Fist pump proved that Tiger’s back... and his love affair with The Open is on
In matchplay, it would be pick it up and move on. But when it disappeared from view, Woods allowed himself a fist pump.
It was only fist pump-lite, the shortest of jabs, but it told all that needs to be known. He is back. Woods – three times champion, 14 times a Major winner – back in contention heading into the final round of an Open.
Back in contention at the place where his love affair with links golf started back in 1995.
It has been, to say the least, an eventful 23 years since a 19-year-old amateur phenomenon finished tied for 48th in the Scottish Open here before going across to St Andrews the following week to make his first Open appearance.
And amidst the remarkable achievements and acrimony have come four career-threatening surgeries on his back.
His last Open appearance was in 2015, back at St Andrews, where he missed the cut for only the second time in his career. Soon after, he went under the knife. As his absence from the course extended well beyond a year and a 2017 comeback was short-lived, many feared Woods (right) would never be seen in an Open again.
Yet, approaching teatime on a wonderful Carnoustie Saturday, there he was – top of the leaderboard, top for the first time in a Major since the Masters of 2013.
It did not last too long – about 20 minutes or so – but when he holed that short one on the last to save par after almost pulling his tee shot into water, more significantly, it was one of his best ball-striking days since his latest return at the end of 2017. “That was good,” he said. “I played well today. I really did. “I hit a lot of good shots. I really didn’t feel like I really made a bad swing until 18. I really felt like I had control of the golf ball and I made some long putts, which was nice.” The only blot on his six-birdie card was a three-putt bogey on the short 16th. Another looked probable on the final hole when he had to lay up out of heavy stuff, but he got up and down to prompt the fist pump.
“That was big for me just to not finish with two bogeys on the last three holes, playing as well as I did,” he said.
“I really didn’t hit a bad shot until 18. I laid up the left side, so I had an angle at that flag, only had 83 yards. I figured just this nice little one, like I practised in the backyard, and I hit my number.”
Which translates as Woods hitting the perfect shot under pressure, executing impeccably under the fiercest spotlight. It translates as vintage Tiger. Can he do it, despite being four shots adrift of the joint leaders? You bet he can. Most importantly, he believes he can. He declared: “It certainly is possible. Given what happened in the last few years, I didn’t know if that would ever happen again, but here I am with a chance coming Sunday in a Major championship. It’s going to be fun.”
It certainly is.