Tiger Woods: McIlroy victory, Bjerregaard defeat won’t shape Masters prep
Tiger Woods made it through two high-profile matches at the WGC-Dell Match Play on Saturday, and came within a hole of advancing to the semifinals. However, we shouldn’t draw too many conclusions about his Masters outlook from one day of golf.
Tiger Woods was, unsurprisingly, the focus of massive attention on Saturday at the WGC-Dell Match Play. He opened his day with a match against Rory McIlroy – the first time the two generational talents have faced off in this format. He came out on top against arguably the hottest golfer on the planet, but then fell to Lucas Bjerregaard, a player who most casual fans probably hadn’t heard of before this week.
As it so often is when it comes to Tiger, the reactions were instant and, frankly, exaggerated. I’m no different, if we’re being honest. Rory McIlroy had been nearly unbeatable through the first three days at Austin Country Club, and when Woods (the most dominant match play golfer basically ever) came out on top, 2&1, you could have believed it was 2012, not 2019. The WGC-Match Play is a big event, no doubt, but Tiger vs. Rory outshined it all. This was “The Match” for real, all due respect to that Thanksgiving sideshow that Tiger and Phil put on.
Sure, Rory wildly underperformed, especially compared to his magnificent round robin play. But few players in the history of golf have that uncanny ability to take a minor weakness and magnify it a hundredfold, stepping on your throat (metaphorically, of course) and crushing your hopes like Tiger Woods. You could almost see it in Rory’s face as the day wore on: “of course I’m playing this guy when I’m not totally on.”
At once, Tiger was more than just having a good week. He became the Masters favorite by beating the other Masters favorite. Heck, he might have been the favorite for the FedEx Cup, the Presidents Cup (even as Captain) and whatever other tournaments he decided to play. If nothing else, he added to his legacy of match play dominance. Neither Rory McIlroy nor Mother Nature could stop him. This was exactly the Tiger Woods that even other pros woke up early to watch.
Unfortunately, that didn’t last forever. It didn’t even really last through Saturday night. The format of the WGC Match Play meant Woods had to play his quarterfinal match against Lucas Bjerregaard not long after he sent McIlroy packing. And as good as Tiger is, he’s never been truly invincible. This was one of those cases.
Give the credit where it’s due. Lucas Bjerregaard played an absolutely outstanding match, standing toe to toe with Tiger Woods, a feat few have done through the years. Tiger got off to a great start, but Bjerregaard hung around. While Woods took the early lead, as the match turned to the back nine, the young Dane started making putts. Tiger, on the other hand, missed several key putts late, including a four-footer that would have sent the match to extra holes on No. 18. Woods was quick to acknowledge his competitor afterwards.
"“He played well in tough conditions. It was not easy out there,” Woods said of the high winds and cooler temps that swept the course. “We both hung around, kind of grinded our way around the golf course. He played the last three holes pretty solidly. He hit it well. He hit a lot of good shots today. He was flighting it well. His natural ball flight is pretty flat. It’s advantageous in these conditions.”"
While the loss to the 52nd-ranked player in the world is going to sting for a competitor like Tiger Woods, I don’t think much from this week will carry over into his Masters preparation. Likewise, while some added momentum from the McIlroy victory would have been nice, it’s not a season-changer.
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Woods will head to Augusta for a day or two this week for some more private practice, then return next week for the real thing. At this point in Tiger’s career, there’s basically nothing he hasn’t already seen and done, and when it comes to the major championships – and the Masters is undoubtedly the biggest on his calendar – it’s one hundred percent business. A different outcome at the Match Play would have been nice, but it won’t matter if he’s in the hunt for another green jacket.