Repeatedly giving up, the Tiger Woods’ future

For the third time since his return after his automobile accident, Tiger Woods needed to resign throughout a match. This time, it wasn’t a bodily damage that compelled him to throw within the towel, however a virus. Regardless, this new setback solely provides to the doubts surrounding his potential to return to the forefront.

Concern was very excessive when two fireplace vehicles, an ambulance, and safety officers parked in entrance of the Rivera Nation Membership clubhouse simply minutes after Tiger Woods withdrew. Gamers, followers, journalists, everybody sought to acquire information of the champion’s well being.

With out success. Just a few hours later, Tiger emerged from the constructing and left the match with out a phrase, entrusting his affiliate and good friend, Rob McNamara, to offer snippets of knowledge in an effort to reassure. A virus (the flu) was the reason for American dehydration, resulting in dizziness.

The scene nonetheless says so much in regards to the thriller surrounding Tiger Woods’ general well being and the rising questions on his future as an expert participant. Since his accident in February 2021, the person with 15 Main victories has solely been in a position to play seven tournaments.

He accomplished solely three of them (forty seventh on the 2022 Masters, forty fifth on the Genesis Invitational, and 18th out of 20 gamers on the 2023 Hero World Problem). One missed minimize (The Open 2022) and three retirements throughout tournaments (PGA Championship 2022, Masters 2023, and Genesis Invitational 2024) make his sporting file meager and his medical file worrying.

Tiger Woods, future

Requested on the finish of final yr, many French gamers expressed their doubts about the opportunity of a successful comeback for Tiger. There aren’t many individuals left, it have to be mentioned, who imagine in it, besides maybe Tiger Woods himself.

Who repeats at every of his public appearances that he enters tournaments to win. Besides that actuality is sort of completely different, and painful. Definitely, because of spectacular musculature, he’s nonetheless a giant hitter on the PGA Tour, however his swing lacks fluidity, and his leg and even again ache are removed from being resolved.

His greatest card in two years? A 67 (-4) within the third spherical at Riviera final yr. For the remainder, Tiger has generally been pitiful, leaving his distress on the course grimacing in ache, generally evoking a obscure sense of nostalgia when he often carried out miracles across the greens to compensate for his errors within the lengthy recreation.

It is good, nevertheless it’s not sufficient. The Gamers Championship earlier than the Masters? At 48, his future on the PGA Tour is unsure. He introduced on the finish of final yr that he would play one match monthly in 2023. As early as January, the promise couldn’t be stored.

He claims to not undergo from the ankle, however he nonetheless limps conspicuously, and it is arduous to imagine he is ready to play 4 rounds recurrently. Undoubtedly, as he hinted, he’ll benefit from his passage into his fifties to go to the PGA Tour Champions, the place he will probably be allowed to play in a cart.

He’s, after all, exempt for all times on the Masters, the place we hope to see him in April. Will he play one other match earlier than Augusta? Maybe he’ll compete within the Gamers Championship. It’s unlikely that he will probably be at Bay Hill in March, for the fourth Signature Occasion of the season.

And for what? We actually would not need his sporadic appearances to show into one thing pathetic. All Tiger Woods followers dream of 1 final coup, one final main victory. His triumph on the 2019 Masters, greater than 11 years after his earlier Main victory (already on one leg on the 2008 US Open), was celebrated as a miracle as a result of it was so sudden…

Tiger has taught us to by no means say by no means. However we would wish a glimmer of hope to start out believing. Sadly, since that horrible crash in February 2021, Woods has proven no indicators of a doable successful comeback. The one ray of hope is his advert for his new model during which he says: “Each time they mentioned I could not, I confirmed I may.”