It’s official – Tiger Woods is going to mount a comeback.
It is the least surprising news of the week for me but what did come as a shock was his statement he will not be able to scale Mount Everest again on his latest comeback.
I don’t believe for a second he will not try – he has an inner drive which simply won’t let him accept being anything other than continually striving for greatness.
I consider myself fortunate to have seen such a fantastic player up close in my career and if I’ve learned anything from seeing him it is that he does not do anything by half.
Do I believe him when he says will never play full time again? Yes, of course I do. But I’d argue it has been years since he came close to playing full time anyway.
He operates at a different level from most players in that his focus is solely on four big tournaments a year. That won’t change even if his body is not up to the rigours of a full schedule.
The best sound bites from @TigerWoods' first press conference in nine months.
He's finding the positives in his road to recovery. 💪 pic.twitter.com/qUXK4ZBdVL
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 30, 2021
I expect if Tiger is able to return he will likely play nine, maybe 10 times a season. An event or two in the run-up to a major then a break.
The obvious ones likely to be pencilled in are the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Hero World Challenge and perhaps at Torrey Pines. That’s seven events already.
You know what? If that’s all he can do then so be it. I’ll be thrilled just to see him competing on a golf course no matter how many tournaments it is.
There is a minimum requirement of tournaments you need to play to keep your card but he has so many exemptions he can effectively play when he wants.
Ultimately it’s Tiger Woods. If one man has earned the right to have a category exemption all of his own given what he has done for the game it’s him.
When he last won the Masters it was Roy of the Rovers stuff given his back and knee problems – a true golfing fairytale. I’m not sure what we’d call it if he managed to win another major after a horrific car crash which almost cost him a leg.
But what I do know is Tiger won’t come back if does not believe he can win. He’s such a fierce competitor that I just cannot see a scenario where he’s simply turning up to play golf for the fun of it.
He is only halfway through his recovery so we’re looking at August 2022 before he is ready to return. The idea of him playing at St Andrews in the Open does sound nice though doesn’t it and Tiger was happy to leave that option open in his press conference on Tuesday.
I think Augusta in 2023 is more likely but if he does make an appearance at the Home of Golf for the 150th Open what a chapter that would be to add to its illustrious history.
Covid will not go quietly
It was only a few weeks ago I felt as if I could look forward to a fresh start in the old routine in 2022 but Covid bit back hard at the weekend.
I can’t say I’m not fearful. One friend on the DP World Tour was due to tee off early on Saturday when it became a mad scramble to get home due from the Joburg Open. His route back eventually got him home via Ethiopa.
Others have not been so lucky. A flight chartered by DP World, which is the Dubai government’s investment arm, was denied permission to land in Dubai.
Liam Johnston eventually made it back to London on Monday and is now going through his 10 day stay in a hotel before he can go home.
I know from the tour committee that the change in circumstance came as a bolt out of the blue.
The last three months have been really encouraging and felt as if we were edging near a return to normality but the events in South Africa and the mad planes, trains and automobiles style dash for the players to get home has shown how volatile and precarious the situation still is.
Pettersen the obvious choice for Team Europe
Suzann Pettersen was the clear and obvious candidate to take on the role of European captain for the Solheim Cup.
I spoke to Catriona Matthew about staying on for a third time but she was adamant there was no chance. Having had a perfect 1-2 of wins at home and on US soil it is understandable why she has bowed out at the top.
But Pettersen is a great replacement. The Norwegian is a Solheim Cup legend following her winning putt at Gleneagles in 2019 and was vice-captain for the epic win in Toledo in September.
Her promotion to the top job was the logical next step and I’m sure she’ll do a great job.
She is respected by her players in Europe and by the Americans. Here’s hoping she can lead Europe to another win in Spain in 2023.