“He knew his place in history. It’s where he wanted to be. It’s what his father groomed him for.” — Butch Harmon on Tiger Woods
Happy Birthday, Tiger Woods.
Wednesday, December 30th, 2020, is your 45th birthday.
Can it be that long since we heard his words: “I guess it’s hello world, huh?”
We’ve never seen anyone like him in the long history of golf and now that he’s been the center of the golf universe for more than two decades, we wonder if we’ll ever seen another like him?
Answer to that is pretty short — a resounding Probably Not.
His golf resume stands above all others — 82 PGA Tour wins, 15 majors, 110 world-wide wins. Only Jack Nicklaus owns more major championships (18) and Sam Snead is the only player besides Tiger with 83 PGA Tour wins.
The fascinating thing about the life of Tiger Woods is the path. It has been anything but smooth. There have been countless twists and turns, incredibly amazing high and totally disastrous lows.
Truth be told, Tiger has lived at least three lifetimes.
There was the young Tiger Woods who jumped up on the world’s premier stage in 1997 when he won The Masters by a whopping 12 shots. He didn’t bury the field, he destroyed the field.
“I remember standing behind his mom and dad and I’m thinking ‘this kid is special.'” That’s Butch Harmon’s memory of his thoughts as Tiger came off the 72nd hole at Augusta National after that first major victory and embraced his father, Earl. The picture has been seen by millions and it was a defining moment in that it marked the start of an incredible journey that saw Tiger rise to super-stardom and years later, fall into the depth of despair and world embarrassment.
That young Tiger Woods ran roughshod over the competition. Victories came in groups of four and five, sometimes six or seven as his career progressed on a path unseen in the sport.
Money and fame were part of his mantra. Red and black on Sundays became a standard every time he played an event.
Tiger built a brand and reputation that created extraordinary wealth.
It was 2004 when Tiger married Elin Nordegren. A short five years later, Tiger’s world went to hell in a handbasket on Thanksgiving night when he crashed his SUV into a fire hydrant just outside his palatial home in Islesworth. In February of 2010, Tiger issued his famous televised apology. But the damage was done and he and Elin divorced in August of 2010 with Elin walking away with a $100 million settlement.
Woods went winless in 2010.
Tiger had a tough go of it physically over the next eight or nine years. His back pain reached its peak in 2014 when he had to withdraw at the Honda. He had back surgery in September of 2015 and would eventually have a total of four of those, the fourth coming in April of 2017 with a six-month rehab period in front of him. He fell to 1,199 in the world rankings. At one point, when frustration was at its high point, Tiger declared “I’m done.”
But Woods made one of the greatest comebacks in sports, winning the 2019 Tour Championship, his 80th win. It was a sign of things to come as he won the 2019 Masters. It was a spectacular celebration of his storied career and his life had gone full circle as he greeted his children, Charlie and Sam, as he walked off the 72nd hole, reminding everyone of his embrace with father, Earl, back in 1997.
His 82nd win came at the Zozo in December of 2019.
Today, Tiger looks healthy and happy, having just competed with Charlie at the PNC Championship. His net worth stands in the $800 million range. But he acknowledges that his body is in overtime. How much is left in the tank remains to be seen.
At age 45, Tiger is still the main attraction whenever he shows up.
He’s given the world countless golf memories with the best perhaps the “Tiger Slam” from 2000 to 2001 when he won four consecutive major championships — a feat no other player has matched.
Today, it’s Happy Birthday to El Tigre, who has evolved over the years, overcome a lot, physically and personally and this 2020 version of Tiger is easier to like, friendlier and a proud father.
Happy 45th, Tiger Woods.
We doubt there will ever be another like you.
8 Comments
golf1234
Probably not see another Tiger Woods is probably correct. I will go out on a limb and also say we may not in the foreseeable future even see anyone reach 35 PGA Tour wins or 6-8 majors. Even with Rory and Koepka at 4 ea now. Maybe Rory? Jordan Spieth, very longshot. DJ, maybe 35 wins
Happy New Year! Fairways and Greens
Tom Edrington
Thanks for stopping by, appreciate your thoughts…..totally agree with you …. and here’s hoping for fans back at the tournaments sometime in the New Year!
baxter cepeda
I do not remember Tiger ever quoted saying “‘I’m done’”. Closest thing to that was some ‘if’ talks the media ran with.
