Tiger Woods has always been the super-human star.
His has arguably the best overall resume in the history of the game. His impact on the sport rivals the days of Palmer, Nicklaus and Player.
He has boosted purses on the PGA Tour to astronomical sums. He’s created an entire new generation of PGA Tour millionaires. In the process, Woods himself has amassed a net worth approaching 10 figures — as in a billion.
But today’s he’s as fragile as anyone who has endured countless surgeries. He underwent his 10th earlier this week — and that includes the fifth cut on his always-questionable back.
Basically anytime anything like this happens to Eldrick T. Woods, the golf world stops and tries to figure out what’s next for the 15-time major champion. This latest development doesn’t come as a surprise. In his own round-about way, Tiger has hinted that he’s on a pitch count. His days on the PGA Tour have an expiration date and it’s getting closer. Only Woods himself knows, only he can sit down, look at himself in the mirror and decide what his future might look like.
There are a lot of knee-jerk reactions out there. The only way to reasonably assess the future for Tiger Woods is to look at his immediate past.
Microdiscectomy is a now familiar word in his health category. It would take you a long time to go over his physical history, the surgeries, the thousands of hours of tough rehabilitation, the hours of practice that have to be limited to accommodate a body that simply cannot endure the practice routines that made him the world-beater he once was.
It’s sad that the first thing folks are talking about is his return. Everyone’s pointing to The Masters as if they know how long it will take for Tiger to be fit again. And that’s where the uncertainty comes in. Uncertainty as in the battle with Father Time. The problem with that is that Father Time is an undefeated opponent. He’s taken down the best-ever, the GOAT in every sport, in every generation. Tiger’s gotten the best of just about everyone in the game at one time or another but Father Time is one he cannot.
Woods has proven the naysayers wrong so many times and that 2019 Masters victory was the ultimate. But the problem is that everyone’s expectations from Tiger Woods are unlike expectations put on anyone else in the game these days.
His doctors will tell you this latest surgery was a success. With today’s medical advancements, Tiger has been rebuilt to the tune of double-digits when it comes to undergoing the knife.
When it comes to rehabilitation, no one does it as well as Tiger. But this go-round, he’s facing life as a 45-year-old who will turn 46 at the end of 2021. Doesn’t matter who you are or how great your will — a 45-year-old body takes more time than a 25-year-old body or a 35-year-old body.
This latest setback started when he played with son Charlie at the PNC Championship last December. The weather was cool and that’s never a good thing for Tiger. He’s like that NFL injury report that labels players as “day-to-day.” Truth be known, at this stage of his career, Tiger is always “day-to-day.” He’s told us there are some mornings when movements are slow and more difficult than others.
No telling how long it takes him to get ready for an early morning tee time. Typically he’s up no later than 4 a.m. Takes hours to loosen him up.
So now he’s faced with yet another “rehab” period.
To be fair, two months is a quick timeline. All sorts of experts weigh in on that.
Even Rory McIlroy, who last time we checked, hasn’t spent five minutes in medical school.
McIlroy, who is starting his 2021 season in Abu Dhabi this week, deemed it a small procedure:
“Tt was a small procedure,” McIlroy said. “Obviously, any time you’re being cut into — you try to avoid that as much as you can. But he was back on his feet the next day, so I don’t think we can read too much into it. I think they were just trying to clean a couple bits up.”
Note to Rory — it’s only a “small procedure” when it happens to someone else.
With Tiger, it’s yet another move to block a punch from Father Time.
And this sort of thing can’t last much longer for Tiger.
If he had anything to say to us today, he’d reach for his all-too-familiar line:
“It is what it is.”
12 Comments
RM
Nice summary. At this stage, I can only wish him well in however he chooses to approach this. You have to wonder how many times he can mount up a charge and try to climb the wall again.
Would be nice to see the old Tiger roar once more, but I can realistically only hope he’ll be able to find some sort of tribal elder/ambassador role that keeps him playing at a comfortable level that lets us see him from time to time to remind us of the glory days.
Tom Edrington
Sports tends to cling to its superstars, even after they are past their prime with the hope of glimpses from past glory; Pain, cut, mend, rehab, ease your way back……you can only do that so often, and now he’s going on 46…
baxter cepeda
Cant say no one does rehab as well as tiger.
Yes he works as hard as anyone in rehab but arguably too hard, too fast and so forth.
From non surgery injuries to back fusions tiger has arguably always pushed too much, too hard to get back too soon.
While the mounting surgeries are a concern, as with Corona, we’ve all been through this for a while now.
We know what to expect.
