Final Thoughts On Tiger Woods And His Trip Back To the Future

Aug 6, 2014; Louisville, KY, USA; PGA golfer Tiger Woods tees off with an iron on the 8th hole during practice for the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

I don’t know about you, but I was impressed with what I saw out of Tiger Woods this week at the Hero Challenge. Of course, his short game could have been better, but the fact he played all four rounds with no pain in his back was monumental. In fact, when he gutted out a Saturday performance where he was up-chucking on the first hole, and shot his best round of the tournament, speaks volumes to the reason he is one of the best players we’ve seen in this generation.

I liked what I saw off the tee, and am convinced that when he gets his iron game honed in like he had it in 2013, along with his release point on his short game, we should have a gamer in 2015.

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Will Tiger Woods ever return to the player we saw in 2000? Probably not! Although I don’t think he has the game to catch Jack Niklaus’ 18 major championships anymore, I think if he can stay healthy, and continues to search for the perfection he had before all the swing changes, I think he could make a run at it.

"“I made some progress,” Woods said. “I hadn’t played in four months and I’m in absolutely no pain, which is nice. To be able to go all out on some of these drives like I did this week really enforces what I’m doing is the right thing for my body.”"

I really believe that one of the things we might see from Tiger is an increase in his schedule. This would be great for his game, and great for golf fans, that would increase ratings in, and around Professional golf.

During his time in the booth on Sunday, after his round, he was asked about his schedule by announcer, Dan Hicks. Of course, Tiger refused to disclose his plans, but when Hicks mentioned Hawaii, Tiger joked:

"“It won’t be the Tournament of Champions,” Woods said with a laugh."

I’m not sure that was an endorsement that we would see him at the Sony Open, but it would be nice to see him playing in some of the early tournaments that he has skipped in the past.

If we don’t see him at the Sony Open, I project that we will see him at Torrey Pines for the Farmers Insurance Open. He likes the golf course, and if he wants to be competitive, he needs to play these types of events.

Torrey Pines was the site of his last Major Championship back in 2008.

If we get inside the numbers, and skip over the chipping woes Tiger had at Isleworth, you can see the progress. Other than the double-cross at the first tee on Thursday, Tiger hit 71.43% of his fairways in regulation, and over 68% of his Greens In Regulation for the entire week.

During his best round on Saturday, he hit fairways at an 85.71% clip.

During his five-win season in 2013 when he was named player of the Year, his Driving Accuracy was 62.50% and he was ranked 69th in Driving Accuracy on the PGA Tour.

The reason that Tiger Woods won five tournaments in 2013 was his precise iron game, and in particular, his wedge game. I project that if Tiger can stay healthy in 2015, and at least get his short-game back to where it was in 2013, three to four wins in 2015 is not out of the question. Maybe a run in a couple of majors, and with any luck, a win.

Tiger’s trip Back To The Future might do well with a closer look at the success he had with his Scotty Cameron putter. Maybe even going so far as putting in back in the bag for a test drive!

Source: PGATour.com

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