Tiger is back
TIGER Woods is back and the golf world is rejoicing—especially the TV networks, if you know what I mean.
At 42 years of age, Tiger, the owner of 14 majors and who is four short of Jack Nicklaus’ record 18 majors, proved he still has a lot of gas left in his tank—so to speak.
Down four strokes going to the final round of the 147th British Open, the oldest golf tournament tournament in the world that he had won three times already, Woods rallied with telling birdies to grab the lead before hitting the turn yesterday in Carnousti, Scotland.
It helped that co-leaders Xander Schauffle and Jordan Spieth had misadventures in their first seven holes, allowing Woods to taste the lead again after years of grappling with knee and back injuries that needed six surgical procedures, plus a divorce-laden marital rift due to multiple infideli-
ties.
But perhaps not used anymore to being perched atop the leaderboard, Woods fell back to earth in no time.
Ahead by a shot, he missed the green on the par-3 11th.
A flop shot from the rough was short, the ball rolling back from a ledge at the neck of the green. From there, he charged an uphill putt from about 18 feet, the ball hissing by the cup. Woods would next stare at a 12-foot bogey putt. Miss.
He would bogey next the 12th and, as fate would have it, his much-anticipated comeback was snuffed. Three precious strokes dropped in only a two-hole span derailed yet a win that would have catapulted him back to where he is used to roost: atop the hill.
He eventually finished tied for sixth at minus5, just three strokes behind the minus-8 Francesco Molinari, the first Italian to win a major.
The virtually unknown 35-year-old Molinari from Turin played solid and don’t be surprised. Paired with Woods in the final round, Molinari never blinked. If he were inspired rather than intimidated by Woods, I can believe that big time.
Woods, for all the fear he could inflict on his foes, can also bring out the best in you.
But it won’t be long, I guess, when Woods would finally hit paydirt again. Definitely, the old Tiger growl showed in his game yesterday—despite some glitches in his putting.
Just be patient, fellas.