It doesn't happen in just one moment, no magic switch is clicked, and then it's over for Tiger Woods.But after his flop in the U.S. Open this past week, for the first time in five years Woods is not the reigning champ of any of the majors.
The question isn't whether he will win more. He will.
The question isn't even whether he's done being TIGER WOODS. You know, 33 years old, wife, kids, receding hairline. But I saw firsthand at the TPC that other players were still scared of him. Then, he failed there, too.
The question here is whether Woods is starting his decline. That's how it will come, as a process. And for that one, I think the answer is yes. The drop-off is just now starting.
It's true he was out eight months for knee and leg surgery, but that's no excuse anymore. It's evidence. That knee is a problem from years of a violent swing. And he has been back long enough now to feel comfortable, feel his touch and win a U.S. Open.
Last year, he won it on a broken leg with torn ligaments.
I'm going to admit a little discomfort at saying this. Years ago at a Masters, I wrote that Jack Nicklaus was just for show. He had every right to play wherever and whenever he wanted. But he had never been a ceremonial golfer the way Arnold Palmer had. And here he was, years after winning the Masters in his mid-40s, still playing? Why?
Well, it was the 10th fairway on Sunday's final round that a reporter came up to me with a pen and pad out asking if I was the guy who had written that about Nicklaus, who was on the leaderboard while the Augusta crowd was going nuts.
Nicklaus didn't win, but he could have.
The point is, Nicklaus was a whole lot older then than Woods is now. So you'd have to be an idiot to write off Woods for good now. He is a true champion and he's going to be around for a while.
But I think the days of wondering whether he can win all four majors in one year are done. The race for best ever, Woods or Nicklaus, seems to have been boiled down to a mathematical count of major titles. Woods has 14 and Nicklaus 18. And I don't think Woods is going to pass him by much.
If he wins, say, one major a year, even giving him one this year, then he won't pass Nicklaus till he's 37. And that might preclude any more knee surgeries, or troubles, or other injuries.
Woods is already the greatest ever, by the way. Nicklaus had to face down much bigger stars in his era, in Palmer, Trevino, Miller, Floyd, Watson. But while Tiger's era has fewer great players, it has way, way more very good ones. And Woods has just been too dominant in his era.
But at some time, Woods' victory march is going to slow down. And that's now.
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LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers watches as Mo Williams #2 takes a shoe to the face by Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers after a steal in the closing seconds of the first half at The Quicken Loans Arena on February 8, 2009 in Cleveland, Ohio. (David Liam Kyle, NBAE/Getty Images)
David Liam Kyle, NBAE/Getty Images
Brazil's Diogo (L) vies for the ball with Paraguay's Hernan Perez during their U-20 South American Championship football match in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela on February 8, 2009.(Juan Barreto, AFP/Getty Images )
Juan Barreto, AFP/Getty Images
A Dalmatian looks at its handler as a judge goes to touch the dog during the first day of the 2009 Westminster Dog Show in New York February 9, 2009.(Lucas Jackson, Reuters)
Lucas Jackson, Reuters
Denver Nuggets forward Chris Anderson touches his head during a time out in the first half of their NBA basketball game with the New Jersey Nets in East Rutherford, New Jersey February 7, 2009. (Ray Stubblebine, Reuters)
Ray Stubblebine, Reuters
Margarita Marbler, of Austria, skis to a bronze medal finish the ladies moguls freestyle FIS World Cupskiing qualification at Cypress mountain in West Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009. (Jonathan Hayward, The Canadian Press/AP)
Jonathan Hayward, The Canadian Press/AP
West Virginia guard Darryl Bryant (25) is fouled by Providence guard Jeff Xavier (1) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Morgantown, W.Va. Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009. West Virginia won 86-59. (Don Wright, AP)
Don Wright, AP
Missouri's DeMarre Carroll, top, celebrates the Tigers' 62-60 win over Kansas in Columbia, Missouri, Monday, February 9, 2009. (Rich Sugg, Kansas City Star/MCT)
Rich Sugg, Kansas City Star/MCT
David Clarkson #23 of the New Jersey Devils fights Erik Reitz #4 of the New York Rangers during their game on February 9, 2009 at The Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey (Al Bello, Getty Images)
Al Bello, Getty Images
Driver Patrick Sheltra (60) begins to spin coming out of the fourth turn during the ARCA 200 auto race in Daytona Beach, Fla. Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009.
