By Leonard Finkel
Today, Tiger is about to make his umpteenth return to competitive golf, sort of. That’s if you consider playing against 17 hand selected entries, which in soccer parlance would be a “friendly,” is competition.
El Tigre made his last come back at this very event last year. I guess it’s a good thing he knows the tournament host. The big question is, what Tiger will we see. He was only able to make it through three starts in his comeback from back surgery in 2014. He lasted only two starts after he returned once again at the end of the year. When he returned at this event last year, he only made it through three events, the last of which he pulled out after the first round.
No question about it, Tiger still moves the needle. I’m skeptical about how he’ll perform, but I’ll definitely tune in. Everyone that seen him play of late, marvels at how he’s performing now. I believe we’ve heard this before. Many are rooting for him, many against him. But the eyeballs are always on him.
I find it almost impossible to believe that the old Tiger Woods will ever return. Too many years, too many injuries too many doubts have entered his brain. No matter what happened, the old Tiger always believed that he would win. Whether he did or not was inconsequential. I can speak from experience, first-hand and otherwise, once doubt creeps in – it can never be washed away. I’m hoping his glutes fire properly today. Time to head towards the TV!
Leonard Finkel is the author of The Secrets to the Game of Golf & Life and former editor in chief of Golf Journeys Magazine. His work has been featured in almost 200 publications including Golf Magazine, Golf Digest, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Golf Illustrated, Golf Tips and Player Magazine. He has written more than a dozen cover stories for Golf Today Magazine. He has written extensively about golf and travel and has added poker to his writing repertoire. Finkel also works as a marketing and public relations consultant. His specialty niche is writing advertorial copy. Prior to his career in golf, Finkel owned a chain of retail stores and a consulting and import company based in Asia. He attended the University of Utah.