Tiger Woods Master Catch-All Discussion

[mchepp]

As a golf fan Tiger's language was very concerning. "No light at the end of the tunnel" rehab is "walking and playing video games". It just doesn't sound like a guy that we will see in 2016. 

Masters 2017 is my prediction for the next time we see him. 

[jamo]

RIP Tiger. 

[mvmac]

Wow, he just sounds like a completely different guy.

Also hasn't started rehab yet. Definitely won't be seeing him for a while.

[Zeph]

He looked and sounded pretty down in that interview. It's what I've expected for the last four or so years. The injuries has been recurring and he's never been able to get fully back into it before something new (or old) comes along. 2013 was a pretty good year, but it ended in the next spring, where injuries put him out of the game.

He's had an extraordinary career (and may yet throw some balls around the courses), but it's too bad that it (potentially) ended like this. It's frustrating for the fans to see him struggle like this, I can't imagine how it must be for him and how it's been mentally challenging. Having a career ended by injury is always a sad story, maybe this one moreso than some others.

[RandallT]

http://www.pgatour.com/news/2015/12/01/tiger-woods-no-timetable.html

Quote

NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) -- Tiger Woods painted a bleak picture Tuesday on when he can return to golf or even get back to doing anything more than just walking.

Woods had two back surgeries in a span of 18 months followed by what he described only as another "procedure" in the same area last month. He has not started rehabilitation and does not know when his back will allow for that.

"The hardest part for me is there's really nothing I can look forward to, nothing I can build toward," Woods said. 

....

"So where is the light at the end of the tunnel? I don't know, so that's been hard," Woods said.

...

 "For my 20 years out here, I think I've achieved a lot, and if that's all it entails, then I've had a pretty good run. But I'm hoping that's not it. I'm hoping that I can get back out here and compete against these guys. I really do miss it."

....

He says it has been two months since he hit a golf ball -- "a chip shot left handed" -- and that he passes most his time playing video games.

 

Not a lot positive in those snippets.

[imsys0042]

For someone so driven and someone who has grinded so many things out, this is a terrible, terrible place for him to be.   Get better Tiger.

 

[Dave2512]

Sounds defeated and it's a bummer. I watched less golf this year than any since it's been a regular activity for me. A big reason was no/little Tiger. Every time he teed it up I watched.

I hope he has a miraculous recovery but he doesn't seem optimistic. Wonder how much of it is the reality when he is able to come back he will be on the other side of 40. It doesn't seem that he wants to be middle of the road Tiger. His passion is to contend and win not just be out there.

[jbishop15]

God, this sucks. 

[nevets88]

Time magazine piece, nothing really new here.

Quote

What’s a day of rehab like for you now?

I walk 10 minutes on the beach. That’s it. Then I come back home and lie back down on the couch, or a bed.

What’s it like when you contemplate the possibility that you’re not going to be able to play again?

Anyone I’ve ever talked to who has had procedures like I’ve had, they say the same thing: you don’t know. With a joint, you know. With a nerve, you just don’t know. I’ve talked to Peyton [Manning] about his neck and what he’s going through. It’s tough as athletes, when you just don’t know. The most important thing, though, is that I get to have a life with my kids. That’s more important than golf. I’ve come to realize that now.

 

http://time.com/tiger/

[iacas]

51 minutes ago, nevets88 said:

Time magazine piece, nothing really new here.

http://time.com/tiger/

Important enough for a whole thread:

 

[skydog]

^^Why I wasn't a 'hater' for the past year and a half when I've been saying I thought Tiger's career was done. I haven't wanted for him to be done but when you have nerve damage in the back as a golfer, recovery becomes much more of an 'if' then a 'when.'

To me he sounds like someone who isn't sure if he wants his quality of life to keep being negatively impacted by golf. More surgeries are almost guaranteed if he tries to come back and keep playing for the next 10 years and understandably I think he's just tired of it. Sucks to see

[RFKFREAK]

Def hope he gets better and contends.  I didn't see Tiger play when he was in his prime but he just makes the game much more interesting to watch for me.

[saevel25]

6 hours ago, skydog said:

To me he sounds like someone who isn't sure if he wants his quality of life to keep being negatively impacted by golf. More surgeries are almost guaranteed if he tries to come back and keep playing for the next 10 years and understandably I think he's just tired of it. Sucks to see

If properly rehabbed the chance for re-injury is only 18% with that type of surgery Tiger had. I do believe he tried to come back too soon. If he properly rehabs then it's not guaranteed he will re-injure himself. 

I do think he's tired of this level of pain and trying to grind it out. I think the best course would be see if he can get back to some sort of minimal pain, and just focus on the big tournaments.

[mchepp]

Wow, Tiger's Dad might have been right all along.

Quote

"I'm going to make a prediction," Earl Woods said Sunday night, as champagne both tingled and loosened his tongue. "Before he's through, my son will win 14 major championships."

http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/tiger-woods-wins-1995-us-amateur

 

[nevets88]

Play this:

Then play and mute this:

[skydog]

21 hours ago, saevel25 said:

If properly rehabbed the chance for re-injury is only 18% with that type of surgery Tiger had. I do believe he tried to come back too soon. If he properly rehabs then it's not guaranteed he will re-injure himself. 

I do think he's tired of this level of pain and trying to grind it out. I think the best course would be see if he can get back to some sort of minimal pain, and just focus on the big tournaments.

I wasn't necessarily saying he would need another micro-whatever surgery, just that if he keeps trying to compete for another decade I think other issues and surgeries will likely crop up IMO based on recent trends and that with most athletes, once the body starts breaking down it doesn't stop.

[Broke100Once]

On 2015-09-20, 6:07:05, newtogolf said:

Tiger is like an old George Foreman thinking about getting back in the ring with an in his prime Mike Tyson, he doesn't seem to have all the tools he needs to beat the young guns on tour.  At some point he's going to have to evaluate if playing sub par golf is worth the risk of damaging his body more.  We've seen guys hang on too long in other sports and it not only hurt their legacy but they paid the price physically as well.

 

I'd like to see him get a few more wins, but I think the quest for Jack's record is over.

Not sure George "Champion At Age 45" Foreman is the best example to make your point :)  Still, I agree.  It's not only a question of Tiger getting healthy AND getting back into good form (even his 2013 form) AND peaking at one of the four major weekends --- now it's also a question of him doing all three things and maybe still not having enough to beat Spieth, Rory, Day or any other top player who's having a hot week.

[ChrisP]

Tiger worked his tail off last year to the point where it cost him some time with his gf and time with family. It has to be crippling to work that hard and put all the blood, sweat and tears in only to see poor results and then wind up back on the operating table and having to start back at ground zero again. Mentally, I think he has to be hurting more than physically right now, especially when he's watching how good some of these guys are getting and knowing deep down he just can't back to that level he once was at the peak of his career. It's also mentally frustrating to know that when he goes back out there, there's no assurance the back is going to hold up, and that has to be the most crippling thought of all from a confidence standpoint.