I've always been a big golf fan, though I have not completely wrapped my support for the "wrap around season" that combines two calendar years. Anyway, that aside, I am very happy that Tiger came out and played his tournament -he was the birdie leader for the week, but also the bogey and double bogey leader. Only time will tell us what kind of golfer he will be in his forties. I personally wish him well, in fact, even though I am not a personal fan of Tiger, I am a fan of champions, so, if he ever gets to seventeen majors, and as much as I have been a Nicklaus fan all my life, I'll be cheering for him to tie Jack. I think it would be a historical moment that no one would want to miss.
Being a good golfer is not easy, being a very good golfer is very difficult, being a great golfer, almost impossible, and being a champion, well, it takes a special person, a God given talent, and the determination to succeed with all the needed sacrifices.... not to mention good luck, and that does not necessarily mean lucky breaks, but good luck in historical life.
For instance, Ben Hogan would have never been Ben Hogan had it not been for the likes of Byron Nelson and Sam Snead, and the other way around. Jack Nicklaus would not have been as famous if his first win had not been the 1962 U.S. Open in a playoff against Arnold Palmer, "The King", then his last major against 12 major champions that together had over 25 majors, all of whom were in the leader board on the last day. It goes the same for Gary Player, a small man who won nine majors against the likes of Nicklaus, Palmer and Trevino; and Tom Watson, who after being labeled a "choker", won, among his eight major championships, three majors against Jack Nicklaus on epic Sunday finishes.
Then here comes Tiger Woods, a skinny kid of mixed race and takes over the golf world. Some did not like his "brash" coming in, or his comments of "winning with his 'B' game" (it was true, and so did every one of the champions mentioned above, they just weren't as brash and downright cocky as tiger was), as if it was not bad enough to lose to a teenager, but losing to his "B" game.
For perhaps two decades, in between Lee Trevino (6), Greg Norman (2), Nick Faldo (6), and Seve Ballesteros (5), there was no true dominant player from the mid 80's to the late 90's, when Tiger came to the scene after winnings 6 straight U.S.G.A. Championships (three U.S.G.A. Junior and three U.S.G.A. Amateur Championships). Not even the great Jack Nicklaus or the greatest amateur player, up to that time, Bobby Jones ever did that.
Tiger's last major championship was in 2008, an epic U.S. Open that required 18 extra holes against Rocco Mediate. Tiger was hurting, nevertheless, before the playoff, Tiger knew he was going to win, Rocco knew he was going to lose, and Tiger knew that Rocco knew that Tiger was going to win.
That was Tiger's 14th major since his first in 1997. No one, and I mean no one, has dominated professional golf the way Tiger did for those 12 years. Wow. Golf needed a champion. We had a few, including Phil Mickelson, who could win a few tournaments, but no majors, or few. Many say that Tiger was the best ever, many, like me, say, it's close. Tiger never played against players who won multiple majors. Professional golfers became spoiled. A lot of money. Most professionals played to earn a nice check, few played to win. When Tiger came to the tour, he came to win, and win he did. He took the tour like an unwanted tornado, and like a wanted hero.
It's been three years since Tiger's last win. A little over a year since he last competed in a major (the 2015 U.S. Open) where he missed the cut after rounds of 80-76.
I'm a Jordan Spieth fan. Not a big fan of Jason Day, but love to watch him when he is on. I'm a Mickelson fan as well, and "D.J.". Everyone deserves second chances... including Tiger. A second chance to a comeback. Who wouldn't want to see Tiger down the stretch against Jason, Jordan, D.J. and Adam? Maybe through Phil in the mix? Like 1986, in the Masters, I'd be rooting for the two older guys. Up to the U.S. Open last year, Tiger has competed in 14 tournaments over two seasons, never finished better than 17th, Withdrew a few times. He also missed five cuts.
I remember reading that Tiger lives a lonely life. It must be hard. And he probably has more swing thoughts than the average golfer, thus his rounds in the 80's and frustrating results. Nothing he does now, takes away his wins and the thrills he gave the golf world with his play way above the tour's average of his time. There was a time when no one doubted he would break Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majors, now, most of us doubt he has what it takes to win again, let alone a major, or for that matter, multiple majors. I personally did not doubt it, and in fact, I "predicted it". But 2009 got in the way and his "bite" was never the same again.
There is no question his personal life got in the way. You can't play a game that requires so much concentration when your personal life is unraveling. I can only go back to the only major that he led into Sunday and ended up losing, the 2009 PGA Championship. Up to that time, his 14 majors had all been when he was leading the tournament coming into Sunday, and this time he was leading by two over an obscure South Korean professional, there would be no way that he would lose... "might as well give him the trophy". Ben Hogan also got in the way of Tiger's fifteenth major: to a question of, "Mr. Hogan, who do you think is going to win today", a classical Hoganesque answer, "I don't know, that is why they are playing, to see who wins".
I remember watching him struggle that Sunday. I remember making a comment in the middle of the back nine, before he lost the lead, "Tiger looks worried". His steps were not the same, his countenance was not the same. And as history shows, he had reason to be worried. And now, his fans and golf fans in general are worried that his exit is just like we see: he might not come back because history shows that Tiger will not play unless he knows he has a chance to win.
Time has healed some wounds, but time has also punished Tiger a lot, perhaps more than he should have been punished. I believe it is time to look forward and let him play and help revive the game a little, just like Jordan Spieth did a year ago. We need Tiger more than ever, if nothing else, to pass the torch, "live and well" to the next generation of champions, instead of just retiring in the lowest moments in his golf life.
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