Tiger Woods has told the USGA that he had ten minutes to attend to the media. Not nine, not eleven. Ten. The golfer from California wanted to limit his presence before the media because he sensed where his press conference was going to go. A lot of PIF, a lot of Yasir Al Rumayyan and little US Open. Well, it has not been like that. From the meeting with the Saudis, only one question has fallen. The rest has been about his form, the relationship with Charlie Woods and Pinehurst, the challenge that comes up this week.
Tiger has been a short time, but it has been enough to make two predictions, one of them apocalyptic. The first was about the agreement with the PIF, the Public Investment Fund of Arabia. Luckily for everyone, this was not the apocalyptic one. Rather the opposite, Woods, more cautious and reserved than McIlroy, has continued in the same line as the Northern Irishman. Optimism. “It was a productive summit. Is there light at the end of the tunnel? I think we are closer to reaching that point than before the meeting. We have discussed many possible endings to this break and multiple ways to get to them. I think both parties left the meeting with a very positive feeling. We share the same passion for finding a solution. Yes, there are differences of opinion, but we really both want the same thing,” he explained.
How can Tiger Woods’ words be translated? Obviously, it is not easy to get into the head of the 15-time Major champion, but it seems clear that both PGA Tour Enterprises and PIF understand that solving the fracture that currently exists in professional golf is good and a priority for both parties and you have to roll up your sleeves to find the way. They are on it.
Tiger’s other prediction has been the apocalyptic one and it has to do with this US Open and the course preparation that the USGA has done. Woods, second and third in this scenario in the 2005 and 1999 editions, is clear that it is going to be a week of absolute survival. Carnage? That’s where the shots are going. “We are going to see a lot of guys playing ping pong on the greens, as happened in 2005, throwing approaches from side to side. It’s going to be a tough and demanding test. The best total result we are going to see this week I think will be the one the leader has after the first day,” he points out.
If you like blood, you’re in luck. This US Open is going in that direction. We’ll see if anyone finishes under par. The greens are going to get very hard and they are already very fast. “They are very bright for a Tuesday. I’m sure we are going to see more than one player’s putter slipping on the green as they bend down to see a fall. The key is going to be in the mental part, you have to hold on a lot, and around the green,” he points out.
Woods has admitted that he has practically tried all the clubs in the shots around the green, in the escapes. “I’ve putted, I’ve used the wedge, different degrees, 7 iron, 8 iron, 4 iron and woods… Precisely with the woods I didn’t like how the ball responds much,” he acknowledged.
On this occasion, Tiger has not talked about objectives, but he has said that he feels strong to withstand the four days and has talked about his excellent relationship with his son Charlie, with whom he is sharing the practice days. He not only accompanies him, but he gets involved in the father’s work. “He gives me advice and I listen to him. Nobody knows my swing better than him. Nobody has seen me hit more balls than him. I ask him to pay attention to some things and then he reminds me. Like with the putter. I always tell him that the important thing is the process not the result… And many times he reminds me when he sees that I’m not doing it right,” he emphasizes.
