BEARING in mind Tiger Woods has played in only nine official events on the US PGA Tour and one on the European Tour since the US PGA Championship ten months ago – by way of comparison, the world No 2, Phil Mickelson has teed up twice as often over the same period – it's no great shock to learn the game's most gifted exponent won't play much more golf this summer.
Depending on the state of his knee, which has already undergone three operations, it's unclear if the US Open champion will travel to Birkdale and challenge for the Open crown he won three times in 2000, 2005 and 2006. In an uncertain situation, wha
t can be surmised is that Woods will only miss a major if he's physically incapacitated.
Since he won his first professional major at Augusta in 1997, Tiger has played in 12 consecutive Masters, 12 US Opens, 11 Opens and 11 US PGAs.
Having already won 14 of those 46 championships, the majors are demonstrably the events which define the world No 1's career. Whatever else he chooses to enter, Tiger won't be lightly deterred from returning to Southport, where he was third behind Mark O'Meara ten years ago.
A year past, Woods suggested he wouldn't play at Carnoustie if his wife Elin gave birth to their first child during the week of the championship. In fact, Sam Alexis was born last June and Woods finished 12th behind Padraig Harrington in Angus. This scenario is different.
However much his heart is set on the Open, what's not clear is if Tiger's body is willing. Having limped to glory against Rocco Mediate at Torrey Pines, a course he knew intimately from childhood, Woods acknowledged he would have struggled to execute the level of preparation required to mount a credible challenge for a major at most other venues.
With just one good leg to stand on, Woods ranked his victory in San Diego as the most notable of his career to date. While anyone who watched him at the 1997 Masters at Augusta, the 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach and the 2000 Open at St Andrews might beg to disagree, it was easy to understand what the golfer meant. As a triumph against the odds, after spending two months on the sidelines following arthroscopic surgery, this was a truly astonishing accomplishment.
"The week had a lot of doubt to it, to be honest with you," he admitted. "I hadn't walked 18 holes since Augusta."
While there are many athletes in a preponderance of sports only too eager to pounce on a niggling injury to excuse falling short, it was typical of the most focused sportsman on the planet that he wouldn't let something as incidental as excruciating pain get in his way over 91 holes of competition against the best players in the world.
"All athletes deal with injuries and that's just part of playing sport," said Woods. "Sport isn't usually kind to the body. Weird things happen and that's just the way it is. But it's about dealing with it and getting it up there."
Giving his all and battling through the pain barrier, mark you, may have come at a price. Asked if doctors warned him he could inflict further damage, Woods nodded this was indeed the case. So, did he hurt himself at Torrey Pines? "Maybe", came the reply. Never the most confessional visitor to the interview room, Woods also added: "I'm not really good at listening to doctor's orders too well."
That line would underline his inner desire to re-join the carnival at Birkdale. However, should his knee require further surgical attention then all bets would be off and, although Jack Nicklaus' record haul of 18 majors is tantalisingly within reach, Tiger may have to take time out in the short term to ensure he has an enduring shot at posterity.
Asked if he would be back at the Open, Woods replied: "To be honest with you, I really don't know. I pushed it pretty hard this week and I just want to enjoy it and we're going to re-evaluate after this event and see what happens. I think I need to shut it down for a little bit here. It's a bit sore. I need to take a little bit of a break."
Fourteen victims forced to settle for second best in majors behind world No 1• 1997 Masters: Tom Kite
Not so much a defeat as a demolition. At 21, Woods annihilated the field, finishing 12 strokes ahead of the former US Open champion.
• 1999 US PGA: Sergio Garcia
Just 19, the Spaniard almost stole the show at Medinah with a slashing 6 iron from the base of a tree and a giddy leap up the fairway. Although the crowd rooted for the younger man, Woods was unforgiving.
• 2000 US Open: Miguel Angel Jimenez
Whatever he said this week, Pebble Beach was Woods' finest hour. He won by 15 strokes and left the Spaniard to rue: "Tiger was playing a different tournament." Ernie Els finished on the same mark as Jimenez.
• 2000 Open: Ernie Els
Having been quashed by Tiger in California, the big South African suffered the same fate a month later at St Andrews. Thomas Bjorn and Niclas Fasth were also distant runners-up.
• 2000 US PGA: Bob May
It took a journeyman in 2000 at Valhalla to test Woods. May scored 66 in the final round only for Tiger to birdie the last two holes and win a play-off.
• 2001 Masters: David Duval
Woods won his fourth major in a row – the Tiger Slam – with a sense of inevitability.
• 2002 Masters: Retief Goosen
Woods watched the world's best line up to mount a challenge and then drove a double decker bus over their ambitions.
• 2002 US Open: Phil Mickelson
In search of the second leg of the Grand Slam at Bethpage on Long Island, Woods quashed the left-hander by three shots.
• 2005 Masters: Chris Di Marco
A feisty competitor, Di Marco forced a play-off, only to lose on the first extra hole.
• 2005 Open: Colin Montgomerie
Woods wobbled on the 10th, but the Scot knocked his tee shot through the back of the 11th green and failed to save par. A two-shot lead turned into four as Woods strolled home.
• 2006 Open: Chris Di Marco
Accustomed to shadowing Woods, Di Marco suffered another near miss at Hoylake.
• 2006 US PGA: Shaun Micheel
Back to Medinah, and an astonishing display of putting aided Woods as he eclipsed Micheel by five strokes.
• 2007 US PGA: Woody Austin
Austin outscored Woods by two strokes on the last day at Southern Hills where he chipped in from birdie from 60 feet on the 12th. As usual, it wasn't enough to prevent Woods winning by two.
• 2008 US Open: Rocco Mediate
In spite of mounting a spirited challenge, the veteran eventually succumbed to Woods on the 91st hole.
The full article contains 1182 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
