Tiger’s main priority was always to exceed Nicklaus´18 majors record. Everything was planned for this goal: his calendar, training schedule, when to peak, tournament selection. The whole nine yards. Also he never seemed to be fazed with such pressure. Rather, he always seemed in control and feeding expectations through calmness.
Woods has been tested in the Congressional and he didn´t make the cut. Although there were encouraging signs such as being able to let rip with the driver without pain. He didn´t seem to be worried, well at least on the outside, about his poor short game around the green where he only managed to save par on 3 occasions (from 16 attempts), the worst of his career. “I’ve been training on bermuda short grass and then to come here and play on rye is totally different,” he explained. Is it convincing? Only to a point. Much less when punctuated: “I probably should have spent more time chipping than I did, but this is what we have …”.
In another time, this part of the equation would not have left any loophole. Simply Tiger would have practiced chipping for however long was required. And then maybe even a little more.
Only two weeks for the British Open in Hoylake and much work lies ahead to get into the correct shape. However, he plans to go on holiday with his children for a week. “Next week I’m going to take my children on a short vacation, then we’ll get going.” This relaxed attitude is quite surprising especially when this year he has not yet been able to play in any of the Majors. Caution: God forbid that we reproach him his greatest wish to go on vacation with his family…
But you don´t need to read too much between the lines. The majors remain a priority, sure, but now he has other priorities in his life that are perhaps even more important. His children, for example. He doesn´t seem willing to work from sunrise to sunset, maybe because neither his body nor his head are ready for it. Woods is maybe reinventing himself, and perhaps has realised that being obsessed with beating Jack´s 18 was not helping his game.
This new way of life humanizes the ‘Sun King’ of modern golf, we saw it in the flesh. And the crossroads he has found is the learning that sports glory, legend, records and Halls of Fame should not be everything in life. What comes, comes.
Traducción por Jonathan Ballantine English & Golf
