A TOOTHLESS TIGER? — The Weekly Opine

These days the greatest of all time ponders more than tricky greens. (Photo credit: The Weekly Opine)

With nothing to prove the tank may be empty.

It was four months ago, but it seems like a year since Tiger Woods stunned golf, and the sports world, winning the Masters. Tiger’s 15th major championship and 81st Professional Golf Association win was one for the ages, arguably the greatest comeback in sports history. Sorry to use a word that is often overused, but Tiger’s victory was truly epic.

To say golf fans, and networks that hold broadcast rights to telecast PGA tournaments, were giddy in the aftermath of April’s Masters would be an understatement. Most everyone, The Weekly Opine included, speculated how many more majors Tiger would win. One, two, three? Maybe even four, which would break Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18.

But alas, after Woods’ triumph at Augusta National things have gone south faster than birds fleeing an early season frost.

Since the Masters, Tiger has skipped tournaments, barely practiced and played only 13 of a possible 20 rounds in the five tournaments he’s entered. He missed the cut (i.e., did not qualify to play on the weekend) at two majors, the PGA Championship and The Open Championship (aka The British Open). Tiger played pedestrian, par golf at the U.S. Open, never in contention, finishing just 2-under.

Last week, Tiger withdrew after Thursday’s opening round of the first FedExCup playoff tournament, citing an oblique injury. Is this a slow slide toward the end? Tiger intends to play this week at Medinah (fingers crossed), where he won major championships in 1999 and 2006.

Nowadays, Tiger readily acknowledges that at age 43 his body needs a lot of work to prepare for tournaments. That’s what multiple knee surgeries and four back surgeries would do to anyone. Tiger often mentions his back is stiff. Cool damp weather on Thursday or Friday spells trouble for his chances of making the cut, never mind winning tournaments.

There will be, Tiger says, tournaments where he gets it going and will be a threat to win. And other times he will struggle to be competitive. Since the Masters, which Woods said took a toll on his body, it has been all struggle.

To be blunt, Tiger in 2019 epitomizes the Frank Sinatra classic, “That’s Life.” Woods was riding high in April, shot down in May...

Lately, the yips have robbed Tiger of putting accuracy. (Photo credit: CBS Sports screenshot)

More questions than answers

Is Tiger’s body broken beyond the ability to function as a top tier player? Has his steel-willed mental toughness deserted him? Are the young studs on tour, who drive the ball 25-50 yards farther than Tiger, in his head or under his skin? Did we all get ahead of ourselves (and ahead of Tiger) expecting a summer of brilliance from the golf game’s G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time)?

Could it be the Masters was the final time Tiger will be Tiger? From this point on, maybe he’ll be like Mike. When Michael Jordan left the Chicago Bulls and joined the Washington Wizards, he did not approach the greatness that fully defined his career. The snarling, 6-time champion Bull was a poor man’s imitation of his former self.

If it is purely physical, it seems unlikely to get better. Rare is the athlete who can reclaim consistent greatness following the significant injuries/surgeries Tiger has endured. If it is mental, with each missed opportunity it will become harder to win, as nervousness and doubt enter space once occupied by supreme confidence.

Ask Serena Williams, who now appears rattled when she reaches Grand Slam finals matches. With her intimidation factor gone, Serena is 0-3 in her last three Grand Slam finals. All within the past year. All lost in straight sets, as she attempted to win major title number 24. An underlying cause? Same as Tiger, in the past year Serena dealt with injuries, a lack of practice and too few competitive matches. Indisputably the tennis G.O.A.T., losing three consecutive Grand Slam finals matches peels some of the luster off Serena’s illustrious career.

Did accepting an undeserved award from Racist Trump bring bad karma? (Photo credit: CNN screenshot)

What would Marianne Williamson say?

Did Tiger suffer a dose of bad karma after allowing himself to be used like a stooge by the racist Trump? Going to the White House in early-May to accept the Presidential Medal of Freedom - a wholly undeserved honor – maybe set in motion bad vibes, contributing to the forgettable summer Tiger has endured on the golf course.

Certainly, Tiger cannot be blamed for taking a two-week trip to Thailand with his family. Just a few years ago he could barely get out of bed, let alone engage in normal parent-kid activities. Stepping away after the monumental Masters win to hang with the family should not be questioned. Face it, who knows what the long-term prognosis is for Woods’ bad back?

Spending more time with his kids and less time practicing is an understandable trade off. Just be clear that approach will not produce top-tier, competitive golf.

