FOR WOODS, GIVING HIMSELF CHANCE TO WIN IS FIRST BY DOUG FERGUSON.(SPORTS)

RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif. -- All he had to do was make pars at Royal St. George's and Tiger Woods might have captured the silver claret jug.

He still wonders how the 1999 U.S. Open might have unfolded had he made that short par putt on the 17th hole at Pinehurst No. 2.

And what about last year at Hazeltine?

Woods had a 12-foot birdie putt on No. 13 as he was closing in on Rich Beem at the PGA Championship. He three-putted for bogey, and even four straight birdies at the end weren't enough for him to recover from that blunder.

So, Woods remains stuck on eight majors. He is not even halfway home to the 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus, the only …