Debate: Is Tiger Woods stuck on 14 Major titles?
YES
He can’t keep his focus on tough courses, says Joe Harrison
Five years to the day since his last triumph at the US Open, Tiger Woods registered his worst 72-hole score at a Major.
All of this despite the fact that he came into the event as heavy favourite and has won four tournaments this year.
Many have claimed that the elbow injury he picked up at the Players Championship left him with no chance of victory, but injury never bothered him at Torrey Pines where he won the title on one leg.
What seems more likely is that Tiger simply cannot cut it at the Majors anymore.
Over the course of his four rounds at Merion, Woods had five three-putts as well as an array of missed birdie and par chances.
This coming from a man who once went an entire PGA season without missing from three feet. He’s fallible now, and the rest of the field know it.
This coming from a man who once went an entire PGA season without missing from three feet. He’s fallible now, and the rest of the field know it.
NO
He is still the world’s best and was injured at Merion, says Joe Whitley
Make no mistake about it, Tiger Woods was injured at Merion.
The World No 1 sustained an elbow niggle at the Players Championship in May and tweaked it again on the 3rd hole Thursday.
He therefore played 69 holes of the most gruelling event of the year with one arm. And still made the cut.
Many armchair pundits claim he no longer has what it takes, but the truth is that no-one else in the game has the determination and grit to even complete a round in that situation, never mind return a respectable score.
Indeed, former player Ian Baker-Finch said he once had tennis elbow and couldn’t physically swing a club.
Add into the equation the fact he’s won four times already this year, and was robbed of the green jacket at Augusta, and there’s no way he’s not going to add another Major soon.
Let’s just pray his body holds together.
