Tag: Tiger Woods

What should expectations be for Tiger going forward?

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.

If Tiger wants to catch Nicklaus, how about playing more golf?

Who can forget where they were back on April 14, the day Tiger Woods announced he is back on the prowl by winning the 2019 Masters Tournament? Every network and radio station couldn’t wait to see the day where Woods would win another major, something he hadn’t done since his victory at the 2008 U.S. Open, and honestly, I was one of the people waiting for that day also. When that day finally came, I remember sitting in a barbeque restaurant, eating a brisket sandwich with a smile on my face, watching Woods sit at a press conference wearing his fifth green jacket.

This was the climax of the journey of a man who was at the top, then went to a through a complete freefall (mostly from his own actions), and worked his way back to the No. 1 spot, at least for this event. It was great to see, but than I had a thought, and asked myself what happens next. As I finish the fries that came with my brisket sandwich, I start to wonder what happens in the future, and get caught up in the wash that is the prisoner of the moment syndrome.

It’s at this moment where I get logic to set in. What seemed inevitable before, which was Woods catching Jack Nicklaus for most career major victories, is suddenly back in the question after a moment of serious doubt. Tiger now has 15 major wins, which puts Nicklaus’ 18 squarely in the crosshairs. Knowing this, we have to understand this isn’t the same man who was tearing the PGA Tour up in the late 1990s – early 2000s. He’s 43 years old, and his body has been through numerous surgical procedures. How much will Tiger be able to play? How will his mind, body and soul hold up? How deep is the competition he’ll have to go through? These are just a few of the questions I ask myself as I ride home.

The first two questions, only Woods can answer, but the last question, I can say the competition will be as tough as it’s ever been. This showed at last weekend’s PGA Championship, the now second of the four major tournaments that was moved from August to May. Coming off of the Masters win, hype was strong, but all of that excitement turned into disappointment when Woods went on to miss the cut, while his playing partner, Brooks Koepka, was blowing through the course at Bethpage Black on his way to his second straight PGA Championship win. If Tiger is going to pass Nicklaus, it’ll be tough to stave Koepka off alone, and that’s on top of the mix of Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Rory Mcllroy and Justin Rose, among others.

While I would never claim to know everything, I do know and believe this much. It’s hard to think of a scenario where a person can just show up and beat the world’s best in any situation, let alone without any playing and practice time. That’s what Woods was essentially trying to do, because he didn’t play at all between the Masters and PGA Championship. The result was nothing short of disastrous, and if Tiger wants to win any tournament going forward, he has to play competitive golf. He says he’ll play in the Memorial Tournament leading up to the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, so that’s a good sign, but is that enough? If I was a betting man, I would say no. I root for Woods to break Nicklaus’ record, but I don’t see it happening if he just plays in primarily majors. If Tiger is back on the prowl, it’s time to go hunting on other courses.