But To answer your question if the technology continues where it is, it will be very difficult for anyone to be the next Tiger Woods, even the man himself.
Imo part of what made tiger woods’ dominance possible is that golf technology was at that Goldie locks point: not too archaic, not too futuristic. Golf Tech wasn’t wood but it wasn’t whatever crazy tech we got going on now.
Today’s tech allows ugly golf and bodybuilding to be a path to success; that never happened before.
When tiger dominated pretty golf was essential and gym work was a game changer but required careful moderation. Tiger mastered both.
As golf has gotten dumbed down due to tech There seems to be more ways then ever for tour players to shoot amazing scores like only tiger shot back then; making it nearly impossible for someone to separate themselves these days.
This parity is the most unfortunate part of golf tech. Imo. That and that At developmental levels it’s still too often about who has the funds to keep up with the Joneses golf equipment.
Tom Edrington
Baxter, I will say this, after watching a LOT of Tiger’s major wins replayed on Golf Channel, he won because he simply out-putted everyone else…..2001 Masters, David Duval missed three putts inside seven feet on the back 9 and lost by one…..saw the Open Championship where he was nipping at Tiger, I think it was the 12th at St. Andrews, Duvy misses an 11-foot birdie putt, Tiger, playing with him, makes 10-footer for par and I’m not going to recount the ridiculous putts he made to beat Bob May to win the PGA ….. it’s this simple, Tiger just does not putt like that anymore….
baxter cepeda
Yes the putting has always been so crucial For tiger, as it is for anyone who wants to win at golf. But many don’t ever get it.
Tiger always understood better than most how important putting is each week, especially at majors.
Sure his putting is not what it once was consistently, but he still has magic in there. There’s been a lot of frustrating weeks with the short stick lately, and others where tigers putting was working but other clubs were not. But while tiger can never be young again, that man forgets more putting secrets than most of us will ever know. Tigers putting will serve him when it matters most his whole life.
As we know Good Ball striking stats are fundamental to being competitive; but great putting performances are where champions are made. We know this mostly because of tiger.
Tom Edrington
No, I’m going to tell you what a LOT of golf legends told me during my Tribune days: No matter how good a player is, at some point, the putts just don’t go in anymore. Witness the fact that the Tiger/Charlie team had TWO bogeys on their card in the PNC. You’re telling me Tiger couldn’t make a five-footer to back up Charlie for one of those? Tommy Bolt and his wife traveled with Arnold and Winnie in Arnold’s early tour days. During a round I played with Tommy he told me “Tom, Arnold made EVERYTHING!” Then one day, as he aged, he didn’t. Same for Tom Watson. I saw his putting wizardry up close and personal then one day they quit falling. I could go on and on, you think Tiger still has some magic, well, perhaps but he can’t summon it up at will. The planets will have to align for him to get that 83rd win.
baxter cepeda
Tiger will probably surpass 100 wins Tom.
If he was 30 forever he would have 1000 wins.
I’ve heard many similar stories and it’s true. But just because a great player is not what they once were, they still have plenty.
And With all due respect to some of those great names tom mentions, Tiger is starting from a whole other putting level.
When it comes to tiger there’s no more winning with his C game, but plenty more wins are possible with his current A game.
He won’t win as much, obviously, but yet again, mark my words, tiger will win and win rather often in the next few years. Including majors.
Tiger and Charlie missed a few crucial putts. That’s not a big deal. Last time I checked its the 5th major for everyone whom competes, but it really isn’t.
Tom Edrington
Tiger’s body won’t allow him to play in enough events to be really sharp, that combined with the fact he cannot practice anywhere near as much as he used to spells difficulty in winning at his age and with his sometimes questionable physical state.