Will the Tiger Woods drought ever end?
Tiger Woods shot 72 Friday at Shinnecock Hills, an excellent score, but alas, Tiger shot 78 on Thursday and he’s waiting at 10-over, to see if he makes the cut. It’s not likely.
This week is the 10-year anniversary of Tiger’s most recent major title. When Tiger beat Rocco Mediate in an 18-hole playoff to win the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, no one would have guessed that Tiger would go a full decade without another major championship. The ’08 U.S. Open was Tiger’s 14th major title; he seemed not just intent on catching Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18, but breezing past it.
You know the rest. Injury. Personal problems. A comeback. More personal problems. More injuries.
Suddenly, Tiger is 42, and Nicklaus’ record is an unattainable goal. Just winning one major would be a monumental achievement at this point.
In the old days, Tiger seemed unbeatable unless someone got really hot. Now the tables have turned. Tiger seems incapable of winning a major unless HE gets really hot.
One of Tiger’s problems is that even had he continued to play fabulous golf in the dark decade, he would be 42. He wouldn’t be the player he was back in 2000 and 2004 and 2008, when he transformed the game. Time is dominant. Time is all-powerful.
Tiger would have to make allowances for time and age, even if he hadn’t had all the issues he’s had.
Next year, barring victory in either the British Open or the PGA Championship, Tiger will be 11 years removed from his most recent major title. And 11 years is the record between major victories.
Four players have gone 11 years between winning majors:
* Henry Cotton, 1937 British and 1948 British
* Julius Boros, 1952 U.S. Open and 1963 U.S. Open (and then the 1968 PGA)
* Hale Irwin, 1979 U.S. Open and 1990 U.S. Open
* Ben Crenshaw, 1984 Masters and 1995 Masters
In other words, long droughts are abundant in golf. Ending droughts this long rarely happen. It’s looking more and more like it never will end for Tiger Woods.