Realistically, Tiger’s body is no longer capable of handling his own drill sergeant practice routine. After all, Woods is no longer a 20-something in the early-stage of his career.

Going forward, whatever positive results Tiger achieves will be a bonus. Another major title? Questionable, but would be a Masters-like huge achievement. Winning two more PGA events to break Sam Snead’s record 82 PGA victories? Possible, but hard to imagine based on evidence from Woods’ mediocre performance this summer.

If Tiger’s healthy enough to tee off and swing freely, Medinah could provide needed salve. He won major titles here in 1999 and 2006. (Photo credit: The Weekly Opine)

You da (peculiar) man!

Tiger Woods is a complicated man.

An ESPN The Magazine expose a few years ago detailed an unnecessary, self-inflicted training regimen that undoubtedly contributed to his physical demise. Tiger decided to go through Navy Seals training which included running several miles in combat boots, other strenuous military drills, elite sports training and lifting heavy loads of weights.

Friends told him to stop but Tiger persisted, over-training and contorting his body in ways at odds with a man at the top of the genteel sport of golf. Coupled with the strenuous golf practice routine, featuring his all-or-nothing powerful swing off the tee, eventually a toll was paid by Tiger’s body.

Tiger, like Michael Jordan, is mute regarding social issues. To protect his endorsements, Tiger skips opportunities to lend his voice and provide leadership during our troubled times. (Random thought. To my knowledge, the PGA does not play the national anthem prior to golf tournaments. Why is no one railing that the PGA is unpatriotic?)

Tiger’s philandering, chasing porn actresses and waitresses, while married to Elin Nordegren, was logic defying and shameful. Nordegren is a classy, Swedish beauty. The girlfriend Tiger showed up with at the White House ceremony, Erica Herman, looked more like a bubble-gum-popping diner waitress than a woman commensurate with Woods’ one-percenter stature.

But that’s been Tiger’s M.O. Why on green Earth would he hang out after hours with the 20-something employees at The Woods, his Florida restaurant? One of them was a 24-year-old alcoholic bartender, hired by Herman in her role as restaurant general manager. Just days before he died, Woods and Herman drank with the bartender. A few nights later, the bartender killed himself while driving under the influence (3x the legal limit).

On the flip side, Tiger’s foundation provides an award-winning, community-based STEM curriculum for underserved youth, along with college-access programs. The TGR Foundation has positively impacted the health, education and welfare of millions of kids. And Woods is committed to building a tournament-worthy golf course on Chicago’s South Side. “If we can pull this off,” he said, I think it can benefit many people on the South Side.” Amen.

No one energizes golf like Tiger Woods. Spectators strain for a glimpse of “da man” near the green. (Photo credit: The Weekly Opine)

Frayed nerves in the tower.

Tiger’s impact is evident in TV ratings. Referred to as the Tiger Effect, when he is in contention, especially at the major tournaments, ratings are substantially higher. The Open in 2018 garnered TV ratings +38% versus the prior year. The Tour Championship, which Woods won last September, enjoyed ratings increase of 206%. (On Sunday at the Tour Championship, the day Tiger was victorious, ratings were the highest of any PGA event – including majors – of the entire 2018 PGA season.)

This year on Sunday at the Master’s, play was moved to the morning due to inclement weather. The ratings were the highest in 34 years for weekend morning golf. Tiger Mania lives when Woods is in contention.

The trick is Tiger draws casual fans way more than any other player. On-site attendance thrives, too. The galleries are visibly larger when Woods is in contention. And the Tiger Roar is in full throat. This surely frustrates the PGA and other top players. Understandably, PGA officials have concerns regarding the popularity of the tour when Tiger is no longer around.

My interest is not the same when Tiger doesn’t play. I’ll watch some of Thursday and Friday, most of Saturday and all of Sunday when he’s in contention. No Tiger? I may or may not watch some on Saturday and will watch only some on Sunday.

Negotiations are underway to see who will carry PGA broadcast rights in the future. Current weekend rights holders CBS, NBC and Fox are all interested. But the PGA may not have the luxury of Woods as a bargaining chip. Too bad the PGA could not finalize the new broadcast rights packages within days after the Masters, when it looked like Tiger was back for another two to three-year run of success.

Presently, another bout of sustained greatness seems improbable. The Masters now feels more like a flashback than a precursor.

If it is over, Tiger Mania was epic while it lasted.