CHEERLEADER TO GLADIATOR
Europe thought Tiger Woods was only along for the ride - now he can smell their blood
Tiger Woods was always going to be at the ryder Cup. Just not like this. He would be a mentor, a cheerleader, an advisor, a sounding board.
Back in January, when Jim Furyk made him one of the United states vice- captains, the idea that he might be here as an actual competitor, a gladiator in the arena, seemed hopelessly farfetched. even in June, when Woods missed the cut at the Us open and slipped to 79th in the world, the events of the last three months seemed fantastically improbable.
Yet here he is at Le golf National, America’s sweetheart once more. The viewing figures for his final, victorious round at the Tour Championship were huge, bigger than were recorded for either the Us open or the open this year, even up against a full NFL sunday programme.
No-one turns on America quite like Woods. in contention for the final round of the open this summer, the event drew its biggest audience in 18 years. When Woods had a near miss at the PgA Championship, it was watched in greater numbers than at any time since 2009.
Woods is feigning nonchalance right now. His official line is that he has not followed the news and reaction to his mighty resurgence, that he will catch up when this hectic few days is over.
‘i’ve been a little bit busy so i haven’t looked,’ he said. Yet he will know. He will know exactly what Tiger Woods top of the leaderboard means to America, because he has been there before. in his prime, he moved Wall street, shaped the economy. if he won, traders bounced into work on Monday morning, buoyantly creating a bull market.
That famous red attire wasn’t just for him, but a reflection of how the whole country felt.
on sunday, President donald Trump marked Woods’ first win in 1,876 days with a celebratory tweet. A reborn Woods is part of what makes America great again, and the scenes around the 18th at east Lake golf Club, Atlanta, was a country lost in rapture once more.
‘The art of clapping is gone,’ mused Woods. ‘People don’t clap because how can you with a cell phone in your hand?
‘People now scream and they are pretty loud, especially late in the day when it’s hot and they have tipped back a few.’
The coda remained unsaid. it wasn’t a noise Woods expected to hear again, not after so long tormented by injury.
A video emerged yesterday of Woods watching a succession of commentators, analysts, former professionals and talking heads, writing off his career.
There are a lot of negatives, a lot of straight ‘no’ answers. ‘His short game is gone, his health is gone... here’s what’s going to happen: Tiger Woods is never going to win another tournament... you’re washed up, give up while you’re ahead, retire with some dignity...’ At the end, Woods raises his eyes to the camera and faintly smiles.
Yet it wasn’t that far from what he believed, too. ‘i didn’t think i’d ever play again,’ Woods admitted last week. ‘i didn’t know what my future held.’
What he seems to be enjoying, more than anything, is calling a few bluffs. Those that bemoaned not being able to play him at his best, head to head; voices tinged with faux-regret as they consider the challenges denied.
Looking at what happened to rory Mcilroy and even world No 1 Justin rose on sunday, the scenario probably played out as a lot more fun in the imagination than the reality.
‘i just want these guys to feel the heat down the back nine with me in the lead one more time,’ Woods told his friend, former professional poker player Phil gordon, in the Bahamas last december. And now they can.
‘The younger guys were on their way in when i was on my way out,’ said Woods, now smiling, but not in a way that would make any contemporary feel comforted.
‘They had never really played against me when i was playing well. it has been five years since i won a golf tournament.
‘A lot of the players were only then coming on to the scene: Justin Thomas, Jordan spieth, Bryson deChambeau, Brooks Koepka were just getting out there, just getting started, coming off the european Tour. so a lot of these guys had not played against me yet.
‘They have been jokingly saying, “We want to go against you”. All right. Here you go. And we had a run at it at the weekend and it was a blast because i had to beat rory head up in the final group. (Justin) rose was tied with rory.
‘obviously, i had a three- shot cushion, but still i hadn’t done it in five years.
‘These guys had both ascended to be No 1 players, won major championships, won tournaments around the world and i have not really played a whole lot of golf in those last few years.’
There is a famous tape of the jazz drummer Buddy rich lacing into his band after a sloppy set. ‘Keep your mouth shut,’ he tells one musician, ‘or i’ll show you what it’s like.’
That is what Woods is doing now. showing the younger generation what it’s like, to go up against that old guy in the red shirt who suddenly isn’t so passive and unthreatening.
What remains to be seen is whether, no longer just grateful to be out there, Woods can take this
‘Players have been jokingly saying “We want to go against you”. All right. Here you go‘
new-found thirst for action into the one competition that has rarely bent to his will. Woods has finished on a single winning team at a Ryder Cup, and that in 1999.
He missed America’s victory in 2008 after knee surgery, and has only dark memories of his last involvement in 2012. ‘It was when my back started troubling me,’ he recalled.
Asked to put his finger on America’s failing — they last won in Europe in 1993 — he quoted Jack Nicklaus. ‘Who wins the 18th hole?’ Woods said. ‘Those are the matches that swing it. One up, lose, go to even. Win the last and get a point.
‘Those half-point to point swings are enormous over a Ryder Cup.’
No doubt many in the European team will tell you they’re just relishing a final-hole showdown, if it happens, with the greatest golfer of the modern age. And they’ll sound very sincere saying it.
But they’re not. And, chances are, he knows that, too.