Tiger Woods taught us nothing throughout a busy December of golf. What was presumed to be a little bit of foreshadowing for a way 2023 might unfold for him became nothing greater than a continuation of what he appeared like in 2022.
Woods first withdrew from the Hero World Challenge with plantar fasciitis earlier than partnering with Rory McIlroy per week later in a loss to Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth in The Match VII. It was a efficiency (by either side) that Spieth might nonetheless be jawing about once they all congregate on the Masters subsequent April. Following that quick match at Pelican Golf Club, Woods teamed together with his son, Charlie, within the PNC Championship the place they completed T8, six strokes behind Vijay and Qass Singh.
Tiger’s efficiency all through was nearly completely emblematic of his 2022. Some nice swings, wonderful velocity for somebody of his age and harm historical past, lots of rust, and loads of disappointment from a physique that’s unable to carry out at his desired stage.
This is who Tiger is now. The concept that this was maybe going to be an end-of-year push towards a thriving, more healthy 2023 was curtailed instantly together with his withdrawal within the Bahamas after which once more when he appeared mediocre (albeit enjoyably mediocre!) at Pelican with Rory.
Still, there’s seemingly a refusal to confess that Woods is in no place to compete at PGA Tour events, a lot much less win main championships. Three-time main winner Padraig Harrington said during the PNC Championship that he thinks Tiger will win one other main! While gamers are extraordinarily disincentivized to say that Woods will not win once more, it nonetheless got here off sounding ridiculous.
Woods himself has admitted that his downside is just not hitting the pictures but quite strolling the golf programs. At The Match and the PNC Championship, he was ready to make use of a golf cart, which won’t be permitted if and when he tees it up in 2023. Harrington centered on the velocity Woods has been producing, which Thomas famous as nicely.
“He said that at Hero: He can hit any shot he wants and obviously some days are different than others,” mentioned Thomas. “He said it himself: He has plenty of speed. He 100% hits it farther than I do with the driver right now, and when he’s feeling well and moving well like he was [at the PNC], he can do anything he wants. So, it’s nice that he has a cart and is able to enjoy this week.”
But what about 2023? What in regards to the Genesis Invitational and the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Players Championship and the Masters when that metaphorical crutch is eliminated and Woods has to get round for as much as 72 holes on a leg that can by no means be 100% once more? Will he even have the ability to compete with out the coveted reps he so usually mentions?
Even Tiger does not know.
“No, not yet,” mentioned Woods when he was requested if he might predict what 2023 might seem like. “Because if I didn’t have the plantar feeling like this, then yes, I could tell you that and I’d have a better idea. But I’m supposed to be resting this thing and stretching and letting it heal. But I’m not doing that at the moment.”
There are a number of issues; maybe the most important is that Woods turns 47 this week. Yes, he is match. Yes, he can nonetheless swing it. Yes, he is Tiger Woods. But 47 is 47, and his age is actually not serving to his leg heal.
Woods is in a greater place proper now than he was this time a 12 months in the past. He lately mentioned that his solely aim for 2022 was to play within the Open Championship and that he was shocked that he was ready sufficient to play within the PGA Championship and Masters as nicely. He will doubtless try to surpass that complete this 12 months by enjoying in all 4 majors and maybe one or two different events. Will he end all these tournaments? Who is aware of, but he’ll nearly actually try to begin them.
What does not actually make sense is the pervasive notion that Woods could be aggressive on the majors and even perhaps contend to win one. He did not come anyplace near that in 2022 (forty seventh, withdrawal, missed reduce), and any incremental enchancment within the well being of his leg is prone to be offset by his ageing physique. (Remember, his again is not precisely in peak situation, both.)
There is simply not a transparent path to Woods being wholesome sufficient to place within the vital work that might make him sharp sufficient to win a sixteenth main championship.
Does that imply Tiger goes to be a ceremonial golfer in 2023 and past? Probably not. He can have his moments. He will shoot a 66 in some unspecified time in the future. He will pop onto a significant leaderboard on a Friday or perhaps a weekend. He will present a thrill or two alongside the way in which. However, he lacks the bodily consistency vital to actually contend given the 72 holes of grind required to also have a probability of profitable one other main.
The pressure between his ability (nonetheless terribly excessive) and his bodily functionality (everywhere in the map) will likely be the story in relation to Woods in 2023. It will doubtless comply with him for the remainder of his profession. The indisputable fact that his major up to date, Phil Mickelson, received a significant at age 50 will solely contribute to the hoopla. Winning golf tournaments — particularly those Woods performs — at age 47 is extraordinarily difficult, bordering on unattainable. Doing so with a physique as busted as Woods’ exacerbates that issue.
So whereas we are going to see extra of Tiger in 2023, and his presence will likely be an excellent factor given the PGA Tour’s ongoing rivalry with LIV Golf, December was not an indicator that we’ll see extra of Woods doing what he is executed all through his profession: contending to win high-level golf tournaments. Those days are nearly actually over, and whereas we’d get a glimpse or two opposite to that over the following 12 months (or past), these previous couple of weeks have been a reminder of the place Woods is at and what lies forward.
Projecting Tiger Woods’ 2023 schedule
- Feb. 16-19: The Genesis Invitational
- March 9-12: The Players Championship
- April 6-9: The Masters
- May 18-21: PGA Championship
- June 15-18: U.S. Open
- July 20-23: The Open Championship