When is enough enough? For Tiger Woods with regards to playing, it’s a question only he can answer.
But it’s also a query that all of us will weigh in on, whether our answer is “that’s up to Tiger,” or “yes, he should retire; we hate seeing him suffer,” or “no, he should keep going; it’s the only reason I watch golf.”
Woods, as we all know, might be the most fierce competitor there’s ever been in golf. Who can forget his 2008 U.S. Open victory at Torrey Pines, where he outlasted Rocco Mediate in an 18-hole playoff, plus an extra hole of sudden death — all on a left leg with two stress fractures and a torn ACL in the same knee.
He limped his way to victory through 91 holes, but of course, he was just 32 years old back then. It was his 14th Major victory, and it appeared inevitable that he would shatter Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 in short order.
That didn’t happen, of course. It would be 11 years later that he shocked the world by logging his 15th Major victory, here at Augusta National, after he had battled back from countless other injuries and personal problems.
There’s been back and knee surgeries, too many to count, and then the horrific one-person car crash in 2021 in Southern California. On that one, we were just hoping he would survive much less play golf, yet here he was this week, limping up and down the rain-drenched hills of Augusta National on Saturday, somehow managing to make his record-tying 23rd consecutive cut at Augusta.
Tiger, of course, withdrew from the Masters after seven holes of his third round, citing a flare-up of his ongoing platar fasciitis. Kudos to him for giving it a go to start the third round in freezing, miserable conditions yesterday when the players were called back out to start another round yesterday. He bravely slogged through seven holes, playing them six-over-par. At plus-nine, he was in last place, but he only left the course after play was finally due to the deteriorating weather.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
He’s had enough this week. Now what? Does he take a few weeks off again to try to heal before the next Major, the PGA Championship at Oak Hill in May? That’s a pretty tough walk, too.
But if we know Tiger Woods, he’ll try to rehab in time for that one, or maybe he gives it a little more time to prep for U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club in June. In any case, these Majors are tough grinds. Will we see more withdrawals?
Does he still have a realistic shot to win three more Majors and tie the Golden Bear?…
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