Tiger is back, and good for him
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By DAVID DROSCHAK
ull disclosure here, Bets. I have never been a Tiger Woods fan and I never will be. I know “never” is a strong conviction. Some of my inner animosity toward Tiger stems from my two decades as sports editor of The Associated Press in North Carolina and covering Woods in several Majors. I still don’t like folks who make my job more difficult, and Tiger was at the head of that list back in the day. He was mostly condescending and petulant to reporters. Think of the polar opposite of Arnold Palmer and that was Woods in a nutshell. He appears to have mellowed over the last five years of true turmoil. Plummeting from No. 1 in the world to 656th, getting caught up in a sex scandal and losing millions in sponsorship money can humble even the most self-centered people. I will argue that Woods was never really “good” for the game, no more than Michael Jordan was “good” for the NBA or Wayne Gretzky was “good” for the NHL. All great, yes, but why exactly was each so “good” for the game? Did they make tons of cash? Sure did. Did others like TV networks make tons of
Tiger’s influence different than Palmer
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cash, too? You bet. The yes, the eyeballs By BETSEY MITCHELL are back when Woods shoots into contention. However, just as many are watching ro, this is not the first time nor these days to see if Woods will implode the last time I say that Tiger was -- kind of like NASCAR. How many of you great for professional golfers, are just waiting for the big pileup? advertisers, tournament gates and beer Will Woods win another Major, maybe sales. two or three? He could, and I’ll be watchIn contrast, Arnold Palmer was great ing. But I won’t be glued to the big screen for everybody. His impact resulted in because it is Woods, but because it’s golf’s a Burger King in a small Pennsylvania biggest stage. town to adjoin a putt-putt When Woods doffs his course of concrete, green cap these days, he’s baldcarpet, and musty puddles ing and a little grey. And with holes that reportedly while he appears to be in reflected the design of one excellent shape yet again, of his golf courses. Not a remember his violent windmill in sight. swing and now surgically not play golf DUELING DIVOTS then,I did repaired 42-year-old body but I can still rememcould come unglued at ber childhood evenings of any moment. Whoppers and putt-putt in 1967. I like to So, when one of my golf buddies asks think of it as my gateway to “real golf.” me about Woods’ comeback, I’ll refer to Tiger’s influence is different. Bunches an answer an NHL hockey coach I admire of wunderkinds with perfectly sized used to pontificate. When asked a quesequipment and outfits have hovering partion about a player he really didn’t want to ents capturing robot swings with smart praise, his canned answer would be: “And phones for repetitive playback. Kids good for him.” who have not reached their teens have My feelings exactly about any of dads hell bent on securing a full ride to Tiger’s potential wins. Vanderbilt. More than one kid has crashed
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under the pressure of playing a game. You don’t have to be glued to the screen to see what Tiger is doing. PGA Tour coverage is torture. It doesn’t matter who is leading, there is only Tiger. That brain under his grey balding head took a wrong turn on the 16th hole at Bay Hill. I knew as soon as he swung so hard that he risked snapping his back fusion that the ball would be offline. One ball out of bounds and his day was over. Nothing new here; he could have continued winning tournaments with a 3-wood and an 8-iron, he just couldn’t stand being out driven by the younger players. So foolish. Imagine what Mr. Palmer would have said to Tiger as he came away knowing his own choices had lost the tournament he wanted so much to win. Tiger said it was because he didn’t commit. Oh, he committed. He just let his 1999 brain run his 2018 body. So, it appears that we have similar opinions about Mr. Woods. My guess is he will win again. Not so sure about a major. TV may ignore Casey, Reid, and Thomas, but that doesn’t mean they won’t come away with the win.
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