Tiger Woods believes his next wins are coming soon
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“I feel my next wins are coming soon. How soon, I don’t know,” he said Tuesday morning at Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, New Jersey, as he prepared for the Northern Trust, the opener for the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs. “But I’m putting
myself there in tournaments now. I’ve done it two of the last three tournaments I’ve played in and they were big events, so I’m not that far away from getting it done.”
He was referring to having held the lead on Sunday during the British Open last month and hav-
place at the PGA in St. Louis the week before last. The latter was marked by airliner-takeoff caliber noise for his charge. Woods upstaged champion Brooks Koepka, but could not outplay him.
Whether he can overcome
win this week or at any point during the playoffs is the 42-year-old’s challenge. Neither Francesco Molinari, playing alongside Woods at Carnoustie in Scotland, nor Koepka, playing a few groups ahead in St. Louis, was rattled by the stir created by the 14-time major champion’s surge.
Having taken some time off to rest and attend his children’s soccer
said, “It was exciting to make a run, but I lost by two in the end. I shot a low round, but it just wasn’t enough. On a golf course that soft, we needed to make a few more birdies.”
Every birdie he did make was marked by a depth of public feeling that might not have been present even when Woods was winning four majors in a row. He considers it part of being “blessed” to have the chance to play again after back fusion surgery.
“I think everyone can relate to that because they have all gone through it. Everyone has got aches and pains. You get to your 40s, you’re feeling it,” he said. “This entire year has been so different. I’ve had excitement [before], I’ve had people into it over the years, but this has been so different.”
He acknowledged the need to pace himself. He could be playing five of the next six weeks if he advances through the playoffs and is named, as expected, by captain Jim Furyk to the US Ryder Cup team, on which Woods already serves as an assistant captain. “We’re talking about myself in the third person a lot,” he said.
Golf’s momentum, with Woods’ revival and with Koepka having won Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello revealed he has sought guidance from Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn as he plots his schedule over the remaining weeks of the season. Cabrera-Bello told reporters at the Northern Trust Open he has taken the unusual step of speaking directly to Bjorn for scheduling advice as he aims to lock down a berth in the Ryder Cup squad. The 34-year-old currently lies ninth and just a place outside of automatically qualifying for a second straight Ryder Cup team after making his debut two years ago at Hazeltine. The Spaniard teamed with compatriot Sergio Garcia to be undefeated, winning two matches and halving another. Cabrera-Bello then humbled American rival Jimmy Walker
as the third highest- scoring European in Darren Clarke’s eventual losing side. This week’s event in New
Team qualifying event for Europeans competing on the PGA Tour to qualify via the World Points list, whereas two events remain to gain selection via the European the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills before winning the PGA, is certain to boost the Northern Trust — the event formerly known as The Barclays and before that the Westchester Classic. At Glen Oaks on Long Island last year, the Northern Trust was arguably the most thrilling event of the PGA Tour season — Dustin Johnson beating Jordan Spieth in a playoff — but was lightly attended.
Expect a lively performance from New York fans this week. “They are into it,” Woods said, adding with a grin, “It’s a huge sporting town, a little more opinionated than most cities. It certainly becomes a lot more opinionated when they tip back a couple.” Points list.
“I phoned Thomas on Monday morning as I wanted the best advice from him with regards to my scheduling these next two weeks and what would be best for me in trying to qualify for the team,” said Cabrera-Bello.
“Given this is the last European Team qualifying event in the States, I shared my thoughts with him and he was very understanding.
“It all hinges on how well I play here in New Jersey so I can’t say at this stage whether I will go to Denmark next week.”
Cabrera- Bello is hoping that he can book his place on the team with a solid display in New Jersey via the World Points list.
However, the immediate two players under him on the “World” list are England’s Ian Poulter [10th on the list] and Paul Casey [11th]), who are also teeing-up in New Jersey.
“All I can do is my best this week and outside of that it is beyond my control,” Cabrera-Bello added.
“If I were to win this week I may still not make the team but for sure, if I were to win it sends the message to Thomas of my determination and I also would like to think that my experience, and also my record from Hazeltine will help me prepare as I am not a rookie and I know what the Ryder Cup is all about.