Golfwashington.com, until now silent on the whole Tiger Woods affair, has posted an interesting discussion on what it all might mean for the world number one and the game. Editors Chris Gregor and Joe Carranza (also the Director of Instruction at the Members Club at Aldarra in Fall City) discuss topics such as Tiger's next tournament, what he can expect from the galleries and his fellow players, and whether or not he should even be considered for the Ryder Cup (article reproduced here with permission from GolfWashington.com).
Joe: Okay, first question: When and where does Tiger play his next competitive round?
Chris: I think that depends on what happens with his marriage. At this precise moment we don't know what's going to happen exactly, so it's hard to tell. If they can somehow stay together and Tiger wants to prove to Elin that he means what he says then we may not see him at all this year. That said, I think she'd let him out for the Masters which he would desperately want to play. And if they do divorce, which let's face it, seems pretty likely now, then I think we could see Tiger back in California. If indeed the marriage was a publicity sham, which certain reports have suggested, then I see no reason why he wouldn't just hop right back in and play a normal schedule.
Joe: I'm not sure about that. I agree that if the marriage was a publicity stunt then it won't take him long to get over her leaving. But the whole ordeal must have been very taxing even for someone as mentally strong as him. I think he'll want to rest and stay out of harm's way a while longer but will definitely start feeling the itch to play again in time for the Masters. We know that the first three major venues next year; Augusta National, Pebble Beach and the Old Course at St Andrews, are probably his three favorite courses in the world, so I'm guessing he won't want to miss any of them. And to prepare he'll want to play at Arnold Palmer's event in Orlando or even the Shell Houston Open. He's never played that tournament, but who knows; next year everything might change.
Joe: Okay, so when he does come back, will he be the same golfer, or will the events of the last month have affected his game negatively? Might he even be better, if that's possible?
Chris: Yes, it's possible. He doesn't win every time, much as he'd like to. I don't think he'll play as well as he can for a few months because of the heckling he's bound to get and the fact he'll be so rusty. His mind has been on everything but his golf game, so even he might not have his best for a while. It might take the first half of the year for him to hit top form. After that, I honestly think he'll be a better player. He will be so determined and that is a frightening prospect for the rest of the field. No one can will the ball into the hole like he can. Look at that putt to get into the play-off at last year's US Open. We expected him to make it. It would have been surprising had he missed it. You absolutely cannot say that about anyone else. When Tiger is so determined he's virtually unbeatable.
Joe: I don't think there's any question he'll still be a great player. This is not going to be one of those Arnold Palmer, Tony Jacklin or Seve Ballesteros stories which ends '...and he never won another major after that.' It will be so interesting to see how he plays in his first tournament back, whenever that is. In his return this year, after eight months' spent rehabilitating his knee, he lost to Tim Clark in the second round of the Matchplay. He obviously wasn't at his best, but it didn't take him long to find it. This is a very different scenario obviously, but I think he'll be able to block his inner demons on the golf course and will soon start winning again.
Joe: So how long until he surpasses Jack Nicklaus's majors record (18, Woods currently has 14)?
Chris: As I said before, if the divorce happens, I think he will be freed up and will ultimately be a better player. In that case, I don't think it will take him much more than three years to get to 19 majors.
Joe: Any scenario can be imagined at the moment, but I can definitely see one in which he wins two majors next year and passes Nicklaus by the end of 2012. But, like NIcklaus says, he still has to do it. There's a lot that can go wrong in golf. And not a lot would have to change for him to stop dominating the way he has. At that level of the game, the difference between success and failure is tiny. Maybe all this will be the tiny something that prevents him from being quite so amazing. But what am I saying? Of course he'll be amazing, and continue winning majors. We can only speculate over what his mental condition is right now, but at some point he is going to want to show the world this hasn't destroyed him.
Joe: What do you think he can expect from the galleries?
Chris: A lot of grief. I think he'll take a pounding for a while, but it will calm down in time. I've thought for several days he should come out and sit in front of a microphone and say sorry from the bottom of his heart. Get in front of a camera and show some emotion, show some remorse. Some will think it stage-managed of course, but it will appease so many. They'll love him again and the support will swing back in his favor.
Joe: I totally agree. He's got to pick his moment, but I think at some point he has to start bawling on screen, and mean it of course. We all forget so easily (well, most of us) and will be ready and willing to forgive him if we think a TV apology will allow him to play his best golf again. I'm sure some people want to see him paraded down the street in a cage or put him in the stocks and throw bananas at him, but I also think most people are tired of it all and just want to see him play golf again.
