When the golfing phenomenon that is Tiger Woods blitzed the entire field to win the Masters by 12 strokes in 1997, his first major, Jack had to have felt an ominous chill down his spine. For he was watching the man who would rip his record of 18 major championships away from him. And in the years following, Tiger didn't disappoint. Passing Jack was nothing but a forgone conclusion for golf's resurrecting force.
... Until now.
Now I'm questioning whether he'll ever win again.
Not just a major. Anything.
The Tiger Woods that won 71 PGA tournaments is long gone. The Tiger Woods that could beat most of his competitors just by showing up is no more. The Tiger Woods that was the best this planet has ever seen is a distant memory.
Jack is laughing.
A first round exit to sixteenth-seeded Thomas Bjorn at this week's World Golf Championships Match Play event was further proof that the top-seeded Tiger is no longer worthy of being mentioned among golf's elite. In fact, the way he's played lately, he's not even worthy of being referred to as Tiger. Until he proves me wrong, he'll be called by his last name like the other 125 guys on Tour.
Since the sex scandal, Woods has lost everything that made him great.
Tiger & Woods. Golf's Jekyll & Hyde. Only sadder.
#1. Tiger had a killer instinct unlike anything golf had ever seen... Woods can't beat anyone because it would hurt their feelings.
#2. Tiger had focus, when he won at Torrey Pines, he went 50-of-50 putting from inside 10 feet... So far this year, Woods is 184th on Tour in putting.
3#. Tiger was a jerk... Woods has to always worry about what people are thinking of him.
#3 might be the biggest of all because it affects everything that made Tiger, Tiger. The best are always jerks. That's what makes them good, a "ME" attitude. Tiger was good because frankly he didn't care about any of his competitors. He could bury each and every one of them without a blink on his way to winning. Killer instinct. At his best, you could put a 90-year-old woman in a wheel chair in front of Tiger on the way to the green and he would have trampled over her like a wildebeest fleeing from a hungry lion, without even feeling a bump. Focus.
Killer instinct + Focus = Jerk.
With everything going on in Woods' life, he's trying so hard to not be a jerk anymore, and it's killing his golf game. Jack is sleeping easy again. If Woods wants to wake him up, maybe he should let Tiger out. Minus the... uh... you know...
Additional notes from the WGC:
-How good did Rickie Fowler look today? The pink-clad 22-year-old made quick work of world #4 Phil Mickelson in 13 holes with five birdies and two eagles. Mickelson was caught on camera laughing several times as he knew he was getting pummeled by something special today.
-How awful did Rory McIlroy look today? A #2-seed, McIlroy caught the beating of a lifetime against Ben Crane, who has the hottest putter in the tournament. Regardless of how well Crane was putting, the seventh-ranked player in the world probably should have put up more of a fight than losing in 11 1/2 holes. Perhaps he should have worn pink. It worked for Rickie, Luke Donald, and...
-Bubba's tracking! I was worried after Bubba pulled out of last week's Northern Trust Open with an abdominal strain, but he's coasted through the first two rounds, beating the scorching Bill Haas (3&2) and easily disposing of Mark Wilson, who's won twice already in 2011, 6&5. Bubba has a stiff opponent and former WGC Champion in Geoff Ogilvy tomorrow in the round of 16, so hopefully he can continue his good run of form.
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