TIGER WOODS’ past two trips to The Players Championship ended with him withdrawing from the PGA Tour’s signature tournament because of injuries.
To stick around for 72 holes this week, Woods may have to overcome a shaky swing and a fragile psyche. On Tuesday at TPC Sawgrass, Woods did not sound concerned. He is the only one. After a career-worst 40th-place finish at the Masters and a missed cut a week ago at Quail Hollow, Woods is facing criticism from all corners.
“Unfortunately, the last two tournaments I’ve played in weren’t that great,” Woods said. “No big deal. We’ll just continue working and try and put it together this week.”
While Woods seems unfazed, golf observers wondered whether he could bounce back, especially on a course where he has had limited success. During an interview before Monday’s World Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, Peter Alliss, a long-time broadcaster and former Ryder Cup player, said Woods “is gone at the moment”.
On Tuesday, Nick Faldo, a six-time major winner and current analyst for CBS Sports and Golf Channel, said Woods had lost the mental edge he used to dominate the game. “He just doesn’t have the self-belief, the self-confidence that he obviously had as the Tiger of old,” Faldo said.
When Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational on March 25th by five strokes for his first Tour win in 30 months, he seemed ready to re-establish himself. A final-round 62 on March 4th at the Honda Classic also seemed to validate Woods’ decision nearly two years ago to change his golf swing for a third time – this time with Seán Foley.
“He won at Bay Hill, and everyone, including myself, thought, ‘Wow, he’s back’,” long-time NBC analyst Johnny Miller said. “And all of a sudden, the Masters, his nerves just went off the red line and he basically succumbed to the pressure. I think that really affected him.”
Woods failed to break par once in four rounds at Augusta National, where he is a four-time winner. He became so frustrated that he slammed his driver to the ground on one hole and kicked a nine-iron another time. Woods struggled at Quail Hollow with every aspect of his game and missed the cut for only the eighth time in his professional career.
“It’s sad to watch a guy who owned the game, who literally was doing what everybody dreamed of doing, couldn’t play any better,” said Brandel Chamblee, an analyst on the Golf Channel. Chamblee once supported Woods’ decision to stick with Foley, but on Tuesday, he said Woods should fire Foley and return to Butch Harmon.
“And I know he’ll never do that because he’s letting his ego get in the way of common sense,” Chamblee said. “He would rather prove to people he’s right than to be right.”
Woods doesn’t buy it. He reminded reporters on Tuesday that he changed his swing under Harmon and eventually won eight major championships and the Players – the so-called fifth major. Woods left Harmon in 2002 and would join Hank Haney, winning six more majors.
He began working with Foley at the 2010 PGA Championship, but until recently their work had been sporadic because of Woods’ health. In 2011, he played only nine tournaments because of injuries to his left leg and was not able to practice full time until last fall.
“Guys, I’ve done this before,” Woods said. “I’ve been through this. Actually, a lot of you guys lived it with me, went through those periods where I wasn’t quite where I wanted to be. I had some pretty good runs after that, and this is no different.”
The numbers do not agree. In 2004, his first year with Haney, Woods won once, but he also posted 14 top-10 finishes in 19 events. In 19 full-field events since he began with Foley, Woods has one win and four top-10s. A high finish at TPC Sawgrass would be a lot to ask of Woods, who limped off the course after nine holes and a score of 42 in 2011 because of injuries to his left knee and Achilles’ tendon. (In 2010, he withdrew with a minor neck injury during the final round.)
Pete Dye’s layout requires precision and nerve, while punishing mistakes. Even at the height of his game, Woods rarely contended at the Players. Toss out the two withdrawals and Woods has just one top-10 finish in seven appearances since his only win, in 2001.
“I think it’s going to be one of the harder courses for him to turn it around,” Miller said, “but you never know.”
New York Times
Sawgrass: The lowdown
Course: TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Verde Beach, Florida.
Prize money: €7.3 million (€1.3 million to the winner).
Length: 7,215 yards. Par: 72. Field: 144.
Course records: 72 holes, 264 Greg Norman 2004; 18 holes, 63 Fred Couples 1992, Greg Norman 1994.
Course winners taking part: Davis Love (twice), Justin Leonard, Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson, Tim Clarke and KJ Choi.
The layout:The tournament has been held here since 1982 and for the players it's a case of either love it or hate it. Of the many dangerous holes the famous 17th has to be the trickiest. A sudden gust of wind at the island green can end a title challenge as many high numbers have been recorded there. Some slopes have been taken out of some greens to alow for more variety in pin selection. The par fives at the second, ninth, 11th and 16th offer relief on a testing round.
Last year:David Toms had a birdie at the last hole to force a play-off against KJ Choi but then missed a short putt on the first extra hole to gift the title to Choi.
Type of player suited to challenge: Last year’s contest came down to two short but straight hitters and that is the sort of player that usually does well at this unique venue. This is course that favours conservative controlled golfers who have the nerve to perform at the raucous atmosphere and have plenty of experience to draw upon.
Key attribute: Accuracy.
Weather forecast:There has been a threat of thunderstorms all week but it is expected to be clear with windy conditions for the weekend.
On TV: Live on Sky Sports 2 from 6pm today.
Time difference:Florida is five hours behind Ireland.
