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| Tiger Woods’s decline will leave golf struggling to retain its broad appeal | Tiger Woods’s decline will leave golf struggling to retain its broad appeal |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The physical decline of Tiger Woods, as inevitable as it may have been, is about far more than an individual sportsman’s fall from grace. | The physical decline of Tiger Woods, as inevitable as it may have been, is about far more than an individual sportsman’s fall from grace. |
| The impact of Usain Bolt at the Commonwealth Games conjured memories of the Tiger Effect. A global athlete – which is what Woods has been throughout his career – with a pull way beyond his chosen profession. Woods inspired a generation to play golf, is genuinely responsible for the vast riches at the top level, and moved the sport into ground-breaking territory. Single-handedly, that is. Woods influenced his sport more than anybody. | The impact of Usain Bolt at the Commonwealth Games conjured memories of the Tiger Effect. A global athlete – which is what Woods has been throughout his career – with a pull way beyond his chosen profession. Woods inspired a generation to play golf, is genuinely responsible for the vast riches at the top level, and moved the sport into ground-breaking territory. Single-handedly, that is. Woods influenced his sport more than anybody. |
| So what happens next? With Woods touch and go to play at this year’s US PGA Championship – he has until 10 minutes before teeing-off at Valhalla on Thursday to declare himself fit to compete following a back injury – all the evidence points towards the 38-year-old slipping back from golf’s frontline. Woods will still be a money-making machine, through putting his name to course design or whatever, but the competitive circus will have moved on. Arguably, it already has. | So what happens next? With Woods touch and go to play at this year’s US PGA Championship – he has until 10 minutes before teeing-off at Valhalla on Thursday to declare himself fit to compete following a back injury – all the evidence points towards the 38-year-old slipping back from golf’s frontline. Woods will still be a money-making machine, through putting his name to course design or whatever, but the competitive circus will have moved on. Arguably, it already has. |
| He may quip about chasing the Jack Nicklaus major haul of 18 into his fifties but the reality points to something else entirely. When a competitor as ferocious as Woods finally realises he cannot consistently win events against the best players in golf, it will be time for a fresh challenge. This shouldn’t be an unreasonable concept; no human being could batter golf balls with such ferocity as Woods from the moment they could walk and be physically infallible into their mid-forties. | He may quip about chasing the Jack Nicklaus major haul of 18 into his fifties but the reality points to something else entirely. When a competitor as ferocious as Woods finally realises he cannot consistently win events against the best players in golf, it will be time for a fresh challenge. This shouldn’t be an unreasonable concept; no human being could batter golf balls with such ferocity as Woods from the moment they could walk and be physically infallible into their mid-forties. |
| For now, Woods is not going to admit that he is no longer up to dominating golf. However, there have been more public hints in recent months than ever before that there is an inner acknowledgment his body’s ability matches that of his mind. Players who didn’t compete against Tiger in his prime won’t be intimidated by him now, as is clearly the case. | For now, Woods is not going to admit that he is no longer up to dominating golf. However, there have been more public hints in recent months than ever before that there is an inner acknowledgment his body’s ability matches that of his mind. Players who didn’t compete against Tiger in his prime won’t be intimidated by him now, as is clearly the case. |
| Colin Montgomerie, who knows a thing or two about major championship waits, insisted recently that the Woods/Nicklaus debate is already a futile one. “I think Tiger has passed that time frame, I really do,” said Montgomerie as part of his Sky Sports analysis. “He’s running out of time because the competition is less fearful, it’s better, it’s stronger, they want it more and is Tiger getting any better? | Colin Montgomerie, who knows a thing or two about major championship waits, insisted recently that the Woods/Nicklaus debate is already a futile one. “I think Tiger has passed that time frame, I really do,” said Montgomerie as part of his Sky Sports analysis. “He’s running out of time because the competition is less fearful, it’s better, it’s stronger, they want it more and is Tiger getting any better? |
| “That’s the thing, Tiger has to get better from where he was to win 19 majors and I can’t see that improvement from where he was in the year 2000 which was damn near perfect. I don’t think he is going to get to 19, he might get to 15, he might get to 16.” | “That’s the thing, Tiger has to get better from where he was to win 19 majors and I can’t see that improvement from where he was in the year 2000 which was damn near perfect. I don’t think he is going to get to 19, he might get to 15, he might get to 16.” |
