In case you missed it Tiger issued a statement on his website last night saying his golf is not acceptable for the PGA Tour and he will not return until it is.. No kidding..
He went on to say that the injury that forced him to WD last week at Torrey Pines is not related to the back surgery he had last spring. He said he is having physical therapy every day and feeling better.
"Right now, I need a lot of work on my game, and to still spend time with the people that are important to me," he said. "My play, and scores, are not acceptable for tournament golf. Like I've said, I enter a tournament to compete at the highest level, and when I think I'm ready, I'll be back."
In my opinion and it's just one of millions, good old Father Time is catching up with Tiger, physically and mentally..
We all go through it, golf is no exception, the PGA Tour is littered with guys in their 40's who have ventured into the no man's land of golf that doesn't end until they turn 50 and are reborn as rookies on the Champions Tour..
Tiger is 39, losing his hair, and while he is an exceptional physical specimen, he just has to look at 25 year old Rory who is bombing his drives 310, 20 30 40 and 50 yards with all the accuracy, power and flexibility of youth, and Tiger who for years of course was the bomber simply cannot compete with his go to trap drive 3 wood stinger.
We all get to the point where we just can't keep up physically and Tiger is now there.
Mentally I'm sure after a lifetime of being the man, he still thinks he can compete, and maybe he will, but he will never dominate like the Tiger we were so privileged to watch, again.
In his statement he said he wants to play the Honda Classic that starts Feb. 26. But he won't play if he's not tournament-ready and unless he finds his confidence and fitness in the seclusion of his course The Medalist that's a big if..
Of course missing the Honda means he won't be eligible for the WGC-Cadillac Championship since he is now down to #62 in the world. Bigger question is will he be ready to go to Augusta?
Consider this chronology of Tiger's health. He won the 2008 U.S. Open limping with a left knee injury so bad he needed reconstructive surgery, which really never worked when you consider he had to withdraw in 2010 and '11 from The Players with the same problem. He had an Achilles' tendon injury that forced him to withdraw in March 2012, an elbow injury had him out for a month in 2013, surgery to repair a pinched nerve in his back in 2014.
He is stalled on 79 wins, 5 short of Sam Snead, and 14 majors, 4 short of Jack Nicklaus.
"I am committed to getting back to the pinnacle of my game" he went on to say, and I am sure he is and will be giving it is best shot.
Unfortunately Father Time waits for no man, not even one as talented as Tiger..
Bryan Angus
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