Tour News

Tiger Woods is back… to hitting full shots

Published

12 years ago

Jun 17, 2014

According to multiple reports, Tiger Woods was seen hitting full shots (including driver), over the weekend at his home course in Hobe Sound, Florida.

The TW sighting at the Medalist GC invites speculation as to whether he’ll be ready for the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool in five weeks. Woods, of course, was dominant last time the tournament was contested there in 2006 en route to his third Open Championship title.

Love him or hate him, the fact that Woods is good for television ratings and attendance (and thus, sponsorship dollars) is undeniable. Even though Martin Kaymer put together a flawless weekend of dominant golf and totaled the third-most strokes under par in U.S. Open history, ratings were down nearly 50 percent from last year’s tournament (in which Tiger participated).

It’s worth noting that Tiger’s tournament, the Quicken Loans National, is next week at Congressional, although it seems profoundly unlikely he’ll be able to tee it up in Maryland. Regardless, the news marks significant progress in Woods’ recovery: At the end of last month there was no timetable for his return and he was limited to chipping and putting.

Woods hasn’t played a competitive round of golf since March 9th, and injuries have kept him out of five majors since 2008, including the first two this season.

It seems there is a glimmer of hope that he could tee it up at the third.

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Ben Alberstadt

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

25 Comments

baby cap

Aug 13, 2014 at 1:22 pm

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Pingback: Tiger Woods Decides to Return to PGA Tour Next Week | Golf Gear Select
Purist

Jun 19, 2014 at 5:42 am

I appreciate golf because it is a sport I like. I liked it before Tiger and will be no different after the Tiger era. A thought comes mind: if I told someone 6 years ago Tiger wouldn’t win any of the next 24 majors……..people would have thought me to be insane. Eventually time conquers all and Tiger is no different. Seeing a great athlete in decline is never a fun thing to watch but hopefully as an avid golfer I hope this is respected. I am sure Tiger is trying his best.

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Jay

Jun 18, 2014 at 9:15 pm

I have never been much of a Tiger fan, but I will admit that golf needs him. I hope he takes his time recovering and returns healthy and ready to play.

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Jeremy Beale

Jun 18, 2014 at 5:29 pm

Where I would love to see Tiger tee it up in these next up and coming events, I believe that date is far in the future. I think his absence far extends past his injury now. Since his leave he has picked up so many different projects that we probably won’t see him for a while.

Also, it is funny how being the face of a sport changes both competition and viewers a like. When a person like Tiger is in the mix the sport of golf isn’t that anymore–it’s history.

It’s chance for players to prevent it and viewers to witness it.

I think that is where golf is at a loss right now. Golfer’s like Arnie, Nicklaus and Tiger are far and few. We started to see it in Rory and we started to see it in Speith, but eventually those players lose that glorified history appeal and then we are left with golf.

Fans are left with watching a recreation sport and golfer’s are left with good ole-fashioned competition. Golf needs a hype man.

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Rich

Jun 17, 2014 at 6:42 pm

Who cares………

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- Cris
  
  Jun 17, 2014 at 7:06 pm
  
  Obviously, you and the rest of us whom cared to post.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Rich
    
    Jun 17, 2014 at 9:36 pm
    
    I cared enough to tell people that I don’t care about TW. I should have been more clear so you could understand perhaps………….
    
    Reply Report comment
    - BILL
      
      Jun 18, 2014 at 3:50 am
      
      You defnitely care, enough to post idiotic comments and make a fool out of yourself!!
      
      Reply Report comment
      - Rich
        
        Jun 18, 2014 at 4:02 am
        
        Sorry, you’re right. I must have made a fool of myself because you said so. Please tell me, do you think I should apologise too? I’ll do/think whatever you say.
        
        Reply Report comment
Mitchell

Jun 17, 2014 at 5:48 pm

The World Cup is on and the matches were at the same time. It’s not that surprising that people were watching this instead

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bd59

Jun 17, 2014 at 4:04 pm

Tiger not playing in the majors or any tournament for that matter kills ratings and interest. PERIOD!! We all know it and everyone on the tour knows it too. There’s just a different vibe when Tiger is in the field. Kaymer’s huge lead definitely took away from the interest heading into the weekend.

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jeff

Jun 17, 2014 at 1:50 pm

ratings were down because a player had a 8 shot lead over the others after two rounds

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- Jeremy
  
  Jun 17, 2014 at 3:00 pm
  
  Agreed. Ratings were down because a very boring player with a flatline personality put on a clinic for two days and then parred everyone to death over the weekend. Take Kaymer out of the picture and you have a 25 year old media darling in an 18-hole playoff against a virtual unknown who’s on his third heart. I suspect the ratings for that would have been pretty good.
  
