Mendoza: Is the roar for Tiger Woods finally back?
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Friday, February 1, 2013
I NEVER left,” Tiger Woods has said in answer to a query, “Are you back?”
Was he trying to be cute or something?
That question cropped up following his victory this week in the Farmers Insurance Open.
After being winless for quite some time now, that win was something to be proud about.
Woods hasn’t won in his last seven starts before this week, although he finished in the Top 10 in six of those tournaments.
In 2012, he played terrible golf in the weekends of the Masters, British Open and U.S. Open.
That’s why to his endearing, exceedingly loyal, fans, the victory this week meant a lot.
Somehow, it could bode well for Woods this year.
This early, his horde of admires are looking forward to a grand finish in the Masters in April—if not a victory in the year’s first major to end his losing spell in the majors since 2009.
And, if it’s any indication to Woods’ being focused, finally, on capturing a major again, he has skipped a tournament at The Riviera next week.
If the victory at the Farmers Insurance Open was a confidence-restorer for Woods, the no-show at the Riviera could mean he’s now biding his time. Not rushing up things.
In fact, Woods would only be back in March, during the Match Play, a tournament that features only the top players in the world, led by No. 1 Rory McIlroy.
Rory himself has not been playing for weeks now, obviously reserving his strength and focusing on the Match Play.
Rory wasn’t even at the Farmers Insurance Open, easily making Woods the top draw—again.
And Woods routed the field, in a manner of speaking.
Leading by 2 after 36 holes, he led by 4 after 54 holes, and went 6 up when fog suspended play after Woods had completed 11 holes.
Woods had actually gone 8 up, but then tapered down to settle for a four-shot victory when two errant tee shots produced double-bogeys.
But victory was beyond doubt anymore when those mishaps happened. And when he won for the 6th time at Torrey Pines in San Diego—the last one in the 2008 U.S. Open for his 14th major—Woods appeared ready to nail his 15th major.
Will it be the Masters in April?
How I wish.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on February 02, 2013.
Sports
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