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Tiger arrives at the PGA Championship: How long will he last?

Published

10 years ago

Aug 6, 2014

Tiger Woods arrived at Valhalla on Wednesday, ending three days of speculation as to whether or not he would attempt to play in this year’s PGA Championship.

On Sunday, Woods withdrew from the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational with back spasms. It was the third tournament Woods had participated in since his March 31 back surgery, and the first time he was visibly in pain during an event since the procedure.

Woods’ poor play this year makes it more likely than ever that the golfer could miss the cut at Valhalla. He’s yet to record a top-10 finish in a full field event in 2014, and has shot five rounds of 73 or higher in the nine competitive rounds he has played since his return at the Quicken Loans National five weeks ago.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if Woods treated the PGA Championship like an exhibition. If he plays well, he’ll likely play deep into the championship. If he doesn’t, it could be a quick WD for the 38-year-old.

That being said, how long do you think Woods will last this week?

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Woods is scheduled to tee of in Thursday’s opening round at 8:35 a.m. EST alongside Phil Mickelson and Padraig Harrington.

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51 Comments

Big Wally

Aug 8, 2014 at 7:10 am

Tiger is a has been who has become a diva. His PED use has destroyed his body. He is now paying the price and will not ever be anything near what he was when he was juicing. The game has passed him by. You can recite all the past statistics and be his enabler but he is well past his prime

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David Smith

Aug 7, 2014 at 8:54 am

Tiger won with a broken leg, don’t count him out yet, 38yrs old still got a lot of good golf left.

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Andrew Cooper

Aug 7, 2014 at 5:35 am

I hope he can compete this week. If his body holds up he’ll soon be back winning. 5 PGA Tour wins from 16 starts last season-when he’s fit, Woods is still the best golfer out there.

Reply Report comment
- Rich
  
  Aug 7, 2014 at 5:43 am
  
  Since when did being the best involve a caveat? Rory’s the best there is at the moment, deal with it.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Andrew Cooper
    
    Aug 7, 2014 at 7:08 am
    
    No doubt McIlroy is the best at the moment and fully deserves the no.1 ranking. But form comes and goes and it’s not so long ago that McIlroy was struggling badly. Woods is trying to come back from surgery so it’s tough to right him off. Last year showed that if he can get his health back then he can still be a prolific winner.
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Rich
      
      Aug 7, 2014 at 9:50 am
      
      You said best golfer out there which is not accurate. If you want to talk hyperbole, we could be here all day.
      
      Reply Report comment
      - Andrew Cooper
        
        Aug 7, 2014 at 12:46 pm
        
        McIlroy, Kaymer, Westwood, Donald and others have come in and out of form but none have been able to sustain the brilliance of Woods and produce season after season of 6,7+ wins. Even a semi- fit Woods won 5 times last season. McIlroy is currently the in-form player, but taking a longer view there’s no question that Woods has proved himself a clear level above the rest.
        
        Reply Report comment
      - Rich
        
        Aug 8, 2014 at 7:28 am
        
        Heard it all before Andrew. He’s not doing that now! You said he is, and I quote “still the best golfer out there”. If you have to cite what he did in the past to prove your point now, then he’s not the best is he. You didn’t say he had the best record for the last 15 years out there, you said he was still the best golfer out there. Well maybe he was, but now, clearly he is not.
        
        Reply Report comment
      - Andrew Cooper
        
        Aug 8, 2014 at 5:00 pm
        
        If Woods can get back to full fitness then I’d say it’s very likely he’ll return to no.1. He’s only 38, won 5 times last year and is the best player ever- and no other player has shown the consistency to make the no 1 ranking theirs.
        
        Reply Report comment
Ponjo

Aug 7, 2014 at 4:01 am

If he is in contention the story will be how he played for the pain. If he is not in contention it’s Taxi for Mr Woods

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Jake Anderson

Aug 7, 2014 at 3:49 am

Urlce Woods is just not very good at golf anymore. Therefore he should just sit in a dark corner.

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- MHendon
  
  Aug 7, 2014 at 11:44 am
  
  “not very good at golf anymore.” I wish I was as bad as Tiger.
  
  Reply Report comment
Al

Aug 7, 2014 at 2:25 am

If Jack did it at 46, today’s guys can do it at 50+ …12+ years at one major win every 4 years = plenty of time to correct his back & coach. As per Haney, “He just has to want it/work at it enough again”. Since he already has all the money he needs & cant be enjoying the game much in his recent state, he must still “want it” & be planning accordingly. He still wants majors & knows what it takes to get them. He’ll continue to do everything he can to make it happen given the circumstances at any given time.