Tiger will play the Masters, possibly sooner. The main question will be if he had enough reps following the latest surgery to win another jacket. Chances are he will not have had enough reps to satisfy everyone; regardless he likely will still be in the conversation to win.
Tom Edrington
His clubhead speed was 129 in March of 2018; Now it’s well below 115; Cut, repair, rehab, work one’s way back; He’s 45 going on 46….While he’s resting, mending and practicing sparingly, the best keep getting better and the mountain to climb is like Mt. Everest at this point in his career and he has no Sherpa guides to get him up there
baxter cepeda
He is the lead Sherpa Tom. He doesn’t need no stinking guides.
The club head speed was questionable then and it is super overrated anyway.
Tiger did not win his last masters jacket with club head speed. He won it with a reliable high draw and good putting. I watched his practice round with the fireman that year. He was playing extremely within himself.
He can do that again.
The current club speed will climb back up. But again, it’s not as important as it is for Bryson or rory.
All I can say is Stop writing this man off. At some point sports writers have to learn better. I get it journalists are not doctors or lawyers, but we have to be smarter than that. !
Tom Edrington
Baxter, I’ve had three major surgeries, I’m a rehab freak…..problem is, Tiger is fighting against time and please, please show me a superstar in any sport who won the victory against time?? Closest I’ve seen is Tom Brady here in Tampa getting the Buccaneers into the NFC title game but he’s got an incredible corps of receivers. I’m telling you that Tiger’s practice time gets shorter with each surgery and that in and of itself is his biggest obstacle….especially practice with the putter because his back won’t allow him countless hours of time with the flatstick….I just don’t see it, sorry, hope he proves me wrong.
baxter cepeda
Aside from Brady (off the top of my head) all those great QBs like brees, Big Ben, Rodgers, these are STILL the best aside from 1-2 young cats.
Joe Montana with KC.
Jack at 46.
Tom Watson at 59
Vijay.
Ben hogan as an old cripple.
Tigers masters win.
Davis in his 50s after a fusion that seemed scarier than tigers.
Bobby Orr.
The Great One did incredible things at the end as a LA King ( I was there).
Pele was incredible at the end. Zinedine Zidane was elite super old.
Roger and Rafa. Remember jimmy connors?
Kelly slater finished third at the ultra competitive pipeline masters in December…at 48. He still has a shot at a 12th world title.
I could go on. Almost every major sport has many examples of old guys winning.
The thing to keep in mind is athletes win much to begin with —just ask Tony finau— so the list of guys whom will win old and patched up is a very small one, but tiger —and Phil— are very much on it.
Tom Edrington
I think Phil is beginning to realize he’s going to have a really tough time competing on the regular tour. I know you and the rest of the world are hoping dearly for Tiger to win again….it would be great but Jack had no surgeries, Watson had no surgeries, although I’m not sure if he had his first hip replacement before he almost won the Open Championship; Vijay: no surgeries; Tiger: Double digit surgeries.
baxter cepeda
But tiger has always won after the last 9 surgeries.
Phil, imo realizes he has a very good chance at winning the super season title they are having over there.
So yes of course, if he is having a dud season, he will spend more time getting the Shwab Cup (if that’s what it still is).
Tom Edrington
Sure hope Tiger can at least find No. 83 but with his VERY LIMITED schedule, he doesn’t get many shots at it….plus he’s in against very strong fields….and as they say on Wall Street: “Hope is your worst enemy in the marketplace”
baxter cepeda
The limited schedule is somewhat misleading; not just for injury.
2020 really messed tigers schedule due to an abundance of caution for covid. And it cost him.
2019 he tried to play a more selective schedule by choice really. And it cost him.
Sure, Tiger looks tight, and just got another snip, but we have seen more than enough of this new tiger to have reasonable hope that once he resumes even a modest schedule, 83 will happen soon after.
Missing Torrey seems terrible for tiger but it’s obviously not at this point. Of all the places he has dominated it’s the place he maybe no longer has the skills required…at least in January.
Torrey is a simple bombers track in January, which is no longer tigers clear advantage, but it’s the sneaky chilly San Diago weather that really eliminates the advantages Tiger might still have at other bombers paradises he has ruled like Augusta or Arnie’s place.
The again Torrey in the summer for a major could be ideal for tiger.
The last time Torrey hosted a major Not only was tiger able to get around better than anyone, he did it on one leg.
And the next best guy was Rocco, as you know, whom was already a short, back riddled, almost senior tour player.
I’m just saying…
Tom Edrington
Baxter, just saying, keep saying that to yourself; I don’t see it, I’d be thrilled to see Tiger just dig up an ordinary win….