Winning major may not be far off for Tiger
Fifty years from now, when future generations of sports fans look back on the remarkable comeback of Tiger Woods from debilitating injury and personal scandal, they’ll certainly talk about how he dramatically won again in 2018.
But what will really matter to them is the majors he won in 2019, 2020 and beyond.
What Tiger did Sunday in the Tour Championship was stunning. But considering the summer he has had, playing consistently well and coming close to winning both the British Open and especially the PGA Championship, is it really that surprising he finally won again?
From the perspective of Memorial Day weekend 2017, and his DUI mug shot, and that awful dashcam video, and his fourth back surgery — yes, it’s shocking.
But based on Tiger’s play all summer long, it’s not a surprise at all.
What Tiger has always cared most about are the majors — the Masters, PGA, U.S. Open and British Open, being played in that order in 2019. And because he focuses on them, so should we.
Winning any kind of tournament when even he wondered if he would ever be able to walk normally or hit a golf ball again is quite a feat.
But history? It demands more. It’s waiting for more majors.
Tiger has won 14 major tournaments, but not a one since the 2008 U.S. Open. When he arrives at Augusta for the 2019 Masters, the drought will have reached nearly 11 years. Whoever would have thought, watching him win the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines on a broken leg, that it would be that long? It’s an unbelievable sports statistic.
But it’s all true, and now, for the first time since he was playing well in 2013, Tiger is in position to do something about it.
It’s not like he hasn’t been close. He has played in 28 majors since he last won one, finishing in the top 10 11 times, and in the top 5 seven times. He has given himself chances. But then came the back problems, over and over again, leading to his fused spine and inability to play well, if at all, over four lost years, and our understandably diminished hopes for his future.
But after Tiger’s run to victory Sunday, anything seems possible again. The 2019 Masters is more than half a year away, but who can’t already picture the scene?
Tiger will be the heavy favorite, presuming he keeps playing well and stays healthy. His fans will be going nuts. His competitors, almost all of them Tiger proteges in one way or another, will be honing their games for the chance to do something they didn’t think possible: take Tiger on as if he were once again in his prime.
Winning majors won’t be easy for Tiger. It’s not easy for anyone. But, based on what has happened the past few months, perhaps it won’t be as hard as he, and we, thought.
Tiger turns 43 in December, which is old for sports but not golf. His idol Jack Nicklaus famously won his final major, the 1986 Masters, at the age of 46.
Tiger will reach that milestone at the 2022 Masters. Wouldn’t it be something if he is trying to tie or pass Nicklaus that week for his 18th or 19th major title?
But to do that, he needs to start with No. 15.