Tiger Woods was supposed to play this week at PGA National, a short 15-minute drive from his Fortress Of Solitude up on Jupiter Island.
Tiger Woods was supposed to be the biggest name in this Honda Classic field that is really hurting for big names. Defending champion Adam Scott is the only player from the world’s top 10 to show up and he had to.
Tiger was supposed to. He was also supposed to be in Los Angeles, he was supposed to be on a mind-blowing four events in five weeks whirlwind comeback tour.
No one knows when Woods will play again. He’s not even vertical, not even well enough to sit at a simple press conference last week in Los Angeles.
“He knows he can’t beat anybody,” Perez said matter-of-factly in a radio interview this week. Perez isn’t at the Honda either, but he’s already proven he can beat everyone, he’s got a comeback win to his credit, something Woods may never see if you listen to what Perez had to say about the player he’s known since their junior golf days.
Perez is 40, Woods 41.
“He knows it,” Perez emphasized, reiterating that Woods can’t compete. “The guy shot 77,” he said of Woods last round, the first round in Dubai. “That guy can’t shoot 77. What does he do the next day? Ah, the back’s gone. He knows he can’t beat anybody. I told you so,” Perez insisted, thinking back on some comments he made earlier this year.
“He’s not going to come out and play and play poorly. I said this how many months ago? He’s not going to do it for a long time.”
Woods and his management guy, the amazing Stiney, aka Mark Stineberg, sure got TaylorMade excited when Woods signed with the club manufacturer and they splashed his likeness all over their exhibition area at the 2017 PGA Merchandise Show. One TaylorMade exec was giddy and declared: “We will be working with him the next couple of months and he’ll come up with an iron design that he’ll play.”
Note to TaylorMade: you may want to put a hold on the Tiger Woods signature irons. A guy who can’t get vertical certainly isn’t going to be testing any new clubs.
“He’s gotta keep that stuff relevant,” Perez said of the Woods splash-news with TaylorMade and his ball of choice — Bridgestone.
There’s also the Monster Energy drinks logo on Woods’ bag which is probably down there in his 12-car garage, over in the corner, somewhere.
Perez knew all along and predicted the WD by Woods.
“I said when he pulled out, I said he was going to pull out in one of these events and you’re not going to see him play five events. There’s no way. I called it early. Nobody believed me.”
Perez has some even more drastic predictions when it comes to the 14-time major champion, who may or may not be vertical up there in his intercoastal mansion, maybe even watching the action at the Honda, although that’s doubtful. Woods doesn’t need any reminders of how painful this sequence of events has become.
“If he doesn’t play Augusta, then it’s over,” Perez said boldly. “I can tell you that right now. If he doesn’t play Augusta, it’s over.”
Yes, the Masters is the moment for Woods.
“Personally, I don’t think you’ll see him again this year,” Perez continued. “I think he’s out. The only thing he cares about is Augusta — it’s not like he’s got his favorite major courses after Augusta. I’m telling you, I don’t think you’re going to see this guy again.”
Maybe Perez is right, maybe he’s wrong.
But for now, even though Perez is not at the Honda, he is vertical.
Tiger Woods is horizontal and the Honda Classic wishes he wasn’t.
4 Comments
beege
Tom, I said it over 15 months ago on my print website and my radio blog that neither tiger nor phil would ever win another pga tour or major event–period. so far so good for me–i have taken some heat for this because at first blush without really thinking about the facts behond it people would say of course they would win–but this is not the tour 10 or even 5 years ago—no way this is a very different tour–the young guns have no fear and take dead aim at everything.
so perez who comes across as a tough guy this time is correct–tiger is afraid of his image–and shooting upper 70’s is unacceptable. they are both toast—i give phil one more shot this year to content—not augusta–never happen but it could happen at the tpc southwind(memphis) but p.s. it won’t!
Tom Edrington
Bob: It’s not a stretch to take that posture, after all, Phil IS a 46-year-old man with psoriatic arthritis….that being said, if Tiger had the early season performance that Phil has had, folks would be falling all over themselves telling us how Tiger is back and ready to win another major. Alas, when Tiger has a tough time being vertical and can’t show up for a simple press conference, well, it doesn’t look good, does it?
beege
right on both counts–but most people do not see Phil the way you and I do–its not the arthritis however that made my proclamation–its the other factors—competition way tougher and the basic fact that as you age putting four superior rounds together gets significantly tougher.
as for tiger–every move he must think and then think again with steiny. too much stuff there to even totally evaluate for us mortals–so your assessment of not being able to go to a presser is enough said!
Tom Edrington
I give Phil a lot of credit, wouldn’t surprise me to see him make some noise at Augusta, wide fairways, no rough, Phil’s kinda place.