YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHING YET
Casey welcomes back the Tiger phenomenon.. but warns rising stars all the excitement could turn to intimidation
MAJOR CHANCE Woods can go close this week and will have an army of supporters watching him
PAUL CASEY has warned the new generation wanting to take on Tiger Woods at the Masters: Be careful what you wish for.
Tommy Fleetwood is relishing partnering the 14-time Major winner for the first time in the opening two rounds at Augusta starting today.
The European No.1 has become friendly with the American superstar since competing at his Hero World Challenge in December, while Woods has got to know the new wave of young American talent as an assistant captain in team events.
But Casey, who held off Woods to win the Valspar Championship last month, insisted the new Tiger will be a different animal on his return to Major golf this week.
“These guys will find it different with a Sunday draw with Tiger if he is in contention,” said the world No.13.
“I just want the young guys to see what we saw for such a long time. It would be amazing. Is it intimidating? Yes. Can it be a shot penalty? Maybe.
“I actually want Tiger to continue his trajectory. I would love him to win – though obviously I want to keep beating him – because those younger guys like Rory and Justin Thomas and Rickie and Spieth have never seen that.
“Rory made me chuckle a bit talking about the hoopla surrounding Tiger when he came back in LA.
“He said it was like a half-shot penalty for Tiger every round in LA. And I am thinking, ‘My God, you should have seen it for the last 18 years. That is the way the guy has had it his entire career’.”
Woods dominated golf at the start of the century when he won an unprecedented seven out of 11 Majors and left his contemporaries mentally scarred.
But the former world No.1, 42, has not won a Major since the 2008 US Open or any tournament since 2013.
Four-time Major winner Ernie Els said: “These kids are good players, great players, but they need to experience a battle with him. Because you’re going to feel better about yourself if you’ve fought Muhammad Ali and felt what it was like.
“I’m not taking anything away from the youngsters. They’re going to have great times. But they need to experience Tiger on the prowl. Playing with Tiger on a Sunday is the ultimate in our sport.
“He brings so much intensity to the
first tee. He brings the excitement from the people. He brings all the elements you need to really experience a sport being played at the highest level.”
During his injury absence, Woods had a close view of the young Americans as assistant captain for the 2016 Ryder Cup team and the 2017 Presidents Cup team.
American star Brandt Snedeker said: “I think it will be harder for them because they only know Tiger as their friend and their buddy.
“They don’t know Tiger as the ‘cutyour-head-off-on-18-and-make-thatputt-to-win-the-golf-tournament’ kinda guy. I think that will be a little change for them – they don’t realise how dominant he was in that aspect back in the day.”