THE knives started to come out for Tiger Woods following his dramatic play-off win in the US Open on Monday.
News yesterday that Woods needs more surgery on his injured knee would seem to have settled the argument.
Retief Goosen, normally the most mild-mannered of professionals, was the first to raise a quizzical eyebrow when he noted Tiger’s reactions were at their most flamboyant when the great man played a bad shot.
Watching the event, I did find myself wondering during the early rounds. Tiger is, after all, the ultimate showman on the golf course.
But during the five days it became increasingly obvious Woods was struggling.
He found a way to win, defeating journeyman American Rocco Mediate at the first hole of sudden-death after an 18-hole play-off. Woods needed a birdie at the par 5 last hole to take it beyond regulation. He managed it.
He needed to hole a horrible putt on the Sunday to take Mediate into a play-off. He made it.
Moving ever closer to Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18 major wins, the question now is will Woods’s wounded knee allow him to take his rightful place as the best to play the game?
I think it will but, as ever with Woods, there will be any number of sub-plots.
The American will miss the rest of the season, including the Open championship.
Links golf always puts more stress on a golfer’s body because of the contours of the course and if the British summer lives up to expectations, the wind, rain and cold would have tested Woods’s recovery more than any of his rivals.
Lee Westwood was the best of the Europeans, finishing in third place.
The Englishman performed superbly from tee to green, but was just unable to find the putts when he needed them. Frustrating, but I think we are seeing the rejuvenation of a player who had lost his way.
Westwood’s fall from grace had been dramatic and, at times, painful to watch.
But he has dedicated himself to a fitness regime and now looks the part. He also demonstrated a new found confidence.
After the dramas of Torrey Pines, the European Tour moves on to Germany for the International Open. Some of the big names are missing, deciding quite fairly a return trip from California is not the ideal preparation.
As always the strength in depth on the tour means any one could emerge victorious. That is the great strength of golf on this side of the Atlantic.