| If such talk seems overly negative towards a player who won five times in 2013, statistics tell another story. Woods doesn’t routinely compete in majors, let alone win even the odd one. A Woods withdrawal from this week’s Championship would make it an astonishing 27% non-appearance rate in golf’s big four since he last won one. Seven out of 26, to be precise. If he does surprisingly appear at Valhalla, he surely cannot win. | If such talk seems overly negative towards a player who won five times in 2013, statistics tell another story. Woods doesn’t routinely compete in majors, let alone win even the odd one. A Woods withdrawal from this week’s Championship would make it an astonishing 27% non-appearance rate in golf’s big four since he last won one. Seven out of 26, to be precise. If he does surprisingly appear at Valhalla, he surely cannot win. |
| This business causes an issue for the game in general. The general participation trends show those who play golf do it more than ever but fewer people are taking it up. There is a clear correlation between iconic figures such as Woods and youngsters taking up a certain sport. Tournaments feel markedly different when Woods is on the scene, as Martin Kaymer acknowledged on Tuesday. | This business causes an issue for the game in general. The general participation trends show those who play golf do it more than ever but fewer people are taking it up. There is a clear correlation between iconic figures such as Woods and youngsters taking up a certain sport. Tournaments feel markedly different when Woods is on the scene, as Martin Kaymer acknowledged on Tuesday. |
| Rory McIlroy, to his credit, has spoken of his concern at golf’s worrying participation scenario. McIlroy is among a small batch of players who have the power to retain golf’s prominence and importance. The blue chip crew, if you like. Rickie Fowler is another. | Rory McIlroy, to his credit, has spoken of his concern at golf’s worrying participation scenario. McIlroy is among a small batch of players who have the power to retain golf’s prominence and importance. The blue chip crew, if you like. Rickie Fowler is another. |
| It’s not simply success that is important in the context of these players – and Fowler hasn’t won nearly enough – but their broader appeal. Golf needs them because of the growing realisation of Woods’s impact not lasting for ever. Nothing does, after all. | It’s not simply success that is important in the context of these players – and Fowler hasn’t won nearly enough – but their broader appeal. Golf needs them because of the growing realisation of Woods’s impact not lasting for ever. Nothing does, after all. |
| Rules row leaves players in deep water | Rules row leaves players in deep water |
| So much for the gentlemanly nature of golf. Not so in a corner of Pennsylvania, it seems, after a couple of chaps required the attention of police and an emergency ward owing to a disagreement over a water hazard. | So much for the gentlemanly nature of golf. Not so in a corner of Pennsylvania, it seems, after a couple of chaps required the attention of police and an emergency ward owing to a disagreement over a water hazard. |
| The Associated Press carried this priceless tale, with police no doubt withholding the names of the offenders to spare them further ridicule. | The Associated Press carried this priceless tale, with police no doubt withholding the names of the offenders to spare them further ridicule. |
| What is the penalty for arrest on the course? Never mind anchoring bans, the R&A should be looking at this for its next revision of the rules of golf. | |
| Bubba Watson won’t be reading this | Bubba Watson won’t be reading this |
| Bubba Watson falls into that unfortunate batch of sportspeople who claim, “The media write bad things about me. But I never read any of it anyway.” | Bubba Watson falls into that unfortunate batch of sportspeople who claim, “The media write bad things about me. But I never read any of it anyway.” |
| The classic contradiction. As is the supposedly official Bubba Twitter account, which is routinely updated at moments when it couldn’t possibly be by the golfer himself. | The classic contradiction. As is the supposedly official Bubba Twitter account, which is routinely updated at moments when it couldn’t possibly be by the golfer himself. |
| What has specifically riled Watson is unclear. He started his sniping towards the press at the Open and has continued the theme this week. | What has specifically riled Watson is unclear. He started his sniping towards the press at the Open and has continued the theme this week. |
| “I think the media really loves me because I don’t give PC answers,” Watson said. “Sometimes people write different stories and make it and twist it in ways they want to. But again, the way I live my life and the way I want to live my life as a Christian, I don’t read, I took the internet off my phone. I don’t read what people write about me. I don’t read what people say about me. | |
| “My true friends, my family, they know who I am as a person and what my heart is all about.” | “My true friends, my family, they know who I am as a person and what my heart is all about.” |
| Which all sounded like rambling nonsense to me. One wonders what Watson’s sponsors think, given his sudden and apparent aversion to utilising the tool most useful to them. | Which all sounded like rambling nonsense to me. One wonders what Watson’s sponsors think, given his sudden and apparent aversion to utilising the tool most useful to them. |
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