Joe: What about the players?
Chris: Easy one; the players will welcome him back with open arms. 'We love you Tiger,' they'll say. 'We missed you.' And don't for one second think he's the only one guilty of infidelity on the PGA Tour. There are plenty of others who will secretly be thanking him for taking the rap.
Joe: I think they'll be even more stand-offish because they won't have a clue what to say...for a while at least.
Joe: Has any of this surprised you?
Chris: Not really. I'm not at all surprised Tiger played around. He's a young, good-looking, very rich guy that's traveling all over the world. He must have felt like a kid in a candy store at times. What does surprise me is that he'd be so foolish and naive to think this wasn't going to come back at him at some point. I mean, he took a waitress from the local Perkins back to his house in Orlando for Heaven's sake. Did he think she would happily continue in her $8-an-hour job forever and at no point say 'Hey Tiger, I'm done with waitressing, give me a load of money or I'm going to the press'? I think he probably saw himself as invincible, or untouchable.
Nothing about the tabloid press has surprised me. They don't care about staying in Tiger's good books like the golf press has for 12 years. The tabloids will do whatever it takes to get their story.
Joe: Very true. But the whole thing has shocked me. I just never saw this coming. His brand builders did a superb job of painting this picture of a happily-married family man. I was taken in completely. Ah, the power of advertizing.
Joe: Corey Pavin said in London today that Tiger will be an asset to the team at the Ryder Cup next October, and that he will be the same player he always was. What about the Ryder Cup? Should Tiger play, assuming he qualifies?
Chris: Hmm, good question, hadn't thought of that. If it were next week, he couldn't possibly play. It would be too much for the team to handle. But I think by the first week of October things will have died down sufficiently. The British tabloids will give him a hard time obviously, and the galleries over there will rib him mercilessly. They have a reputation for being the best in the world, but that's really only at the Open Championship. At the Ryder Cup they can be every bit as partizan as the Americans, and they will let him have it.
Joe: For that reason, there's a big part of me that thinks he shouldn't play. Remember he'll have a partner in the foursomes and fourballs and, though the comments won't be targeted at whoever his partner is, it could well affect him. I just think it will be a big, crazy circus. And, as the US proved last time, we don't need him in the team to win. That's not to say the US has a better team without him, of course.
Joe: As well as the infidelity, there is speculation about Tiger and performance-enhancing drugs because the Canadian doctor that treated his knee has been linked with supplying other professional athletes with HGH and charged in Canada with selling Actovegin, an unapproved drug that can speed up recovery from injury. Any thoughts?
Chris: None at all because all that is pure speculation at the moment. But I will say this; PGA Tour policy says it will fine or even ban players who bring bad publicity to the sport. Tiger is the most heavily fined player on the PGA Tour and TigerGate has certainly bought it bad publicity. But Tim Finchem said yesterday Tiger will face no disciplinary action. Well, frankly, that makes an ass of his rules.
Joe: I understand why Finchem doesn't want to make news of the fines public, but I don't agree with it. I mean, say Woods is fined $50,000 in a season for a number of incidents in which he swore or bounced a club into the crowd. That amount is a drop in the ocean to him so he isn't affected financially. And his image doesn't get hurt because no one gets to hear about it. And the PGA Tour certainly doesn't need the money either. So unless that $50,000 goes to charity, or the fines are made public, I see absolutely no reason to impose them. Make news of the fines public, and make the fine meaningful - cash for charity and a one-shot penalty. Etiquette is part of the Rules. Under Rule 33-7 I think it is, a player can be disqualified for a serious breach of etiquette. I think using the F-bomb on TV is a pretty serious breach, so why shouldn't Tiger Woods be penalised for that?
Joe: Lastly, can any good come of this?
Chris: Not much, but I'll tell you this; somewhere Phil Mickelson is doing cartwheels and licking his chops. He's started playing so well and, for a while next year, he might have no Tiger Woods to worry about. Plus, I don't think he minds that Tiger has gotten himself in a wee bit of trouble. Seriously though, it's not good for the game, or the PGA Tour. The game will always survive, but the business of golf will suffer for a spell. There's no doubt the Tour needs him back asap.
Joe: It will have no affect on core golfers who will play and enjoy the game regardless of whether or not its best player is sleeping around. But, like you say, the Tour will definitely feel his absence. It survived the second half of '08 without him though, so it should be okay.
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