Yes, we’re here again. About a month out from another major tournament on the PGA tour and all the talk is about Tiger Woods and if he will be in the US Open and if he has a chance to win. Most people are doubting the first, and even Vegas doesn’t give him much of a chance on the second. Of course, the bigger question is, why does anyone care? My reaction to the situation is probably in the minority, but honestly, he was the greatest golfer to ever play the game. There, I said it. He dominated a professional sport for 10 years and it didn’t matter who was behind him. He just kept going and going. There was no second place. There was nothing but winning.
His personal issues aside, the change in Tiger came in 2006, notice how close that date is to his last major in 2008? In May, his leader, his grounding rod, left him to fend for himself. His father’s passing left Tiger struggling to be Tiger. Rumors followed from his swing coach about him wanting to become a Navy SEAL instead of a golfer. More rumors about how he didn’t care about Jack’s major record or Snead’s total victory record. That’s just not the Tiger we wanted to see. He went on a fitness program that may or may not have destroyed his golf swing. Then the rest of his personal life fell apart. His world imploded and it was all his doing, but for those 10+ years, Tiger was the greatest closer in the world.
Even still, that fateful day in May of 2006 changed him forever. The fairways at Bethpage were easy enough for him to handle, but not being able to hug his father was too much. Having lost my Mother, I can identify with his loss, though probably not quite as much since Earl played such a key role in Tiger’s professional life as well. Instead of rooting for or against Tiger to make a comeback, the real story should be about can Tiger achieve peace within himself long enough to heal mentally from everything that has happened. Tiger would be out in these interviews with a fire in his eyes, an anger in the pit of his stomach and the desire to put Speith, Day and anyone else that stood against him in the corner and beat them by 10 strokes. Instead, we have a calmer, more gentler, Eldrick that is just taking the time he needs to get back to 100%.
Here’s some news, Eldrick will never be Tiger Woods.
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