Darryl Graham, AP
Spain's Nuria Llagostera Vives serves the ball, in this multiple exposure, to Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic during their Fed Cup tennis match in Brno February 7, 2009.
Petr Josek, Reuters
Look, he has played eight tournaments since coming back in March. He has seven top 10 finishes and two victories.
But he fell apart at the end at the Masters, and he was never in the running at the Open, even though he finished sixth at even-par.
Those aren't exactly bad numbers. But Woods is the one who has made his legacy a count of major titles. Even last week, when asked who was the greatest player of all time, he said, "Jack. He's got 18. I'm at 14."
No one had mentioned majors. So that's his measure. And in this Open, he was out of it after the first day.
Someone asked Woods Monday, when he was leaving the Bethpage Black course, if he beats himself up over this Open, or whether ...
"Yes," he interrupted.
He had the bad luck of being on the side of the field that amazingly got all the bad weather conditions. But the water on the greens psyched him out.
"And then, when I tried to hit it harder, I gunned it past the hole. I didn't make the adjustment the right way."
Two weeks ago, Woods won the Memorial and I thought he was back. I expected a blowout from him at this Open, with the only chance being that Phil Mickelson would give him a run.
Woods thought he had it, too.
"I like my chances in a major," he said before the tournament.
Do you still feel that way about him? Since his comeback, first it was that he wasn't hitting well, but was scoring OK. Now, he says his swing is fine, but the scores aren't?
He has been back now for nearly four months, and his greatness has been there for only one week.
Is it gone? No.
Never. But you can't count on it anymore.
Like what you read here? Follow me on Twitter: @gregcouch
Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Don't write Tiger Woods off yet. He has alot more golf left in him.
Tiger can't win them all you know.
Wow, the author called the end of the Nicklaus era, and now is doing the same for the Tiger era. You sir, are truly a prophet of things to come. I love how you inject into your "column" that another reporter came up to ask if you were the guy who called the demise of Nicklaus. Its all about you right?I guess you hedge your column by saying that Tiger may yet surpass Nicklaus. Now all your bases are covered for some obscure article you will pen in fifteen years. What a tool!
Greg you are an idiot. First, Jack didn't win his 14th until he was 40. Tiger is just now comming in to his prime (around 35).He has takeen a year off and has only played 7 events simce then. He has not even got back into his groove yet. He has maybe 10 good years left in him if he stays healthy. Why are you idiots always trying to write him off. He will break every record before he is done. What is funny is that dweebes like you will than will say you knew he would do it all along. Get a real job that matchs your skill level, like pumping gas or something.
ah, yes, the best game in the world.
anyone who writes about the impending decline of a particular athlete will always be right.
eventually.
And he can always say:here, look: I wrote it first.
bozozozo,
Great comment... I was about to post that the end isn't here yet for me either, but guess what... It's coming. Duh!
Couch, Stop taking drugs. You must have been smoking crack when you wrote this blog. Clearly you need to get a real job on a fishing boat or as a circus hand. You are NOT a sports writer, and your opinion should be kept to your own small mind. Tiger has not even is know where near the zip code of the end. One bad day and he still brings home 6th place money, and then goes home to his babe wife and kids. The end, hardly for him, but you should be looking over your shoulder.
Dear Author, Your days as a writer are over. You're a Dumb@SS.
I think it's a bit premature to be singing Tiger's swan song. Everyone has a bit of trouble now and then: why would Tiger Woods be any different? He'll make a fool out of you soon enough Mr. Couch and he'll keep doing so for another dozen years.
