goydos has failed to finish in the top 50 in any of last four starts, which includes a WD and a missed cut. FedExCup rank: 105 (100 last week) Jason Gore: Before Sunday, Gore was the last sponsor's exemption to go on to win. He's long removed from that 2005 victory at the 84 LUMBER Classic, though, and he has missed the cut now in four of his last five starts. FedExCup rank: 214 (210 last week) Jeev Milkha Singh: Remember last year when Singh finished fourth at Doral, or when he was T7 at Turning Stone? Well, 2010 has been a far cry from that. Singh doesnt have a top-10 in stroke-play and he's missed five of his last six cuts. FedExCup rank: 156 (147 last week)

THE BACK NINE: 9 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

1. As I mentioned in my column Sunday night, Lee Westwood was happy to have the proverbial monkey off his back with his first win on TOUR in a dozen years. There was a time when he was in a dark place in his career, but he's said on more than one occasion that there are worse things than not winning a golf tournament. Now that he finally has, he has a reason to flash that toothy grin, which he did a lot of Sunday night.

2. I'm still scratching my head over Robert Garrigus. He had a Jean Van de Velde moment with a triple bogey on the 72nd hole Sunday at TPC Southwind, where he made a 4-footer just to get into the playoff. Once he was eliminated, though, he admitted that he simply didn't know how to handle the situation. It showed.

3. I got to tag along last week with Joe Durant, Parker McLachlin and Paul Stankowski on their visit to the St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis. U.S. News & World Report ranked it as the country's best children's cancer hospital for 2010-11 and it's easy to see why. The place is oozing with positive energy. Deep down, it tugs at your heart to see what the kids are going through there, but the kids don't know any better.

They're just kids and they had a blast on the visit, whether it was one of them making a hat for McLachlin, whose first child is due in August, or another showing Stankowski how to juggle. But it also costs money to run a place like that, specifically $1.5 million per day, most of which is covered through public contributions. You can donate by phone by calling 800-805-5856, or to host an event or volunteer, call 800-822-6344. You can also visit stjude.org for more information.

4. Another touching, yet very difficult, story in Memphis last week was that of Shaun Micheel, whose mother has been battling cancer. "Maybe the last few years I've just been too consumed with me, me, me," Micheel told a Memphis newspaper. "Now I'm finally playing for somebody else, and it's helping me." Karma. Micheel had his best-ever result at the tournament, finishing in a tie for fourth with a final-round 67.

5. This is just a hunch, but I have a feeling the St. Jude Classic presented by Smith & Nephew won't be going away anytime soon, even as it searches for a title sponsor. The people there care too much to let the 53-year-old event just go away. It's held at what is a much better golf course after the greens were re-done and the powers that be will do everything they can to keep the event going.

6. One of the things I really like about Rory McIlroy is that he gets it. He's gracious with his time and good with the fans, even slapping hands with them after he finished off what was a disappointing (and very hot) weekend in Memphis. There aren't a lot of 21-year-olds you'll find like that, but he's taken a page out of the Padraig Harrington book.

7. Speaking of the kids, it was my first time seeing Jordan Spieth play in person. He definitely has the game to make it on TOUR. Give him time, though. He's only 16. He's also another guy who is wise beyond his years with a level of maturity that will only help him. He missed the cut in Memphis, but he'll be back eventually. For now, it's back to amateur golf.

8. And speaking of Harrington, I'm a little concerned about him going into the U.S. Open coming off knee surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right knee. Harrington said he feels fine but that his left knee was just a little sore from overcompensating. Remember, he finished fifth the last time the U.S. Open was at Pebble Beach.

9. I can't think of anything that goes better than Ian Poulter and Elvis. I also can't help but wonder if Poulter doesn't enjoy himself a little too much sometimes. When I asked him what he knew about Elvis before his visit to Graceland, Poulter said, "Eccentric. Obsessive." Of course, he could have been talking about himself and sometimes that's maybe gotten in the way of his golf.

The Forward Spin

The U.S. Open and Pebble Beach seem to just go together and this year for the first time the event will be played in prime time. Of course, the biggest question going into the tournament is what can we expect from Tiger Woods? He's been all over the map with his play in the limited action he's had, but Pebble Beach is a place he absolutely loves. It's also a place that if he starts spraying the driver is going to give him fits. There are some changes to the course with some of the rough down and the fairway running right up against the side of some of the majestic cliffs there, meaning that if he's wild, he could end up getting wet. We'll find out in a few days.

Last week's Kodak Challenge hole

HOLE: The par-3, 239-yard 14th at TPC Southwind LAST WEEK: No. 14 at TPC Southwind challenged the pros all week during the St. Jude Classic. Sunday's play proved the most difficult, as only six birdies were recorded during the final round. McIlroy's picture-perfect tee shot easily won Kodak Challenge Moment of the Day honors. Click here to tour the Kodak Challenge holes | Current Kodak Challenge standings