Woods’ Sunday Red
Tiger Woods stepped on the first tee of the pride of the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Florida, for the last time over the weekend. He was a day short of a year removed from when he last wore a red shirt, not quite the development he expected even as he came off yet another season of starts and stops. Yet, there was nothing he could do; a single-vehicle accident had him suffering from significant injuries, and the fact that he could be on the course in active competition was remarkable in and of itself.
To be sure, the PNC Championship is nowhere near close to any given tournament on the Professional Golfers Association Tour. It’s a silly-season event played in a festive atmosphere, and because it comprises only 36 holes and allows the use of a golf cart, Woods saw it as a perfect venue for him to dip his toes in the water, so to speak. Still, he may well have skipped it all the same were it not for his desire to please his partner Charlie, and, in the process, himself. He wanted to play for love of the game, but most definitely decided to play for love of his son.
As things turned out, Woods did not just play well — make that very well, under the circumstances. He showed more than enough flashes of his trademark swing to get fans drooling at the prospect of yet another glorious comeback in the sport he will arguably leave at some point as the best ever. True, he was being smoked off the tee; World Number Six Justin Thomas, who negotiated the terrain with father Mike, regularly outdrove him by 30 to 40 yards. That said, he remained sharp with short irons and wedges, and his command of the flatstick could not be second-guessed.
Admittedly, Woods was carried in large measure by Charlie, whose movements often reminded all and sundry of him. All the same, there can be no discounting the strides he has made since flirting with the possibility of a right leg amputation. He framed shots in his head, executed them to perfection, and had a wonderful time to boot — all leading to a sterling second-place finish not even the most optimistic observers figured to be in the cards.
At this point, it’s fair to wonder when Woods will be back in Sunday Red. Later rather than sooner would be the smart answer, but because he has continually proven his capacity to defy the odds, there’s no harm in holding out hope for the best.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
