It Doesn't Take A Genius to Beat Tiger

As often happens when the meek inherit, Johnson made it clear that, over the years, his wife, Kim, believed in his ability more than he ever believed in himself. Also, playing on Easter gave him serenity; being devout, he thanked Jesus profusely, although he probably should have given Tiger equal billing.

"I basically blew this tournament," said Woods, citing his bogey-bogey finishes on Friday and Saturday. "That's four over par on two holes. . . . I threw this tournament away."

Goodness, how gracious. Actually, Johnson kind of won it, too.

"I have my limitations . . . but I think I'm a pretty tough competitor," Johnson said. "You may not know where Tiger is, but you can feel him.

"Obviously, I've struggled at times. But it might be misleading to compare me [too unfavorably] to Tiger. My career is pretty much where I want it to be. I've reached the point where I thought I was good enough to take home a Masters."

Johnson's victory will be popular on tour, partly because -- like Rich Beem's victory over Woods at the '02 PGA Championship -- it proves that resistance to Tiger is not always futile. But Johnson's mellow good manners and natural friendliness carry weight, too.

"He's a quality person," said Rory Sabbatini, who finished tied with Woods and Retief Goosen for second place. "He also travels [the tour] in an RV. We always seem to end up parked next to each other."

So, there you have it. Tiger has a yacht the length of a football field and, when he rents a house at a major, has his own furniture moved into the place ahead of time so he'll feel like he's right at home. Zach looks for a parking place next to Rory.

On days like this, when Woods doesn't quite win another major championship, we almost appreciate him more. In four days, Johnson seldom played a stroke that was beyond the best swing of Everyman. In contrast, Woods hit contorted improvisational recoveries -- including that club-snapper -- that even other pros never attempt. A few Zach Johnsons go a long way. But they have their place and give us hope. Talent knows the odds when faced with genius, but always wants a rematch.