For the last 7 years, when golf season takes center stage, the same question gets asked. Will the biggest star in golf history make another miraculous run, or will he remain a shell of his former self?
Of course the star we are talking about is Tiger Woods. When Woods was in his prime he was arguably the most dominant and electrifying athlete the world has ever seen. But since his incident in 2009, Tiger has been a broken man. His body has broken down, and he no longer has the assassin mindset of his younger days. So is Tiger done? Are his days at the top behind him?
All signs point to yes and any sensible brain would say yes. But when it comes to guys like Tiger, who seemingly thrive under pressure and doubt, never count them out. In recent years, Tiger’s competitiveness has seemed to wane, but that can change in the blink of an eye. As soon as Tiger gets that first taste of victory, things will change.
Woods has a once in a generation killer instinct. Though that instinct has been buried behind injuries, poor play and personal problems; things have the tendency to change quickly. If Wood’s is finally able to figure out his health problems, things can go back to normal as quickly as they fell apart.
Golf is as competitive today as anytime in the history of the sport. People are already crowning young golfers as the next Tiger Woods. If there’s one thing any golf fan knows about Tiger, it’s that he doesn’t like to be embarrassed. If being compared to a golfer that is just 21 years old doesn’t embarrass Tiger, then nothing will. The emergence of Spieth and the continued success of McIlroy may be exactly the push Wood’s needs.
Though it’s no small task, if anyone could make a comeback of this scale, it is Tiger Woods. He has done so many seemingly impossible things in his career, this would simply be another one to add to the list. Tiger is the greatest golfer to ever live, and even if he can be half as successful as just a few years back, these youngsters will have their work cut out for them.
–Michael Hersey
