Tiger Woods won’t be at Augusta this week. As is the case whenever Tiger gets in trouble, he has gone away to some secret place where he can recover and try to let the trouble blow over.
He’ll be back, though few outside his close circle know what’s really behind his impaired driving troubles that endanger not only him but others.
The biggest question should be: Will Tiger be back in future Masters fields?
While Tiger’s future at Augusta isn’t the current media narrative, maybe it should be. Is Tiger’s playing career over? It could be.
Tiger is 50 years old. He’s had seven back surgeries. He has a bum knee. He’s had two DUIs and been found another time asleep at the wheel.
His fourth auto incident requiring police may have been due to a wedge to the teeth after his ex-wife found out about his serial infidelity. No substance abuse involved, but another secret getaway.
On the course, Tiger hasn’t been Tiger since he won the Zozo Championship in 2019, the same year he won the Masters for his 15th and final major championships.
Though Tiger hasn’t been a factor on the course in years, it’s amazing how important his competitive presence seems to be to the golf world, not just to non-golfers and non-golfing media members.
But I don’t think Tiger is coming back this time. Not to regular PGA Tour events, much less major championships. Why would he?
He doesn’t need to return. Does he really want to spend his 50s limping around golf courses, worrying more about making cuts than winning more titles?
Yeah, he could take a cart and play on the Champions Tour. But like Jack Nicklaus before him, Tiger doesn’t need the money and it’s hard to fathom him yukking it up with old-timers in pro-ams and media interviews. Imagine him losing to a career club pro.
Frankly, the Champions Tour is beneath the best golfer of all time. Tiger might make a few appearances to help the circuit or satisfy a sponsor, but he won’t be a regular participant.
For much of two decades, Tiger was the best. Nobody was close. Not even Nicklaus, whose 18 career majors will continue to be the standard.
Tiger was dominant like no one else. He not only made amazing shots, he intimidated opponents into submission.
Nicklaus won 73 PGA Tour events and finished second in 58. In fewer events, Tiger won 82 — 15 majors — and placed second in 31.
Lee Trevino and Gary Player challenged Nicklaus early in his career. Johnny Miller and Tom Watson were foils in the 1970s and early 1980s.
Tiger was rarely second-best. From 1997 through 2008 (with few injury problems), he won 14 of 56 majors. Once he took a lead, it was over. Only once did he give up a final-round lead in a major.
Fortunately for golf, Tiger knows his place in history and his impact on the game. He won’t disappear.
He’ll continue to design courses and pitch equipment and businesses. He’ll be involved in golf-related philanthropy. He’ll probably visit the TV booth during major golf events. He may take Nicklaus’ place as golf’s authority on the state of the game.
We will see him as a Ryder Cup captain, maybe as a longtime member of the PGA Policy Board.
But his days playing in the Masters may be over, though it would be interesting to see if the Masters Committee would dare nudge him not to play.
I can’t see him making the trip to shoot 75 and miss the cut. Considering Tiger’s injuries, his age and his substance problems, his next tee time at Augusta could be hitting a ceremonial opening tee shot with Nicklaus.
