The Age-Old Question: Is Tiger Back?

By Jim O'Shea

Who else is sick and tired of the old, and I mean old, question of ‘Is Tiger Back?’ First of all, what does ‘back’ mean?

(AP Photo)

If ‘back’ means the 2000-2001 Tiger Slam Tiger Woods, then of course he’s not back. No one will ever be that good. Not Rory McIlroy, not Jack Nicklaus, not Phil Mickelson, not even Tiger Woods. These are unrealistic expectations and people need to accept that Tiger will never return to this unreal, unhuman form. To win four straight majors is unprecedented and has happened only once, yes once, in the history of golf. Therefore, nobody can live up to these expectations.

Others may believe that ‘back’ means the 2008 U.S. Open champion Tiger Woods. Ok, come on guys. Really? The fact that Tiger won the U.S. Open, of all golf tournaments, on a worse left leg than the ex-golfers in the broadcasters’ booth is amazing. Tiger Woods had a torn ligament in his left knee and a double stress fracture in his left leg. The fact that he could even walk is amazing. Better yet win the toughest golf tournament of the year. So, no, of course he’s not back to this form. Who else could win the U.S. Open on a hobbled left leg like Tiger? Nobody, not even 2012 Tiger.

So, you want the answer, right? Is Tiger back?

First of all, stop asking this question. Because whenever someone says yes, nobody ever agrees until he wins a major, right? Does anybody ever bring up the fact that Tiger went from the 2002 U.S. Open until the 2005 Masters without winning a major? No, right? This was during Tiger’s prime, so I think this would’ve been the better time to ask ‘Is Tiger back?’ So, the better question to ask is: Is Tiger back to being one of the elite players in the game?

This question should have no argument. Of course Tiger is back to elite. He won three tournaments in 2012 on the PGA Tour, only behind Rory McIlroy, who won four. Tiger is ranked number two in the world, and finished number two in the 2012 money earnings. Also, the way to determine how any player’s year was is the FedEx Cup. Tiger Woods finished number three in the final FedEx Cup standings. He is back to competing every week and in every major. The only knock on Tiger this year is the way he played on the weekends in all four majors. I believe that will come with time, sooner rather than later.

So, everybody the lesson learned here is: Stop asking ‘Is Tiger back?’ because our expectations for the answer being yes is too lofty, even too Tiger for Tiger.