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Tiger Woods' Speedy Return from Back
Surgery Comes with Warning Signs....
Tiger Woods no doubt can afford the best
medical advice in the world.
My question: Is he following it?
Love or hate Tiger, it’s welcomed news
for golf fans that he’ll tee it up at
Congressional next week and play in the
Quicken Loans National that’s tied to
his foundation. Golf simply shines
brighter when he’s in the field, no
matter whether he’s on the leaderboard
or fighting to make the cut.
But is Woods returning too soon and
risking further injury that will lead to
yet another sabbatical?
Only Tiger knows, and if he is rushing
back there’s virtually no chance he’ll
own up to it. That’s just not his way.
So we’ll just have to wait and see if he
winces after taking big swings, or
hobbles out of the rough after
generating too much torque from an
awkward stance. But remember, this is a
serious back injury he's recuperating
from, and those can be as vexing as
playing Amen Corner.
Tiger’s announcement acknowledged that
his A-game likely will be missing at
Congressional.
"I've just started to hit full shots but
it's time to take the next step," said
Tiger’s statement. "I will be a bit
rusty but I want to play myself back
into competitive shape. Excited for the
challenge ahead."
Are a few days of full swings enough of
a test, even for the world’s greatest
golfer? And is he "rusty" in the sense
of sitting around too much, or rusty
like an old hinge that’s ready to snap
in half?
Expect Tiger to wear his brightest smile
next week, but the real question is
whether he made this decision after
staring at the calendar.
The British Open at Royal Liverpool is
just three weeks away, and every time
Woods misses a major it threatens to
push his one constant golfing goal out
of reach.
At the age of 38, and with a back and
knees that sometimes act like they’re
pushing 60, Woods is rapidly running out
of time to break Jack Nicklaus’ record
of 18 majors. Woods knows it, we all
know it, and don’t think for a second
that Nicklaus doesn’t know it.
But given the dynamics of what it will
take for Woods to win five more majors
and grasp his Holy Grail he really can’t
be blamed if he obsesses about being in
each and every grand slam event.
Woods’ quest is different from most
chases for career records in sports.
It was the same when Pete Rose chased
down Ty Cobb’s record for career hits,
and when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ousted Wilt
Chamberlain as basketball’s all-time
leading scorer.
But the tormenting fact for Tiger is
that he can be the greatest golfer of
the year and still not budge closer in
his pursuit of Nicklaus.
That was the case during last season’s
banner year. Woods was the 2013 PGA Tour
Player of the Year, was golf’s leading
money winner, had five tournament
victories and also copped the Vardon
Trophy for best scoring average.
But no major.
That made five consecutive years that
Woods has been shut out in golf’s
marquee events, and with him already
missing the Masters and the U.S. Open
this year 2014 is threatening to make it
six straight.
It’s understandable if this year’s
British Open is calling to Tiger like a
siren who can’t be ignored. Royal
Liverpool is where he won his last
British Open, in 2006, and he flat-out
tore up the course.
Woods won with a score of 18-under.
Chris DiMarco was two shots back, but no
one else was closer than five strokes.
Woods also claimed it in grand style,
using his driver only once.
Ah, those were the days, right Tiger
fans?
But Tiger’s gleaming performance at
Royal Liverpool in 2006 is irrelevant to
what he can make happen there in 2014.
He’s only about 80 days removed from
being on the operating table for back
surgery, and he hasn’t hit a ball in
tournament play since March 9.
Winning at Liverpool would be a
borderline miracle, and perhaps an even
more improbable major victory than when
he won the 2008 U.S. Open on one good
leg.
Woods could play four excellent rounds
at Liverpool and still not get a whiff
of the lead, given the way Martin Kaymer
is playing the last couple of months.
Maybe he’s pushing himself with an eye
to getting on the U.S. team for the
Ryder Cup. Maybe he just doesn’t have
the appetite for any more practice
rounds.
But this isn't just about Tiger. He's
the face of golf, and also its golden
goose, and his series of physical
setbacks has been as bad for the sport
as it has been for his game. Per Scooby
Axin of Golf.com, the final round of the
U.S. Open drew a 3.3 rating, which will
likely become the tournament's lowest
Sunday figure on record. One or two more
injuries and the public may give up on
him, and golf's current dip in
television ratings could turn into a
mudslide.
And let’s remember one thing about
Tiger: In addition to being the world’s
greatest golfer for the last two decades
it also certainly seems like he’s been
the one who has been injured the most
often.
That’s the price of making shots no one
else attempts, with force and power
that’s matched by Bubba Watson and not
many others.
Those injuries have been mounting up and
getting more serious in nature, and
there’s always the chance that the next
one could be the last one.
So, Tiger, in addition to paying for the
best medical advice are you also taking
the time to listen to it?
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