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Roger

Aug 6, 2014 at 11:37 pm

He will play poorly and act like he’s in pain, fall to his knees and ext. Tiger has left the building!

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dot dot

Aug 6, 2014 at 10:04 pm

I think at this point I would rather see Bubba withdraw than Tiger.

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Booger

Aug 6, 2014 at 10:00 pm

Please stop wasting everybody’s time with another tiger article. He’s done!!

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paul

Aug 6, 2014 at 7:33 pm

Not voting. I hope he does well and heals up.

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Jack Nash

Aug 6, 2014 at 7:22 pm

I don’t think him showing up for the PGA is the big deal. I think it’s all about the Ryder Cup and showing the Capt. that he’s fit to win his singles match. That’s about what he’s best at. The team events he stinks the joint up.

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- Rich
  
  Aug 6, 2014 at 8:35 pm
  
  Please pick Tiger for the Ryder cup. I would love to see him crash and burn at Gleneagles.
  
  Reply Report comment
steve

Aug 6, 2014 at 6:13 pm

Tiger hasnt been in top form in years. He will never win a major with the Foley swing. Look at his pre-shot routine. He swings slow checking positions, he still talks about how the swing is coming together. Honestly he doesnt trust his swing and that is a problem this far along with Foley. He has to swallow his pride and go back to Butch. Look how Fowler is playing.
I dont blame him for playing, atleast their is a chance to win. Staying home there is no chance.

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- Dalt
  
  Aug 6, 2014 at 6:19 pm
  
  Don’t think Butch would take him back. Also, it is too late to go thru another swing change. Took 3 years to get the Harmon swing the first time and that was at age 21. Don’t think his body will respond now as it did in 1997-2000. Let’s face it, he just might be history.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - steve
    
    Aug 6, 2014 at 6:28 pm
    
    You are most likely right, but this version of Tiger is not great. Could he win a major yeah, why not. Any top 25 player can win a major, can he win 4 to tie and 5 to pass Jack, no way.
    
    Reply Report comment
CD

Aug 6, 2014 at 6:12 pm

Such a dull, boring, bland and one dimensional individual. Made a rod for his own back by sleeping around whilst cultivating a family image, then rather than embrace it, that family shackled him when a single guy could focus; gave some artificial, management BS speech that he erroneously believed people were bothered about, thought was important and ‘required’. He looks tormented, confused and cuts a frustrated figure, like he’s seeking perfection in ball striking and not winning, which for a winner must be confusing at best. He’s had a fantastic 2013 yet looks weather-beaten. A truly pathetic individual in the pure sense of the word. I hope he discovers some calm, gets a smile back and counts his blessings, because he is a very fortunate man.

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Pumper

Aug 6, 2014 at 5:41 pm

Can’t remember the last time I seen Tiger look remotely happy, the guy is a multi-millionaire and plays golf for a living! He needs to work at a charity for a month to see how good he has it.

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- Rich
  
  Aug 6, 2014 at 7:07 pm
  
  Here here!
  
  Reply Report comment
Jim Awad

Aug 6, 2014 at 5:04 pm

He needs to see me for a lesson…..Seriously…..He will have another back surgery – I’ve had three. The first one was no doubt conservative; no Dr wanted to be the one that ‘screwed up Tigers back surgery’. He needs the big spine tilt, left sided wind up and that slight lateral motion he used to have in his backswing to make the turn over a greater range of motion. To protect anyone’s bad back, start the down swing with a total body shift from the right foot and NOT dip back down into it. keep the ‘nose up’ and let the hands and arms drop. Lead the derotation from his left side. capitalize on hand speed. he’ll still hit it a ton, and stop tearing up his back. He ain’t superman, and it takes a little more time to heal than we (both he and I) thought. The pain is gone and you can move again, but it simply isn’t ready yet for full tilt boogie.

I have 14 broken bones and carried a +2 three years after breaking my back. I had to seriously relearn to swing. I used my knowledge of biomechanics & functional anatomy and stole key pieces from a bunch of different swings and put one together that not only works, but doesn’t hurt….

