As you all know (unless you were in a complete coma) Tiger Woods returned to the PGA Tour last week. This fact got me to wondering-what did his compatriots on the tour think of this. Sure they all said the right things to the media-we're glad to have him back etc. But is that really what they were thinking ?-after all it's not like one of the Boys was coming back-it wasn't like Tiger would join them in the locker room-as far as I know the only person on tour that he is remotely close to is Mark O'Meara who I belief at this point is mainly playing the Seniors Tour. All the other players are competitive so they want to beat the best in the world-but don't you think some of them were saying damn he's back-we were doing OK without him and it's not like he needs the money ? Maybe they thought even if we beat him over the next couple months in anything other than a major-all the media will say is either 1) He's just rounding into shape and getting ready for the major's or 2) He's just using this tournament as a tune-up for the majors.
I guess it all boils down to this- wouldn't you like to have a private off the record conversation with the other players and really find out what they think about Tiger ?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
Yes and no.
ReplyDeleteIf I look at them as being the best in the world at golf, which they are, then I would assume the best would always want to play and beat the best, which of course is Tiger. Why would Anthony Kim, Davis Love, or Phil, to name a few, not want to challenge Tiger on the back 9 heading down the stretch of any tournament? The ultimate prize in golf, in today's terms, is not winning a tournament, it's beating Tiger.
However, if I were to privately interview them, and they were to look me into my eyes and explain that they are tired of all of the Tiger media attention and wish he would just go away, I would lose all respect for that golfer as not only an athlete, but as a professional and person. I would think, "what a coward."
But I don't think there are many golfers out there like that, especially if they are in the top 50. These guys had to be so competitive just to get to where they're at, that they have to relish every opportunity they get to beat Tiger. Whenever they win a tournament and Tiger is not there, there is always that asterick: "Well, congratulations, you won, but you didn't beat Tiger."