Woods’ heroics was no fluke, says Spieth
It is not Tiger that, you know, Phil (Mickelson) and Ernie (Els) and those guys had to deal with Rory McIlroy
carnoustie — Not so long ago they were saying he was washed up, finished, but for a spell on Sunday it seemed as if Tiger Woods was ready to shove the words of his critics right back down their throats.
Although he ultimately came up short in his quest to achieve Mission Impossible in the British Open at Carnoustie, the 42-yearold American showed that his dream of landing a 15th major victory need not be such a fanciful idea after all.
“This wasn’t a fluke,” 2017 Open champion Jordan Spieth told reporters. “He’ll come back stronger for sure.”
Asked if Spieth felt he and his rivals would now be dealing with Woods’s name hovering on leaderboards for a number of years to come, the three-times major winner replied: “I think so, yeah”.
Woods, without a victory in a ‘Big Four’ event for 10 years, surged into first place with a faultless front nine before his challenge unravelled with three dropped shots in two holes from the 11th. He eventually had to settle for a share of sixth spot, three strokes behind winner Francesco Molinari of Italy.
For four-time major winner Rory McIlroy, who finished tied for second, two shots off Molinari, it is a different Woods to the years of his pomp.
“It is not Tiger that, you know, Phil (Mickelson) and Ernie (Els) and those guys had to deal with,” said McIlroy. “It’s a different version. But he’s right there. He’s right there. He’s getting himself in the mix. He’s looked good here.
“He’s played a full schedule. He’s healthy. I wouldn’t say we’re worried about him, but he’s one of those guys that’s always in with a shot.”
But McIlroy believes the American doesn’t yet have that same aura of invincibility he once boasted. “That’s what I thought,” said McIlroy. “With the Tiger we have to face, he’s — you know, he does things that maybe he didn’t do 10, 15 years ago. But it’s still great to have him back. It’s still great for golf.” —