I’LL DEFINITELY WIN AGAIN, ROARS TIGER
TIGER ADMITS NEAR-MISS AT THE OPEN STILL STINGING
TIGER WOODS retreated to the Swiss mountains following his near miss at the Open, accompanied by his latest squeeze Erica, his two kids Charlie and Sam, and the lingering feeling of irritation that the Claret Jug was not also along for the hike.
‘I said at the time it would sting for a while, and that has certainly proved the case,’ said the 42 year old, regarding his tied sixth finish at Carnoustie, where he led with eight holes to play.
‘We had a great time hiking, touring Switzerland and just enjoying being in one another’s company. But there was also some reflection on the fact that I had a great chance at winning, and the mistakes I made at 11 and 12 that cost me my chance.’
Woods returns to action today at one of his favourite tour stops, the classic American country club setting of Firestone, where he is an eight-time winner of the Bridgestone Invitational.
He admitted his expectations had changed completely over the course of a remarkable summer. From just being grateful to play and compete again, the old winning feeling was returning.
‘When you think I was about 1200th in the world last December and now I’m 50th, that’s a pretty good accomplishment,’ he said. ‘My game has certainly improved to the point where I believe I will win again.’
His rising confidence stems from the fact there appears no more physical issues to worry about. Woods has committed to play four events in the next five weeks and has no fears should it prove to be seven out of nine if he gets into the final PGA Tour play-off event followed by the Ryder Cup.
With just this event and next week’s USPGA Championship to go before the eight automatic slots for the American team are finalised — US captain Jim Furyk will then name four wild cards next month — Woods said he was focused only on rising a further 12 places from his current position of 20th and making the team by right.
‘I’ve no worries that I could play two matches in a day,’ he insisted. ‘That’s just not an issue anymore. I’ve said all along I want to be there as a player as well as a vice-captain and I still have work to do.’ Asked to assess his position wearing his vice-captain’s hat, he smiled broadly. ‘What’s the word I’m looking for? Yes, trending,’ he said.
Another who’s unquestionably trending is the man who did end up with the Claret Jug, Frankie Molinari.
He also went on a family holiday last week, to the Bahamas, and on the plane got a taste of how life has changed when the pilot and his flight crew asked for a photo with the Italian and his gleaming silver trophy.
‘I can definitely see already that the win has taken me to a different dimension,’ said the 35 year old, part of a glittering field here including every member of the world’s top 50.
Molinari’s victory at Carnoustie was his third in six events and Italy’s first major champion has also finished runner-up twice in that period to climb to a careerhigh sixth in the world.
But with another major championship around the corner and a third Ryder Cup appearance to come in September, Molinari is being urged to enjoy more success by the coaching team behind his development into a truly world-class player.
Molinari joked at the presentation ceremony at Carnoustie about the size of his team, but has fully reaped the rewards of working with swing coach Denis Pugh, putting coach Phil Kenyon and performance coach Dave Alred, who is most famous for his work with England rugby and World Cup-winning kicker Jonny Wilkinson.
Asked to explain the change from being a player who won four times in 10 years to winning three times in six events, Molinari said: ‘Just a lot of work from the guys around me to be honest.
‘They probably believed already before the recent results, they believed in me more than I ever did. [They saw] the potential to win majors and the potential to be in the top 10 of the world and now they are pushing the limits even more so hopefully they will help me achieve even more in the game.
‘It’s taken a long time for them to keep telling me and help me achieve things that would show to myself that I was that kind of player. Now it feels like I can play with anyone not be intimidated.