Tiger’s tired excuse for Cup flop
Tiger Woods has dismissed the idea that his poor performance at the ryder Cup was down to anything other than fatigue after a draining run of seven tournaments in nine weeks.
All sorts of speculation went round after Woods’ poor showing at the losing UsA team’s media conference in Paris — including claims that he was suffering from yet more back trouble.
Talking publicly for the first time since failing to register a single point in four matches for the Americans at Le golf National, Woods said: ‘it was just the cumulative effect of the entire season. i was so tired because i hadn’t trained for it.
‘i hadn’t trained this entire comeback to play so much golf.’
Woods was speaking at an event for his own charity, staged at Pebble Beach, California on Tuesday.
in a Q&A, he was asked about his emotional victory at the Tour Championship in Atlanta on the sunday before the ryder Cup, when he held off rory Mcilroy and Justin rose to claim his 80th win on the PgA Tour.
‘To be honest, even now it is still sinking in because 80 is such a big number,’ he said. ‘it’s amazing to think i’ve won 80 times out here because it isn’t easy.
‘What validates it is that i got the chance to go head to head with rory and also that rosey in the group ahead was tied with him. Justin had just become the No 1 player in the world.
‘in order to get my first win for five years, therefore, i had to beat those two guys, so that makes if feel even more special.’
Woods said he was unsure of his future schedule, other than a winner- take- all match- up for $9million (£6.8m) against Phil Mickelson over Thanksgiving weekend in Las Vegas next month, and his own exhibition event, the Hero World Challenge, in the Bahamas in december.
‘i’m still figuring it out,’ he said. ‘Flying out here, i had my first look at it because i was so focused on trying to get through the Fedex play- offs and the ryder Cup.’
He has circled one date, however. Asked which of next year’s majors he was most looking forward to, even Pebble Beach — where he won the Us open in 2000 and which stages the 2019 edition — did not get a look-in.
‘oh, that first one,’ he said, without a moment’s hesitation. For Tiger, it sounds like the countdown to the Masters has already begun.