No one had mentioned majors. So that's his measure. And in this Open, he was out of it after the first day.
Are you kidding? He missed about 8 birdie putts from 8 - 12 feet in the last two days. If he was putting a little better, he could have won the tournament. How in the world could you say he was "out of it" after the 1st day?
Greg Couch -- what a jackass!! I thought you were just against my boy Roger Federer in tennis, but I've read crap that you've written against my boy Phol Mickelson, too, & I hate you for it!
And now this, Tiger's washed up? Really? You are beyond an ass... He's HUMAN, not bionic, and NO-ONE, not even my all time favorite, Jack Nicklaus, wins every major every time!! For goodness sake, what is wrong with you?
Jack may be my all time fave, and Phil is my current era fave, but NO-ONE can deny Tiger's golf skill as anything less than genius! He's only 33, and golf is about pure skill, not athletics, so there's no reason he can't last 20 more years! Roger (Federer) could never do that, because tennis is about gut-grinding, highly aerobic, pure athleticism, along with tremendous skill, so no-one in tennis can keep that level up into their 40's & 50's and hope to win Grand Slam Singles events... But golf isn't like that, so Tiger can!
So go find a real job somewhere, Couch, cuz clearly your head is up your butt, and you have no clue about the real world, let alone the sports world, even though you pretend to write about it...
The only substance of your entire wad of drivel were the comments made by the readers of your totally factless ravings. Sure, eventually the day will come when Tiger will fade away. The day may also eventually come when you write something of substance and merit, though we may have to wait a lot longer for the latter.
You have been in the New York rain too long. Nobody can be expected to win every tour outing. Tiger is a victim of his own greatness, he plays a limitted schedule but if you look at percentages of wins per tours plays hes still by far the greatest. To say his game is declining is stupid. I am surprised given the fact that he got married and is raising a family that his game hasn't dropped more.He is still by far heads and shoulders above everyone else out there. I can't wait till hes 50 for champions tour.
Greg...... I wouldn't go so far as to call you moronic. but then again I wouldn't go so far as to say Tiger Woods is not ..well .... Tiger anymore. Your prophetic prose is amazing. No one else on this earth has the power of prediction that you have... amazing.. I think you should find something else to do..... perhaps a job as a club caddy would suit you.. why you could sit in the bag room waiting for a carry and write about how Trevino beat the boys for 4 dollars in Texas using a coke bottle for a club.. and that his career is over .. would be a nice touch for your end game... what an idiot
Greg, You're right!!! In 9 events this year tiger has only finished top 10 in all of them and won ONLYYYYY 2 of them. That is a terrible year for any golfer out there let alone tiger. WOW, i think at this point tiger should just stop playing. Maybe even jump off a bridge or something.
Greg, you're an idiot and honestly i am going to get a pool together to see if we can stop you from writing. Seriously, if it's one decline or end we should talk about it's you and your posts. WOW have they gotten bad.
C,mon man, it's golf. It's a sport. One day you are up and everything clicks just right. The next day, not so much. It is difficult to put all the aspects of a good round of golf together on one day. These guys have to do it for four days in a row. Tiger ain't done yet.
AOL sports is the scrap heap for hacks, who fancy themselves sportswriters. Nobody at AOL, including the CEO, is qualified to comment on the great Tiger Woods. Enjoy him while he's around folks, because you're damn sure gonna miss him when he's gone..
What a bunch of crap. Woods is still by far the best golfer today. Had he not had bad luck with the weather he would have won the US open. Barring injury he will win at least one major for the next ten years.
Is this an attempt for the author of this fictional story to remain somewhat relevant? Pretty poor display. Please go back to editing your local H.S. paper sir.
FYI Tiger did not have a bad Open. He had one bad round at the open. His score for rounds 2 through 4 was 4 under cummulative. If one bad day means the end of an era we are all in trouble whatever our professions.