OAKMONT, PA—The announcement last week that Tiger Woods would not be playing in this week’s U.S. Open did not come as a real surprise to many. Candidly, many wondered why Tiger would even contemplate entering what is annually the most trying championship to play in—particularly this year’s event at Oakmont—when he had not teed it up since shutting down all competitive golf after last year’s Wyndham event last August where he tied for 10th.
The official line from the Woods camp is that Tiger is making progress and will resurface at some point in the competitive landscape—whether that means it will happen in ‘16 no one, save for Tiger himself, can say with any certainty.
The real issue for Woods is twofold: does he have the capacity to return to play at the highest level, and more importantly, does he have the tenacity to handle what will be a trying situation given the uncertainty on not only the quality of his game but the wherewithal to push through the speed bumps he will likely endure?
Tiger Woods' last major win came in 2008 at the U.S. Open, during the prime of his career. Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images
M. James Ward
Author
Ward is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America and Met Golf Writers Association. He has covered over 100 major championships and 12 Ryder Cup Matches. His golf acumen extends to architecture/travel, equipment, apparel, and general interest stories as well as in-depth interviews with the leading participants and influencers in the sport.
