Box-office Tiger firing for big Hollywood comeback
His driving stats were abysmal and his iron play largely rubbish. At times, it was like watching seve Ballesteros play in the 1995 Ryder Cup at Oak Hill at the end of his career when all he had to go on was an imperious short game and indomitable will.
Nevertheless, there was so much to enthuse about in Tiger Woods’s comeback at Torrey Pines last week after so long out it was nudging the realms of an unqualified success.
‘see you at Riv!’ tweeted Woods afterwards, barely able to contain his excitement as he looked forward to his next start at storied Riviera in the Hollywood Hills in a fortnight. Here are five reasons why he was so upbeat: 1 DURING all four rounds, he swung manically, gouging the ball out of heavy rough in cool temperatures on the California coast. such manoeuvres test the healthiest of backs, but, at the end on sunday, he felt so good he went and hit some balls on the practice ground. What a contrast to previous comebacks.
2 LOOK at who he beat to finish tied 23rd in the Farmers insurance Open, after so long out. Among those behind him were Jon Rahm, who began the week with a chance to become world No 1, and old adversary Phil Mickelson.
3 His short game. in the glimpses we have seen of Tiger over the past few years, there have been clear signs he was suffering from the chipping yips. so good was his work around the greens last week that it dismissed any fears those yips would be terminal.
4 IN his prime, Tiger was the best pressure putter the game has ever seen, but will that nerveless stroke hold up at the age of 42? A lot more evidence is needed, of course, but the fact he finished in the top 20 in strokes gained in putting was encouraging.
5 THERE’S no quit in him, even with the approach of middle age. You can see how badly he wants this, his unquenchable desire to come out and show a new generation what they missed. so, what next? All roads lead to the Masters in April. Here’s what must happen for Woods to do well: MORE tournaments. Right now, he has nothing planned after the genesis Open in La La Land. Will the medics give him the all clear to play in two events in Florida in March? You’d think that’s the minimum requirement to cope with Augusta’s fine margins. THE biggest disappointment last week was the deterioration in Tiger’s driving and the fact he was swinging so much harder than during an exhibition event in the Bahamas in December. All right, the fairway widths were half as wide in California but he simply has to find more of the short grass — a pitiful three out of 14 fairways in each of the final three rounds.
With seve at the end of his career, his chronic back complaint meant he couldn’t swing freely enough to hit the driver well. But medical techniques have moved on, and there appear to be no such problems for Tiger following fusion surgery. On sunday, he was bombing the ball past world No 5, Hideki Matsuyama.
All things considered, therefore, an A- for this first event back.
Next stop: Hollywood.