TIGER: MY MEDINAH MISERY RAN DEEP
FOR the American nation, it became known as the meltdown at Medinah. Now, as he prepares to play in the Ryder Cup for the first time in six years, Tiger Woods has revealed that his misery over the 2012 edition ran far deeper than a stinging one-point loss. ‘That’s where I started having my back bugging me,’ he said. ‘The afternoon wave on Saturday was the only time I ever sat out a session, when I told the captain Davis Love that I really couldn’t play. I needed to get my back organised for the singles on Sunday.’ Last man out against Francesco Molinari, Woods was left stranded on the course as Europe completed their amazing comeback from a four-point deficit. As tough as that defeat was, though, it paled for Woods alongside the four-year nightmare that followed and led to him having four gruelling back operations. ‘Even now, I still don’t have an entire day go by when I stop thinking about my back,’ admitted Woods, 42, who will complete 18 tournaments on the PGA Tour this year for only the second time since turning 30. ‘I’ll never be as flexible again and I’m reminded of that every time I wake up in the morning.’ Woods’s miraculous comeback this campaign will be sealed over the next fortnight as he completes two of his biggest goals — starting with the season-ending Tour Championship today where he tees off alongside Tommy Fleetwood in the first round. ‘When I knew that I was going to be healthy enough to play a run of events I thought it would be a great accomplishment to get back among the top 30 who played this event and, of course, get back in the Ryder Cup team,’ said Tiger (above). ‘Now I’ve done both, you have to say it has been an amazing season. Not one of my best, because I have not won an event, let alone the eight or nine times I’ve won in past seasons, but certainly one of the most remarkable.’ All told, 17 of the 24 players who will compete at the Ryder Cup next week are at East Lake, Atlanta, where the $10million FedEx Cup bonus cheque is also on the line, alongside the $1.88m for winning the Tour Championship. New world No 1 Justin Rose lies second in the FedEx race behind American Bryson DeChambeau.