Tiger’s yr might be outlined by one week at Augusta Nationwide

MEDINAH, Unwell. — The ending performed out otherwise than anybody may have anticipated. It actually wasn’t presupposed to happen now, not with another event on the schedule, extra glory to be pursued.

Tiger Woods did not determine to be taking part in his closing gap with nothing at stake Sunday, a par putt that introduced appreciative applause at Medinah Nation Membership as he doffed his Nike cap to the gang surrounding the inexperienced.

It wasn’t the raucous scene of a yr in the past in Atlanta — removed from it. Nor the celebratory aftermath of Augusta Nationwide. Or the torrential outpouring of assist that enveloped him after his shut name a yr in the past in St. Louis on the PGA Championship.

Nope, it was merely the ultimate moments of a season that didn’t end wherever close to the best way he wished, however will at all times be remembered for what no person thought was doable.

“Like I informed him as we walked off the inexperienced,” stated Woods’ caddie, Joe LaCava, “‘You have bought the jacket, and that is all that issues. F— it.'”

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The Masters victory makes up for all the opposite disappointments, and it’s arduous guilty Woods or LaCava for taking that perspective.

If the victory on the Tour Championship a yr in the past proved he may win once more, then the inexperienced jacket at Augusta Nationwide merely solidified his legacy in probably the most unbelievable means: a 15th main victory, 11 years following his 14th; a fifth Masters, 14 years after his fourth.

All lower than two years following a last-gasp spinal fusion surgical procedure that even Woods feared may imply the tip of his profession.

The query that we would by no means know the reply to is that if Woods was so content material with the Masters triumph that the remainder of the yr did not matter to him.

That goes very a lot in opposition to Woods’ nature, the trait that made him so dominating all through the majority of his profession. Woods hardly ever celebrated with any relish, the starvation for extra victories at all times on his thoughts.

This time, not a lot.

And it is comprehensible. Woods acknowledged that the Masters win “took lots out of me.” Definitely the emotion of such a win — along with his children, his mother, his workforce there to take pleasure in it — was past something we may envision.

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So too, apparently, was the power to climb again out of his celebratory state to go after extra .

“I would be mendacity if I weren’t a little bit upset with the second half of the season, for positive,” LaCava stated. “If I had been completely happy and glad, I in all probability should not be doing this, proper?”

However a caddie can solely cajole and persuade a lot. Sooner or later, it took Woods to dig deep and discover the dedication and need to go after it once more. And maybe it simply was not there this time.

Definitely numerous bodily points performed a big function. Woods appeared lower than his finest at Bethpage for the PGA Championship, the place early-week temperatures had been within the 40s and he missed Wednesday observe with sickness.

There have been some good indicators on the Memorial, the place he performed the ultimate spherical in 67 strokes to seize a tie for ninth, giving himself some momentum heading to the U.S. Open at Pebble Seashore — the place he by no means appeared to get on monitor, till it was too late.

The ultimate-round 69 there — taking part in his final 12 holes in 6-under par — appeared a terrific signal, however he then went on a deliberate trip along with his household and mom, Kultida, to her native Thailand. Woods didn’t play any tournaments previous to The Open at Royal Portrush, the place he shot a first-round 78.

The indirect problem on the Northern Belief was however one other indication that Woods was coping with bodily points for many of the summer season, points which both saved him from practising sufficient to be aggressive or rendered event rounds an train in hit and hope.

And 12 official event rounds from April by July had been merely by no means going to be sufficient to stay aggressive and put himself in place to qualify for a return journey to Atlanta, web site of his awe-inspiring Tour Championship victory.

Woods went from 13th within the FedEx Cup standings to 28th earlier than the Northern Belief. Not taking part in the weekend there noticed him slip out of the highest 30 for the primary time since previous to the Masters, and the deficit was too nice to make up at comfortable, low-scoring Medinah, the place Woods appeared higher however nowhere close to sharp sufficient to place up the required numbers.

LaCava urged that Woods wanted extra time, that a couple of extra weeks would see him contending. However by then the season might be over, and Woods might be effectively into one other lengthy break, not anticipated to come back again to aggressive golf till taking part in in a PGA Tour occasion in Japan in late October.

At the least Woods noticed his season come to an finish with out limping to the end. For the primary time because the Memorial, Woods confirmed no indicators of bodily misery. He hit the driving force fantastically, and his errors had been borne of inactivity. Maybe that might be instructive as Woods builds again up in a couple of months.

Woods clearly views the yr as a hit. He expressed disappointment at not qualifying for the Tour Championship and “the remainder of the tournaments I did not actually play in addition to I wished to.” However no person is taking that Masters away from him. “On the finish of the day, I am the one with the inexperienced jacket,” he stated.

“‘Particular’ is an effective approach to put it,” LaCava stated. “I give it some thought day-after-day and it is all good. By the point we come round to subsequent yr, let’s refocus and prepare. And get after it.”

Will Woods be keen and ready? Will the glow of victory fade, to get replaced by the hunt to search out it once more?

These are questions as Woods approaches a 44th birthday later this yr. For now, Woods’ main second stands above all else.