Jim Awad, Class A professional, board certified sports medicine therapist & trainer. 2007 Top 50 Golf Instructors in America

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west

Aug 6, 2014 at 4:01 pm

(1) No one can predict with any shred of certainty what will happen in sports. Especially in a game like golf…

(2) We should NOT be concerned with how Tiger will do, just happy he showed up to play…

Tiger is arguably the best golfer of all time. Appreciate the fact he is giving his best and is still dedicated as he is during this time of physical setback…

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BOBBY D

Aug 6, 2014 at 3:49 pm

STOP ALL THE TIGER BS.

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Wally K

Aug 6, 2014 at 3:23 pm

Eye of the Tiger! Eye of the Tiger! You can do it.

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chad ryan

Aug 6, 2014 at 3:02 pm

Honestly I don’t think Tiger is hurt. I have been fighting back pain for months and it doesn’t effect my golf game at all. It hurts when i sneeze and bend over – but i never notice it on the course. And if you watch those swings from Firestone. He wasn’t babying anything. They looked like angry hard swings of frustration. He didn’t WD bc he was hurt. He WD’d because he gave up. He was playing horrible so he faked it to get off the course. This is the third time i can think of that he has WD’d because of “horrible” pain and then come back to play the very next week. I want to root for Tiger but the guy just doesn’t cut it anymore. You listen to him talk and he’s clearly very proud of his accomplishments – but he doesn’t sound like a guy who’s hungry for more. He’s satisfied. He doesn’t practice half as much as he did 6 years ago. It’s been stated in Haney’s book and you never see him on the range AFTER a round like he used to. That’s why everyone is passing him. They’re spending more time on the range than in the gym.

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- Christosterone
  
  Aug 6, 2014 at 3:41 pm
  
  He won 5 times last year including The Players.
  2013 Awards:
  PGA Player of the Year
  PGA Tour Player of the Year
  Vardon Trophy
  Leading Money Winner(despite playing less than any player in the top 50 other than Stricker)
  
  Yep, he sucks. Definitely should give it up.
  Great Post btw.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - gary
    
    Aug 6, 2014 at 3:55 pm
    
    That was all last year before his surgery. I’m in the medical field and know a little about back issues. The time that he took off was not nearly long enough to heal and rehab to get back to a tour level of ability. I wish him the best but you have to do it right or you can prolong your return, if at all, to serious golf. He certainly doesn’t suck, but if he doesn’t do this right he will shorten or end his career.
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Christosterone
      
      Aug 6, 2014 at 4:10 pm
      
      My wife’s an MD…no offense but unless you’re a physician, she knows more.
      And every human recovers differently.
      
      Reply Report comment
  - Rich
    
    Aug 6, 2014 at 7:08 pm
    
    Nice cut and paste from one of your other posts loser
    
    Reply Report comment
- jim
  
  Aug 6, 2014 at 4:40 pm
  
  I can’t say for sure that Tiger quit from lack of interest, but I can certainly say that if his back ‘went out’ he would have almost no chance to swing a club. Having a bad back myself, it is far different than a sore one and when the disk starts pinching a nerve it is almost intolerable. Depending on the severity you cannot swing a club. I can certainly see an awkward swing causing pain and possibly sciatica and seeing him leave the course visibly supporting himself on the arm of the golf cart leads me to believe he was in tremendous pain (I’ve done the same thing many times). Not trying to defend Tiger, especially if he quit, but let’s not jump to conclusions about how a bad back can hurt either.
  
  Reply Report comment
labillyboy

Aug 6, 2014 at 2:50 pm

Why? As a guy who has struggled with a bad back and golf, the ONE THING I know about this situation is the only way to get yourself better is to put down the golf clubs. And that, is for a guy who just plays once a week if he’s lucky. For a tour player who needs to hit hundreds of shots just to be “in tune” there is no way he’s going to make 4 rounds after having lower back spasms a few days ago. All he’s going to do is aggravate whatever is causing the problem and delay a temporary recovery for another week (yes, temporary… once your back goes, it doesn’t ever fully recover)… Like the comment above, this IS Captain Ahab going fishing… and it won’t be pretty.

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- Matt
  
  Aug 6, 2014 at 2:52 pm
  
  Totally agree. As another dude with a back injury, he should put them down for 2014. Make a real recovery. Come back STRONG.
  
  Reply Report comment
JCorona

Aug 6, 2014 at 1:55 pm

Tiger is only doing himself a disservice by playing. There is no sense in playing, especially “if” he tweaked his back as badly as he said. I am not saying he faked it but as someone who had the same surgery it is hard to come back 3 months later, especially at the high a level people remember him at.
If he were any other player he would be staying home and no one would care, especially the bloodsucking sponsors and media. He needs to heal, he is not a machine.

