In addition to being a great golfer who is expected to compete for more major titles as well as challenge for the No. 1 spot, Justin Thomas delivered an outstanding public service by providing some optimistic yet cautious updates on the state of Tiger Woods, you and his neighbors.
The latest news comes via the podcast “No Laying Up” Last week, Thomas, 28, revealed that he regularly visits Woods during his vacation weeks, bringing his puppy to play with Woods’ dog while visiting Tiger’s son, Charlie.
“[Tiger is] still his sarcastic ego, so nothing really changed there,” Thomas laughs. “So I’m happy to see him as well-dressed as ever.”
Whether Woods will ever become a competitive golfer again depends on interpretations about nine months later. serious car accident he suffered in February, causing injuries to his right leg and foot.
Thomas, like anyone close to Woods or in his circles, is careful about what he says, aware of the very private nature that Woods has embraced throughout his career.
Still, it’s hard to imagine Thomas – a 14-time PGA Tour champion including the 2017 PGA Championship – voicing his opinion about Woods without feeling that he’s nodding his head in order to be able to. do like that. That should be seen as a positive. Woods is allowing some information about his situation – which he has not publicly addressed beyond a social media post and a brief interview with Golf Digest in April – out. In September, Steve Stricker was the first to even say out loud that Woods would return to competitive golf, stating that “his ongoing rehab to try to get better and try to play golf again, and that It’s going well. He’s making progress, he’s doing well, things are moving in the right direction.”
With such little information, you have to read between the lines. Thomas, for example, was asked about Woods’ potential return.
Thomas: “I don’t know. I know he’s going to try. I don’t see him ever playing if he can’t play well. He doesn’t see me as a guy who’s going to play at home shooting 75s and 76s and he She said, ‘Okay, I’ll try Augusta this year.’ It wouldn’t be him.”
Paraphrase those words: Thomas believes that Woods will try is a great sign; The fact that he’s insuring himself by saying he can’t see him doing it if Tiger were to shoot in the mid-’70s seems pretty obvious: Woods isn’t going to come back and settle for a ranger. often. Thomas could easily suggest that he sees Tiger’s low scoring days as a bit good, which only seems realistic.
Thomas: “But at the same time, I know how determined he is. I know he will at least want to try to give again. Obviously, I hope he makes it. But at the same time, as long as it is. he can be normal. dad again, that’s priority number 1 and the rest is bonuses.”
Paraphrase those words: Thomas emphasized the most important point – Woods’ quality of life. It’s fair to say Woods is lucky to have survived such a horrific crash. The fact that he’s been going up and down is a great sign. Thomas allows for the possibility that the most favorable outcome is simply living a normal life. Woods had the least interest in a golf career. And yet, Thomas acknowledges the trademark identification that Woods has always owned.
Thomas: “It was ‘Earth Dog Day’ – every day was exactly the same for him.”
Paraphrase those words: You can do that in many different ways. As ominous as it sounds, perhaps his rehabilitation has hit a wall and that Woods has reached a point where he can’t do anything anymore. Or, you could take it to mean that Woods is holding back, that he wants to go beyond his position and that his doctors are telling him to be patient.
Woods has forged a career fighting beyond the boundaries. Only in recent years has he learned to heed those warnings. He didn’t overdo it with his return from spinal fusion surgery. He knew now that it wouldn’t make any sense to do so. At least, that’s one potential way to look at it.
NS pictures of him last month standing unaided while watching Charlie compete in a junior tournament is a good sign. The fact that he was allowed to walk around without any assistive devices naturally led to speculation as to whether he could start pitching or chipping or hitting any shots.
And it seems increasingly likely that he will be in the Bahamas for another two weeks for the World of Heroes Challenge. A navigation tracking app found that his yacht, Privacy, had made the journey from South Florida to a marina near Nassau, where he stored it. That doesn’t necessarily mean it. Woods will probably be there by Thanksgiving. He may be there for other promotional or commercial efforts. But he might as well go there for his tournament.
Please note that Heroes was not broadcast last year. The Genesis Invitational, run by Woods’ organization, was played in February without an audience. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Woods’ annual Tiger Jam in Las Vegas has been canceled for the past two years. Those are the big moneymakers for his foundation that, like many other institutions, have been hurt by the pandemic.
Hero, the title sponsor of his Bahamas tournament, was certainly keen to have Woods in attendance simply for the boost it would give the brand and the tournament-focused attention. And that just helped Woods’ fund raise money. That is important to him. But so keep it as private as possible.
A new fall look?
The PGA Tour is contemplating a number of changes to its fall schedule, including some guaranteed, big-money show-off events while possibly changing the way FedEx Cup points are awarded.
Both the Associated Press and Golfweek have reported that a plan that includes four to six unlimited events would be possible overseas and would include not only huge prize money for all participants but There is also an appearance fee.
Nothing has been decided, and PGA Tour officials say it is still in the negotiation phase. But it has clearly gained some momentum. And while the timing is good, it seems to be a way to counter the possibility of an opponent’s golf attempt ( Greg Norman-led, named league or Premier League Golf), it seems such discussions have taken place as a way to better compensate the top players.
The idea would also include some kind of system to protect such players on the FedEx Cup scoring list. This fall, there are nine events – the last being this week’s RSM Classic – that make the start of the 2021-22 season. They start two weeks after the Tour Championship, and many of the game’s top players have long lamented the fact that this is the time of year they could shut it down, only to resume January and return. good on the charts.
Cameron Tringale played in six events this fall and placed 11th in FedEx scores, giving himself a good stepping stone as the new year kicks in. Maverick McNealy played six times and finished in 10th place. Nick Watney played six times and finished in 20th place.
While Patrick Cantlay, who won the 2021 FedEx Cup, has yet to participate in an event this season and will wait until the champions’ Sentry Tournament in January.
Phil’s plan
After winning the Charles Schwab championship for his fourth win in just six starts of the PGA Tour Champions, Phil Mickelson is ready for a break – and still has plans to achieve more glory on the PGA Tour.
Mickelson, 51, shot 65 on Sunday and didn’t do a scam at Phoenix Country Club to get in Jack Nicklaus as the only players in Champions history to win four of their first six matches.
It limits a satisfying year for Mickelson, who has won the Champions Tour twice but also won the PGA Championship in May for his sixth major title and 45th PGA Tour win. He failed to do so. many other things on the Regular Tour besides that win. However, he seems willing to at least try to add to those totals.
“I hope to use the opportunity to play and compete here [on the PGA Tour Champions] as a way to keep my game sharp and have a few special moments on the Regular Tour like I had in May of this year,” he said after his Charles Schwab win. “If I can get a few more, that really motivates me to work hard, go to the gym during the off-season, and put in the time and effort to have those special moments. I’d love to have a few more And then these are great too.”
Mickelson said he plans to take the rest of the year off. He did not reveal his schedule and said he was unsure where he would play. However, he is the host of the American Express Championship outside of Palm Springs, California, which takes place in the third week of January – his typical starting point.
