Woods must use brains not brawn
TIGER WOODS accepts he will never regain the game which saw him dominate golf for a decade, even though he is pain-free for the first time in two years.
The 38-year- old won the last of his 14 major titles in 2008 but has since struggled with injuries and the very public breakdown of his marriage.
His all- conquering spell between 1997 and 2008 saw him blow away rivals with a mixture of power and a singlemindedness not matched by his contemporaries.
However, the current crop on the PGA Tour are now hitting it further and Woods accepts he has to find other ways to win as he prepares to make his comeback from the back surgery he underwent in March.
‘I feel old,’ said the American yesterday. ‘The Chinese kid (Guan Tianlang) who qualified for the Masters last year (aged 14) was born after I won the tournament for the first time — and that is just not cool.
‘That is what is coming: the next generation are taller, bigger and more physical — these kids in college, all the long-hitters are 6ft 2in to 6ft 4in.
‘The difference, as I have aged, is I can’t play the way I used to. I was second in driving distance for a number of years behind (John) Daly.
‘ Things have changed dramatically. I have to rely on different parts of my game, l i ke strategy and course management.
‘The shots I have learned over the years have allowed me to be as consistent as I have been over the course of my career.
‘The old adage is with age comes wisdom and I have certainly become more patient. Having two little ones has definitely taught me a lot of patience and it has carried on to the golf course.
‘I remember all the early years on tour when I would run 30 miles a week and still go play tournament golf — and I was winning but not realising how much damage I was doing.
‘Now I have to pick my spots when I can and cannot push. When I was younger I didn’t need treatment. That is no longer the case.
‘But I’m pain-free — it’s been a long time, probably a good two years since I’ve felt this way.’
Woods initially targeted next month’s Open Championship at Royal Liverpool for a playing return, where he last lifted the Claret Jug in 2008.
But after a carefullymanaged programme of physiotherapy and dietary changes he feels ready to come back earlier — although he admits had this week’s Quicken Loans National Tournament not been an event which benefited the Tiger Woods Foundation he would not be playing.
The former world No 1’s injury problems began in 2008 but the back injury proved to be the worst of all.
‘Pre-procedure, I wasn’t able to function, I couldn’t get out of bed, I couldn’t do normal activities,’ he added.
‘Anyone who has had any kind of nerve impingement knows it is no joke but that part was relieved as soon as I got out of surgery.
‘I felt I had my life back. I was able to do things, activities I took for granted.’
Rehabilitation was a slow process and, while physically he may not be in the running to win this week, mentally nothing has changed.
‘This has been a tedious little process but one where I got to a point where I can play competitive golf again,’ he said.
‘Expectations don’t change. That (to win) is the ultimate goal. It is just that it is going to be harder this time.
‘I’ve not had the amount of prep I would like but I am good enough to play and I am going to give it a go.’