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- Tedro
  
  Aug 6, 2014 at 5:24 pm
  
  Bloodsucking sponsors? You mean the same ones that have helped TW surpass the billion dollar earnings mark? I am not a Tiger fan by any stretch but he has moved the needle in terms of golf earnings. And sponsors, the ones you so malign, are the reason. I don’t think anyone is pushing Tiger to play other than Tiger…
  
  Reply Report comment
Chuck

Aug 6, 2014 at 1:45 pm

It’s no longer much of a pleasure to watch Tiger. He’s just a grim machine, trying to get to 19 majors. Like watching Captain Ahab going fishing.

When was the last time Tiger said anything revealing, or interesting, or intelligent, or spontaneous, or not totally canned?

I’d be rooting for his recovery and success, if he seemed like he was a good guy worth rooting for.

And I actually don’t think he’s such a bad guy. Maybe he’s just never overcome his dad’s angry selfishness. Maybe he never got over Charley Price’s having quoted the private lesbian joke. God only knows how his psyche has been traumatized by the worldwide criticism of the past several years.

It’s a shame; I think that deep down, Tiger’s a reasonably smart guy and a good guy. But he’s like Michael Jordan. A total prisoner of his success.

Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer — two people who are surely human, with human flaws — never demonstrated the long-runnnig pathologies of the public Tiger Woods.

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- Christosterone
  
  Aug 6, 2014 at 2:15 pm
  
  Tiger’s personality is more along the lines of Ben Hogan imho.
  Almost anti-social and maniacally focused on what lies on the golf course.
  Phil, by contrast, is more on the Byron Nelson or Lee Trevino spectrum as having an affable quality many misinterpret as weakness or gamesmanship.
  Frankly, these players are all just like us with idiosyncratic tendencies magnified in the social media world.
  Jack was probably closer to Hogan than Nelson but access was so limited(compared to now) during his hyper focused years.
  By the time the media was “modern”, Jack had mellowed and his win-at-all-costs killer mentality had tames somewhat(post 1980)
  
  All greats had distinct personalities like you and me but their character flaws and positive traits have been hyperbolized and mythified both negatively and positively.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - dapadre
    
    Aug 7, 2014 at 7:04 am
    
    Very well said! Many ppl forget that Hogan was pretty shrewd and distant a lot like Tiger actually. Truth is that many golfers didnt really like him from a personal aspect, but respected his game.
    
    Reply Report comment
CM

Aug 6, 2014 at 1:27 pm

He’ll play as long as he in contention. If he falls out expect to see grimaces, falling to his knees, followed by a withdrawal. Expect to see an academy award nomination. If he win the academy award, does that count as a major?

Reply Report comment
- Captain Oblivious
  
  Aug 6, 2014 at 2:30 pm
  
  Well, at least that would be one thing Jack has never done.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - tank
    
    Aug 6, 2014 at 7:44 pm
    
    lol ^
    
    Reply Report comment
  - Idris Sherrod
    
    Aug 7, 2014 at 12:04 am
    
    Jack never won 79 PGA Tour Events…
    
    Reply Report comment
dot dot

Aug 6, 2014 at 1:24 pm

I wonder if the pilot even bothered to shut the engines on his plane off. He’ll be outta there in a heartbeat. He just stopped by because his management made him.

Reply Report comment
dave

Aug 6, 2014 at 1:15 pm

no one wants to watch him play poorly. its hard to watch why can’t he just take the rest of the year off, forget the ryder cup and come back strong!? he doesnt need the money thats for sure! whats he trying to prove?!

Reply Report comment
- Golf4evah
  
  Aug 6, 2014 at 1:23 pm
  
  +1
  Agreed. He is clearly not in top form to compete let alone healthy. Ratings???
  
  Reply Report comment
- Ricky Stone, Jr.
  
  Aug 6, 2014 at 1:28 pm
  
  As a Tiger fan it is hard to watch. I think he believes he can still win. Or maybe he just loves the game so much he can’t step away. I would love to see him 100% myself. His game isn’t where it should be yet.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - dave
    
    Aug 6, 2014 at 1:32 pm
    
    agreed. i can see he wants to prove something now that people are more interested in his fellow nike competitor… but as a fan its doing us no justice! i just dont want to see an ongoing back problem ending his career short. i hope he makes the right decision for him and us!
    
    Reply Report comment

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