Tiger Woods looks to recreate magic he’s made in S.F.
He’s had great moments on city course that suits him; health may not cooperate
In a career bursting with enduring images — emotional fist pumps at Augusta National, fullthroated exultation at Torrey Pines — one of Tiger Woods’ most memorable moments happened right here at Harding Park: The Twirl. That move, punctuating his dominant performance in the 2009 Presidents Cup, carries symbolic significance as Woods returns to Harding for this week’s PGA Championship. He owns a brief but wildly successful track record at San Francisco’s venerable municipal course, winning a World Golf Championship event there in 2005, then posting a 50 record in leading the U.S. to a resounding Presidents Cup victory in ’09.
Those two transcendent performances also occurred a long time ago. Woods was 29 when he outlasted John Daly in a playoff and 33 when he steamrolled his international opponents — a striking contrast to the creaky 44yearold who will chase another major title this week alongside Lake Merced.
“Back then, it seemed like that’s what Tiger did all the time in that situation,” former NBC golf analyst
Johnny Miller said in a phone interview with The Chronicle, referring to Woods’ clutch shot at Harding in 2009. “I miss his twirl. When he did it, the shot was going to be close.”
That’s exactly what happened Oct. 10, 2009, on the final hole of an alternateshot match between WoodsSteve Stricker and Mike WeirTim Clark. The match was all square heading to No. 18 (No. 9 for the public and PGA), then set up as a 525yard par5.
Stricker hit a good drive and Woods absolutely smoked his 3iron shot from 229 yards, pure and straight. As the ball soared toward the green on a foggy morning, Woods began to twirl his club — and held the pose for several seconds, openly admiring his shot. It came to rest 9 feet from the hole, leading to a conceded eagle and vital U.S. point.
On the telecast, Dan Hicks and Miller marveled at Woods’ instantaneous, stylish, brash reaction. This body language counts as his way of essentially announcing, “I hit that one perfectly.”
The shot also shows why Woods’ game fits Harding Park.
Just ask Miller, who grew up playing the course, understands what it demands and, not coincidentally, became one of the best iron players in golf history.
“I know Tiger’s driver is a lethal weapon, but his iron game is what’s held his game together,” Miller said. “He’s just the best iron player probably ever, and with those small greens (at Harding), you have to be a good iron player. He hits the ball flush.”
Arron Oberholser took the explanation one step further. Oberholser, a Golf Channel analyst and former PGA Tour pro who grew up in San Mateo and played at San Jose State, competed against Woods (Stanford) in college and for several years on tour.
Oberholser, in trying to articulate why Woods seems so comfortable at Harding, pointed to the creativity required there. Oberholser called it a “shot maker’s course,” meaning it calls for imagination more than sheer power.
“I think we can agree Tiger is the greatest shot maker the game has ever seen, aside from Ben Hogan,” Oberholser said. “So that’s a really easy fit. The artistry of the game around Harding, the changing conditions in that part of San Francisco, with all the microclimates. …
“You have to be able to adapt, hit the shots necessary and feel where the wind is coming from amid those big cypress trees. They can easily block the wind and fool you. It requires a lot of artistry and trust in your game, and nobody is better at that than Tiger.”
Even so, Woods returns to Harding Park amid swirling skepticism. He raised expectations last year, with an epic victory at the Masters and another win at the Zozo Championship in Japan in November, matching Sam Snead’s record of 82 career PGA Tour victories.
This year has not gone nearly as well. Woods made only two starts in the first 2½ months of 2020, before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the season. Woods played solidly at Torrey Pines (tie for ninth) and poorly at Riviera (68th).
Then, in his only start since the tour’s restart in midJune, Woods tied for 40th at the Memorial tournament in Dublin, Ohio, last month. He acknowledged his surgically repaired, chronically troublesome back was causing problems. That’s worth watching this week, as Woods tries to adjust to San Francisco’s cool weather.
So, will he contend for his 16th major title and historic 83rd overall win? ESPN analyst Curtis Strange, a twotime U.S. Open champion, isn’t counting on it.
“Let’s be honest: When Tiger’s played, he hasn’t played well,” Strange said. “Is it because of the back? We don’t know. What shows me that he might play reasonably well? Nothing, other than his past as one of the best players ever in the world.
“I’m a Tiger fan and would love nothing more for our telecast than to have him play well. … But there’s nothing at all showing me he’s going to play well.”
Strange’s colleague, Andy North, contended Woods’ history at Harding Park will help him in the PGA. He can lean on the visuals in his head, North suggested, to summon confidence as he navigates his way around the course.
And the most compelling visual will be The Twirl, a longago snapshot of Woods at his best. That image speaks volumes about his habit of delivering in the clutch, when the outcome twists in doubt.
“Ultimate closer,” Oberholser said. “That reaction shows me he relishes that situation: ‘I’m the Man, I’m Michael Jordan and I want the ball.’ That’s what the moment said to me.”
So now, the big question: Can Tiger produce another big moment at Harding Park?