As he’s just pocketed a seven-figure sum for an exhibition in Delhi, India (where he reportedly played very well), and in the midst the worst start in his near-20 year professional golf career, it seems fitting to join in the chorus of “What’s up with Tiger?” that’s sounding throughout the golf world.
Before we get to that, let’s remember this: Tiger is held to a different standard. A diminished one than earlier in his career, yes. Still, we expect Eldrick to be Tiger, and further, he does too.
Is this fair at this point? Should we hold a physically feebler 38-year-old Tiger—whose sheen of invincibility vanished thanks to a confluence of forces as disparate as Y.E. Yang and a Florida fire hydrant—to the same standard we held the world-beating Woods of 1999-2002 to?
Probably not.
However, the fact remains: Woods has begun the 2014 calendar golf season (the continuation of the 2013-2014 wraparound) in a tremendously unspectacular fashion. Before we talk about this, though, let’s back up to the dying embers of last season and think about what we were expecting from the greatest golfer since Nicklaus in 2014.
Let’s start with this: 2013 was a reaffirmation of Tiger’s ability to win both convincingly and often. It was also evidence that something is rotten in the majors for Mr. Woods—the sorcery perpetuated by the flagstick on Augusta’s 15th green is evidence enough of that fact.
Woods began 2013 by winning three of his first five starts (The Farmers Insurance Open, WGC-Cadillac Championship and Arnold Palmer Invitational). He woulda, shoulda, coulda won the Masters. And he was close at the Open Championship… not so much at the other two majors, and the world No. 1 racked up two more Ws before the season’s end.
Speaking of which, his play wasn’t overwhelming during the Playoffs. However the end of the season is something of a marathon cash grab where players seem happy to stay alive, but not terribly disappointed to return home. Woods did finish tied for second at The Barclays and made it to the Tour Championship in Atlanta.
To begin his 2014 PGA Tour campaign, Woods abysmally missed the cut (remember when he didn’t miss cuts?) at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, a course he’s won at nine times. To be totally forthright, it was a secondary cut. Even so, during a six-hole stretch, Woods was 7-over par, en route to the third-round 79 that left him on the outside looking in.
Woods then finished 41st at the Dubai Desert Classic, 10 shots behind winner Stephen Gallacher. He’s won the event twice and never finished outside of the top 20. That left many questioning the golfer’s mettle and preparation.
Is this valid? Perhaps. Is he toughing it out when he doesn’t have it in the way “Tiger the grinder” of old did? Probably not. However, he may be wishing he spent more time working on his swing and putting stroke during the off-season (brief as it was).
These two things are true: First, Tiger Woods will win multiple events on the PGA Tour as long as he’s healthy for the remainder of his career. Second, as the years pass, majors, which were always incredibly significant to Tiger, become even more so. Thus, the rest of the year becomes primarily about preparing for the majors and lining the pockets of his Nike golf pants.
It’s no great secret that Woods needs to work on his driving and put in some extra reps with the putter. He is assuredly taking the next several weeks to do these things. Tiger’s start to 2014 has been bad, perhaps even unacceptable on some level. However, he’ll invest the time before the Honda Classic and get to where he needs to be, play the aforementioned tournament and his customary succeeding two (WGC, Arnold Palmer), then take a week off before the Masters, at which point we’ll surely be having a very different conversation.
It’s too soon into the first quarter of Tiger Woods’ 2013-2014 campaign to say he’s not where he needs to be heading into the Masters. While many fans and scribes expect Woods to win every week—and enjoy playing shrink and swing doctor when he doesn’t—life for a 38-year-old Tiger Woods, who trails Jack Nicklaus’ majors mark by four and Sam Snead’s PGA Tour victory mark by only three, is decidedly more focused on the former.
Regarding his play at Torrey Pines, Tiger said, “I was just a fraction off.” Nobody wants to hear this but it’s likely true. Thus, Tiger may have been unprepared, and he may not have dug as deep as he would have in previous years. However, he isn’t searching for answers; a few minor adjustments with Sean Foley and he’ll be ready for the Honda Classic at the beginning of March.