May 19, 2011

PGA Tour – Tiger Woods and the decline of a legend

 

 

By Stephen Lars

Tiger Woods has lost his touch, to say the least. There was a lot of pressure place upon Tiger. Many sports commentators and golf analyst had foreseen and even assumed the it would be only a matter of time before Woods break the decades-old records of Jack Nicklaus or Sam Snead. But now the scenario has changed, and after every month, after every tournament, it becomes a little clearer that Woods is not going to reach those goals that many fans had placed upon him. He was expected to reach amazing things, go to where no golfer had ever been. The only record that he is now going to break is among the best paid sportsman in the world. But that’s it.

A player that has lost his sharpness at least gives you the impression that he has the chance of winning the tournament. But not Tiger. He used to win major tournaments by double digits. Remember those glorious days when it seemed as if Tiger was just invincible? Well, it might be a bit soon to forecast such a shadowy future for the golf super-star, but those glory days might be over for him.

How much time is Tiger Woods going to need to get back on track? Is there any hope for him; is there any chance he is going to reach Nicklaus and Snead? There was a time when the question was not whether he could reach his 18th Master, but when and where. It might be time to reassess his goals and our expectations.

Now, if we follow this story closely we come to realize that this all came from a sex scandal. Ok, lets face it. Tiger has been known for making everything he does quite exceptional. If he was going to play golf he was going to be great at it. Well, if he was going to cheat on his wife, well, he was going to go all out. On November 25th the first rumors of his infidelity came out. Then, over 12 women came out claiming to have had affairs with Tiger Woods.

But perhaps that’s not what we should focus on now. Things are not working well for Tiger. He just left a tournament after nine holes. Woods handed a scorecard to his playing partners and withdrew. The numerical tab had grown to 42 strokes. Even with Woods' substantial assets, both physically and financially, it all added up to a hugely disappointing sum.

Most guys show up for the US Open, the toughest test in golf, feeling ready, willing and able. This is certainly not the case for Tiger Woods who is 1-for-3 and it's clearly time to ask how much that'll change. He has had to deal with 4 injuries now. His Achilles injuries are the result of wear and tear, not a particular injury. His ankles hurt. He tweaked a calf muscle. Things are not looking great. He is not going to reach his 18th Mayor anytime soon.

Perhaps, there is still a bright future for Tiger. He might have enough to twist things around and certainly bring back his game. He might prove so many of his detractors wrong. It would be one of the best comeback stories in sports. Forget illegal dog fighting ring and substance abuse. This one could be even more significant. The downside of it all is that everyday that goes by, it seems as if there are less and less chances of watching Tiger once again dominate this game. Augusta National, Pebble Beach and St. Andrews are no longer the golf courses where the Tiger did what he pleased.

About the Author

Stephen Lars is a prominent sports blogger and currently covers the Sports news, previews and handicaps for the BetIAS Sportsbook. You may reprint this article in its full content, please note no modifications to it are accepted.