Fresh doubts over the fitness of Tiger as Masters looms
WHEN it comes to Tiger Woods, unanswered questions have always been as much a part of the territory as the dazzling victories. So it is once more, with a little over seven weeks to go before his defence of the Masters, and the most dazzling win of all.
His bewildering decision to skip this week’s WGC-Mexico Championship has raised more speculation about the state of his health. Woods has rarely skipped the WGC events when he has been fit.
Why would you? With no halfway cut, they offer free world ranking and FedEx Cup points. This year, they come with the bonus of Olympic points, too. Enticing enough, you would have thought, for a player who has proclaimed his eagerness to make America’s team in what will surely be his last chance to compete in the biggest sporting event of all.
Less than two hours before the deadline to commit on Friday, and Woods still would not give a straight answer as to whether he was playing in Mexico. After a disappointing second-round 73 at the event he hosts, the Genesis Invitational, he had left Riviera when the deadline passed without him submitting an entry.
It got even worse last night as he posted a third-round 76 to slide even further down the leaderboard into a share of 63rd place
Woods finished 10th in Mexico last year and professed to liking the challenge of playing at altitude. The warm temperatures also suit him.
It should be said there were no obvious signs of distress while he was playing on Friday. He also played just four warm-up events before Augusta last year — and that obviously worked out fine. But there were enough troubling tell-tale signs to draw, if not a red flag, then certainly an amber one.
How many times has Woods started an event brightly before fading badly? If he starts well, he either wins — as at his 82nd PGA Tour victory in Korea last October — or is at least a factor until the end.
It could just be early-season rust, or the vagaries of playing at a Riviera venue where he has never won in 12 previous attempts. But, if it was the former, is that not another reason for playing in Mexico?
The most likely explanation is that this is the new reality for Woods, now 44 and two years down the line following make-or-break fusion surgery on his back.
Is he capable of playing consecutive events any more?
He began his third round at Riviera yesterday nine shots behind the halfway leader, American Matt Kuchar, with Rory McIlroy just two shots off the pace.
McIlroy joined Kuchar at the top with a third-round 68 last night, as the American posted a 70.
Australian Adam Scott fired a 67 to join them on 10 under, while Russell Henley (68) and Harold Varner III (69) are a shot back.
Dustin Johnson is omimously placed at eight under alongside Joel Dahmen (66) after a 67, while Scot Martin Laird’s 70 left him in a share of 46th on one under.