© 2016 Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc. adidas, the Badge of Spor t, and the 3-Stripes mark are registered trademarks of the adidas Group.
© 2016 Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc. adidas, the Badge of Spor t, and the 3-Stripes mark are registered trademarks of the adidas Group.
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TOUR REPORT
OB SPORTS GOLF & LEISURE
❘
WINTER 2017
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obsports.com
That was Tiger, too. No one was
going to pierce his bubble when he
was focused on a major. He wanted to
step on your neck, not touch your
knuckles.
• • •
REASON TO BELIEVE
Woods stormed back to No. 1 in
2013 with five PGA Tour titles includ-
ing his second Players Championship
triumph, but 2014, 2015 and 2016 were
mostly lost years due to back issues.
He made just seven starts in '14, 11
in '15, none in '16. When he did tee it
up, it was mostly a mess of wayward
drives, chunked irons, chipping yips
and unholed putts.
Yet, the believers continued to be-
lieve. Tiger told them to be patient,
that he needed to be healthier to re-
sume the practice level that would
make him competitive again.
Twenty-four birdies in 72 holes at
the end of 2016 in the Hero World
Challenge in The Bahamas convinced
many of the doubters.
Woods can't dominate off the tee
like he did in his heyday. There are
dozens of players out there longer than
Tiger, and in many cases, straighter.
The next generation of greats respects
him, but doesn't fear him, as his pre-
2008 contemporaries did.
Still, following his success in The Ba-
hamas, everyone is curious. Woods has
signed on to a busy early season
schedule, including the Farmers at Tor-
rey Pines, Dubai, the Genesis Open at
L.A.'s Riviera and the Honda.
As fans we're transfixed by Tiger be-
cause we've seen him accomplish the
impossible so many times over the
years. The roars-and-flying-beer cans
ace at the 16th hole of the 1997 Phoenix
Open. The over-the-water 6-iron from
the sand to clinch the 2000 Canadian
Open. The "better-than-most" 60-foot
bomb at the 17th hole during the 2001
Players Championship. The magical
boomerang chip-in at 16 during the
2005 Masters. The 12-foot putt to earn
a playoff with Rocco Mediate at the
2008 U.S. Open.
Those five shots are why we watch.
Those five shots explain why Tiger
Woods moves the needle like no other
in golf. Welcome back, Tiger. Let's see
some more.
