St Andrews Magazine Edition 04

When Tiger Woods
withdrew in agony at
the OMEGA Dubai
Desert Classic last
February his career
looked all but over.
Back fusion surgery
followed in April, and
he is said to have shed
high doubt on his future
within the game at that
time.
The possibility that the
greatest icon the game
has ever seen never
teeing it up again was
very real.
When he was arrested
for a DUI in the summer
of 2017 it seemed like
this once great golfer
was in a tailspin
towards retirement and
an undignified exit from
the sport he once
ruled.
At the age of 41, with a
body diminished by
multiple surgeries, and
five years removed
from his most recent
tournament victory we
all believed that his
days were numbered
on the tour. The most
ardent Tiger fans
always believed, but
even they were
perhaps more hopeful
than believers.
At the Presidents Cup
12 months ago, he was
a Captain’s Assistant,
and in a press
conference he was
asked if he had
considered if he would
never play again. His
answer sent
shockwaves through
the game, saying
"There were times when
... I didn't know if I was
going to be able to be
here because I couldn't
ride in a cart,"
"The bouncing just hurt
too much. Driving a car
still hurt. So that's all
gone now, which is
fantastic. And yeah,
there were some
intrepid times - not just
for this golf tournament,
but for life going
forward."
Following a lengthy
rehabilitation period,
he went from hitting 60-
yard pitches to a full
swing and declared
himself ready to tee-itup
in the Hero World
Challenge in the
Bahamas in December.
When Tiger began the
Hero World Challenge
nobody was quite sure
of what we would see,
and what it would
mean. Woods had
made this event his
comeback before,
indeed, it was his first
tournament victory
after his absence from
the game due to
personal problems in
2010.
Rounds of 69 and 68
saw Tiger briefly lead
the tournament, before
a 75 in the third round
saw him fall out of
contention. However, a
week of encouraging
signs was completed
with a final round of 68.
His next start was then
unknown, but in early
2018 Woods
announced he would
return to the PGA Tour
at the Farmers
Insurance Open.
A steady, if
unspectacular four
days saw Tiger post
rounds of 72, 71, 70 and
72 to finish 3-under-par
and tie for 23 rd position,
7 shots out of the lead.
It was a much better
than anticipated return
to action.
Hi next appearance
would be at the
Genesis Open, where,
as host, he would miss
the cut by four shots. Six
rounds into his
comeback and whilst
there were many
encouraging signs the
same old failings were
there. His driving was
putting him out of
position more often
than not. But he
seemed to be
displaying no signs of
physical difficulties
which had dogged him
for so long.