  None of this is to discount Tiger’s contribution to the game or deny his impact on ratings. But I suspect if Tiger had been playing for second along with everyone else you wouldn’t have seen much change in the ratings. He’s only a ratings boost when he’s in the mix for a victory. I’ve heard several analysts talk about this year’s Open like Tiger would have saved the ratings, and I think it’s a bit tone deaf and makes me wonder how those charged with making the game interesting to viewers will do their job once Tiger really is no longer able to do his.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Mike
  
  Jun 17, 2014 at 3:38 pm
  
  Don’t mean to sound like an echo but totally agree with you guys. My usual Father’s Day routine is church then parked in front of the TV for our national championship. I hadn’t watched at all due to work and Kaymer’s big lead. Made it through five holes then actually fell asleep. I’m not a Tiger fan but I am more interested when he is in the hunt. Unless he was challenging for the lead even he wouldn’t have saved this yawner.
  
  Reply Report comment
- +4
  
  Jun 17, 2014 at 4:37 pm
  
  So if tiger was the one with the 8 shot lead, the rating wouldn’t be thru the roof? Come on now
  
  Reply Report comment
  - MHendon
    
    Jun 17, 2014 at 5:04 pm
    
    Of course the ratings would have been much higher had it been Tiger with an 8 shot lead. First off he brings all the Tiger fans to the TV which in most cases aren’t true golf fans and will all be gone when he is. But secondly Kaymer isn’t chasing Nicklaus record so it’s not quite the same thrill with him in the lead like it is with Tiger.
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Forsbrand
      
      Jun 18, 2014 at 4:36 pm
      
      Any tiger fan should be a true golfer and respect all players if they really appreciate good golf. There are some fans out there who won’t watch a tournamnet without tiger, there are others who will make a point of viewing it as you get to see most of the “other players”. When tiger is in a tournament you very rarely get to se other players in the tournament as the camera is constantly on tiger, unless some random makes a hole in one. I think if tv coverage. Was fairer and showed an equal amount of shots from other competitors there wouldn’t be this issue over “who cares if tiger is playing”
      
      Reply Report comment
      - Jeremy
        
        Jun 18, 2014 at 7:05 pm
        
        I’d say it the other way around. Any true golfer should be a Tiger fan because he’s the best we’ve seen in a couple generations and, love him or hate him personally, there’s so much to learn from and appreciate. But Tiger has plenty of people who enjoy watching him (and only him) who’ve never really played the game. He’s one of the rare few that transcend the sport.
        
        And, yeah, the cameras follow the players people want to see. If other players want more coverage it’s simple: all they have to do is consistently win 20% of the tournaments the play in for 15 years. Easy.
        
        Reply Report comment
  - Jeremy
    
    Jun 17, 2014 at 5:34 pm
    
    Of course. But the presumption among many analysts seems to be that just throwing Tiger into the field is enough to save the ratings. In fact, I think there are more than a handful of players who could have run away with the tournament and not tanked the ratings in the process. Phil, Rory, Scott, Fowler, Keegan, even Stenson could have pulled off this week of “flawless” golf and still been interesting. Kaymer just isn’t that much fun to watch for anyone other than those who can truly appreciate the difficulty of his accomplishment. And that’s not the casual fans or non-golfers.
    
    Reply Report comment
+4

Jun 17, 2014 at 11:48 am

Cmon tiger! Fans of greatness (like myself) want to see you resume your quest for 19 majors. Hopefully kaymer’s performance inspired your competitive fire again. He looked like you out there draining EVERYTHING for par… Anyway glad to hear your back out there swinging the club… Nice article Ben

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- Rich
  
  Jun 18, 2014 at 7:06 pm
  
  I guess it depends on how you define greatness………………
  
  Reply Report comment
  - LTP
    
    Jun 19, 2014 at 8:56 am
    
    How about winning 14 majors?
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Rich
      
      Jun 24, 2014 at 7:42 pm
      
      Greatness is not just about the golf. It includes the character of the person and I think that with TW, it is severely lacking. Just ask the mother of his children. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t think he’s great despite the 14 majors. Like I said, it all depends on how you define greatness.
      
      Reply Report comment
Josh

Jun 17, 2014 at 11:42 am

Great! I can’t wait until he gets back!

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