#TigerFam desperate for some answers
So as a loyal member of the #TigerFam on Twitter, I’m not any more clued up as to what’s going on with the former world No 1 since his mysterious withdrawal from the Dubai Desert Classic last month.
We are quite a close-knit community who week in week out, have to deal with a barrage of abusive tweets, alerts and dare I say, loads of fake news.
But with the big cat missing in action, no one can really blame the well-known and the not so famous in providing loads of speculation in these uncertain times. What they lack in credentials, they certainly make up with their big mouths.
Pat Perez, the 40-year-old USPGA Tour professional – who wait for it – has four tournament wins in his entire career, joined the bandwagon with his two cents worth last week.
The fact that the greatest golfer of all time is sticking around all hinges on money says Perez. And by not hanging up his boots, the 14-time Major champion is just ‘‘keeping it all relevant’’ with his new-look corporation, Nike clothes and Monster energy drink bags.
He also said that Tiger ‘‘knows he can’t beat anybody’’. Well, that’s rich coming from someone who himself is hanging around trying to make an odd buck here and there.
Some have praised his honesty and reckon he said what others are too scared to say, while the majority think it was an unnecessary low blow that holds no relevance for what Tiger has done for the game of golf.
Needless to say, Perez has since deleted his Twitter account and also exchanged a few text messages with a ‘‘displeased’’ Woods.
Besides overfed and ‘‘in serious need of a makeover’’ golfers, a few of the current crop of stars and legends have chipped in and shared any kind of contact they’ve had with Tiger of late.
Sunday’s winner Rickie Fowler revealed how Tiger had ordered him to ‘‘get it done’’ after holding a 54-hole lead at the Honda Classic. It clearly worked as Fowler banished his previous hoodoo of not being able to convert being ahead entering the final round.
The Golden Bear is just as puzzled and doesn’t know where Tiger’s mind is. After seeing the 41-year-old a few months ago, Jack Nicklaus thought he looked great physically.
Good friend Rory McIlroy also spilled the beans, well kind of, when he revealed he had lunch with Tiger recently. Asked if Woods would play the Masters, the world No 3 replied ‘possibly’. There was one thing he said though that sticks in the mind: ‘He’s got other things in his life he’s interested in. It’s not as if it’s just golf’. To sum it up, it’s not sounding good folks ...
So as we wait for Mark Steinberg, Tiger’s agent, to at least just say something, although we don’t believe a word coming out of that mouth, all we can hope for is a sighting at the Medalist GC where Tiger is regularly spotted. If he is seen soon, the thinking is that he’ll definitely play at least Bay Hill where the Arnold Palmer Invitation takes place from March 16 to 19.
That’s the half glass full theory anyway. For all we know, Tiger, who is nursing back spasms, is still horizontal and only able to reach out for his phone to send the odd message every now and then.
It’s also the 20-year anniversary since he won his first Masters. So with the year’s first Major now just more than a month away, time is running out.
Augusta is Tiger’s haven, but all we have right now is a preview from Nike of what he’ll be wearing during the four days and an updated equipment listing from Taylormade. Other than that, all we can do is wait.