Almost three years ago to the day, I wrote an article about Tiger Woods, detailing what has to happen if he wants to catch Jack Nicklaus for the most major tournaments won in PGA Tour history with 18. Back then, there was optimism Woods could accomplish that feat, even after everything he has been through both professionally and personally. The article mentioned was a month after Tiger won The Masters for his 15th major championship, and I was just as happy to see this result as anyone. Having said that, the main thing Woods had to do was find a way to….well, play more golf. That seemed reasonable at the time, but now, it’s anyone’s guess.
Since Tiger had that triumphant return a few years back, a lot has transpired, mainly the fact he almost died in a car accident February 2021. The crash resulted in Woods having to get immediate surgery on his right leg, and just like that, a storied career was suddenly in danger of ending. As fans, we are mostly wired to think about how events will affect someone on the field of play (golf course in this case). After seeing the shape the vehicle Tiger was in after the accident, it’s a miracle he’s alive to see future days. Quality of life becomes first and foremost, and everything else is secondary. Even through this life-changing event, we understand athletes who have performed in the highest of levels are a little different. Knowing this, seeing Woods back in action sooner than later would be a good bet.
True to the bet, Tiger being back at Augusta National for The Masters last month probably shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise, but is at the same time considering the shape he was in after the crash. Being a Woods fan, I couldn’t help but wonder what if he gets off of the couch and wins another major. While that would be great, it was at that moment where reality set in, and expectations have to be tempered. To even think Tiger could actually win his first tournament back, let alone a major, is probably disrespectful towards the other golfers who have been playing regularly (and are really good by the way). It’s true Woods won his last major without playing much golf, but that’s not happening every day. Throw in the fact Tiger was coming back from catastrophic injuries, and it should be considered a victory if he was able to make the cut with the best in the world.
As it turned out, Woods did make the cut at the Masters. Outside of a win, that’s the best (and most realistic) result. While watching him compete, another thought set in. I was ecstatic seeing Tiger out there, but to see him struggle to walk, grimace after every swing and fight off bogey after bogey quickly became painful to watch. Fast forward to this past weekend’s PGA Championship, and it was more of the same, to the point Woods decided to withdraw from the fourth round. Obviously, Tiger isn’t close to full strength, and it’s fair to question if he’ll ever get back to that level. Toughness and pain tolerance has never been a question, and Woods’ confidence in his ability to compete is always above high (he has no reason to think otherwise). With that said, it’s time to acknowledge we could be close to seeing Tiger’s last days in competitive golf.
So what’s next for Woods? Well, we wait to see if he will compete in the next major, the U.S. Open, in June. It’s probably safe to say we won’t see Tiger in any other tournaments outside of majors, and if that’s the case, it’s hard to see a scenario where Woods wins ever again. Yes, I’m happy to see him on a course, but he probably came back too early. Two things need to happen if visions of catching Nicklaus are to stay alive. First, the 46-year-old has to get healthy. If and when he does, the second thing is more golf has to be played, just like I said three years ago. Right now, neither one of those items are a reality. Until they do, expectations should be low, and the first thing that might be on Tiger’s agenda is him stepping away from the sport, for good.
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