European Tour Omega Dubai Desert Classic leaderboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2017/tournamentid=2017008/leaderboard/index.html#/leaderboard
Do you remember when "The Greatest", Mohammed Ali came back to the world's biggest stage, a stage he didn't create, but popularized beyond any other, to lose embarrassingly to Leon Spinks when he was 36, a guy who couldn't tie his bootlaces 10 years earlier, and although he managed to beat Spinks 6 months later, he came back all fat and flabby 2 years later to be humiliated by his sparring partner Larry Holmes, then again a year later at 39 to Canadian Trevor Burbick in the Bahamas..
Tiger Woods is the closest guy worldwide to Ali in my opinion, and at #666 in the world and slipping, he continues to make the headlines, move the needle as he attempts a comeback amongst guys who used to shrink mentally whenever Tiger showed up.
Unlike Ali he is still in great shape physically, doesn't need the money, and doesn't get his face punched in for 15 rounds, but at this stage in his career in a golfing context, he is getting pummeled by the Leon Spink's of golf.
Today at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic he shot +5 77, T121, there are only 7 players in the full field with worse scores. He is 12 shots behind one of the guys whose major careers were put on hold while Tiger led the orchestra, Sergio Garcia, now the leader at -7 65.
He popularized this event with his wins in 2006 and 2008 and hasn't been back for a couple of years, his international travel curtailed by his ailing back. However with Rory out injured, and despite his inept play, his return was heralded with enormous ballyhoo, as he continues to play week in and week out to get in his much needed competitive reps in his lead up to Augusta in early April...
However it's clear the horse has left the barn, the Rory's, Jason's Jordan's Henrik's and many others, no longer have any reason to fear him while enjoying his company inside the ropes.
He is a mere sideshow right now, and in my opinion will continue to be just that, with all of us just hoping for the week it all comes together for him somewhere one more time..
To think he will ever return to become a contender again, everytime he shows up is simply wishful thinking, but for now, sideshow or not, this chapter of his storied career won't be over until he either plays well or fizzles out at Augusta.
and we're all staying tuned..
Bryan Angus
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