Does golf still need Tiger Woods?
Tiger Woods has always made headlines in golf. But recently it seems to be because he is struggling to play the game properly.
We’re not going to look at why Tiger is struggling to shoot good scores but are asking if golf still needs him to?
Is it time to accept that Woods will never reach the heights of the early to mid 2000s and is simply an also-ran at best on the PGA Tour and in majors?
There’s a healthy crop of young players coming through but is it enough to re-invigorate golf for the masses?
James Savage and Damien Wilde debate the issue. Have your say in the comments box at the bottom of the article.
JS – Golf still needs Tiger Woods. Interest in an event when he is playing compared to when he isn’t is night and day.
DW – Golf doesn’t need Tiger Woods anymore. It’s time for fans to move on. Tiger is past it, he’s over-trained and caused himself too many problems. Let’s remember him for the player he was and not the joke he is becoming.
JS – Yes he’s having a few problems but those problems are magnified out of all proportions because he’s Tiger Woods.
Rickie Fowler missed the cut at Memorial, Tiger didn’t yet is somehow an embarrassment for carding an 85?
Tiger still has the ability to make people interested in golf who otherwise wouldn’t be" DW – He’s a big name for passing fans to poke their nose in once a year and make a comment about a sport they know zero about. “How’s Tiger doing?”… Yawn.
JS – You’ve hit the nail on the head. Tiger still has the ability to make people interested in golf who otherwise wouldn’t be.
Rory McIlroy hasn’t reached those levels yet. I hope he’s does but there’s no guarantee he ever will.
Debate: Does golf need Rory McIlroy to dominate in the way Tiger did?
If Tiger Woods was to pull out of the US Open tomorrow, I’d be disappointed, less excited about the event. Not because I want to watch him struggle because he’s still the biggest name in the sport and I want him to be competitive.
Remember when everyone said he would miss the cut at The Masters? He’s a champion and it’s too soon to write him off.
DW – Granted, the man started an obsession with golf amongst many people in my age demographic in the late 90s. He’s provided a legacy that is up there with the best in world sport, and in turn changed the landscape of professional golf into a much more athletic competition.
But now some of the current crop of young talent gets overlooked in favour of a few ’big names’ of which Tiger for some strange reason is still considered!
It seems when Rory and Tiger are not stepping up, relative unknowns to ’Joe Public’ like David Lingmerth are paying their dues and winning high profile tournaments with little to no recognition from your average golf fan.
I say good riddance.
HAVE YOUR SAY IN THE COMMENTS BOX BELOW
James Savage
Former equipment editor of NCG. Inconsistent ball-striker and tea-maker.
