After this year’s British Open everyone has decided that Tiger is back. I wonder if he ever left. He had a sub-Tiger 2004 because of a swing change, but he’s still the same guy, with a grind-it-out attitude, and never-say-die approach to winning.
Tiger Woods looms large every time he tees it up. I’m taking a closer look at his life and his game this week.
Hole 1: Tiger Knows Majors
Tiger is the man to beat at The PGA Championship at Baltusrol this year. He played 36 holes there last Monday as a warm-up exercise. He’s won two of three Majors this year and is the man to beat. You know that Tiger always tries to peak for the big events.
Hole 2: Swing Change No More?
Woods proclaimed in 2004, “Only two players have ever truly owned their swings: Moe Norman and Ben Hogan. I want to own mine. That’s where the satisfaction comes from.” Seems like he owns it this year. His five-stroke British Open victory made a believer out of me. He owned everyone else too.
Hole 3: Beginnings
The way he plays, you’d think that Tiger was born with a golf club in his hand. It is almost true. Tiger watched his dad hit balls into a net when he was six months old for two hours at a time. Tiger held a club for the first time when he was 10 months old.
Hole 4: Young Gun
He was the 1991 U.S. Junior Amateur Champion at age 15 to become the tournament’s youngest winner. He successfully defended the U.S. Junior Amateur title to become the only person to win the event more than once, and then he won it again the next year. He won the U.S. Amateur Championship three years in a row starting at age 18.
Hole 5: The Masters
Tiger won the Masters in his second year on Tour by an unprecedented 12 strokes. He donned his fourth Green Jacket this year. Only Jack Nicklaus has more green in his closet.
Hole 6: Tiger Loves The Folks
You don’t have to pay attention to Tiger long to discover that his parents have played an important role in his life. His mom was in the gallery at the British Open and he made a point of mentioning his dad after he won the event.
Hole 7: A Quarter Century
In 2001 Tiger was 25 years old. He held all four Majors at once after winning the Masters in April of that year. He is only the second person in history to accomplish such a feat. Bobby Jones did it in 1930.
Hole 8: Career Slams
Woods and Nicklaus are the only players in history to have won two career Grand Slams. It doesn’t take much of an imagination to see that Tiger could hold three.
Hole 9: Single Season Wins
2000 was a good year for Tiger. He won a total of nine PGA Tour events and was first on the money list (no surprise) with $9.1 million.
Hole 10: He’s On Fire
Tiger Woods currently has a scoring average of 68.82 and is first in this category on Tour. Keep in mind that this scoring average is on the best and longest courses in the world. Grab a copy of Tiger Woods 2005 for your computer, because that is the only place you’ll beat him. “Who’s your daddy?” Tiger’s your daddy.
Hole 11: Tiger’s Home On The Web
Yep, that’s right. You should saunter over for a visit to Tiger Wood’s Official Site. You’ll find some nifty videos and news about the current world’s number one.
Hole 12: Big Money
Tiger recently became the first PGA Tour player to reach $50 million in career earnings. Yes, that is a lot of money but it doesn’t hold a candle to what athletes make in other sports. Remember Alex Rodriguez’ deal with the Texas Rangers in 2001? $252 million over ten years for a total of $25.2 million a year was his salary. Golfers are so under-paid!
Hole 13: Win Streak
Tiger has had a least one win every season for the last 10 years and I don’t see that streak being ended any time in the next 10 years.
Hole 14: Tiger Knows Victory
Tiger has a total of 44 PGA Tour victories. His trophy rack is a trophy warehouse.
Hole 15: 2004 Slump
Many feel that Tiger couldn’t quite get his game together during 2004 but of the 19 tournaments he entered, he was in the top-10 in 14 of those events. Not too shabby for a slump. I’d bet you Duval would love such a slump right now.
Hole 16: Marital Bliss
Nearly 10 months ago Tiger and Elin tied the knot at a very high profile ceremony in the Barbados and they seem like a very happy couple. The wedding cost a mere $1.5 million and Woods is reported to have imported 500 red roses for the ceremony. If you’re going to marry a Swedish model you can’t scrimp on the roses. And my wife asks me, “Just 500?!”
Hole 17: Heritage
Woods’ father is of mixed African American, Caucasian, and Native American ancestry. His mother is of Thai and Chinese descent. Tiger belongs to the world.
Hole 18: Home
Tiger and Elin currently live in Windermere, a suburb of Orlando, Florida. Not that you’re going to stop by for a visit when you pass through.
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