Fathead Blog

The record book will officially show that Tiger Woods’ road to redemption started in 2010, but 2011 could be considered the year his comeback actually began.

We are all aware of how Woods failed miserably in 2010. But in hindsight, it’s hard to see how it could have turned out any other way. Yes, Woods is widely considered the world’s best golfer. Yes, he’s perhaps the sport’s toughest player mentally. Yes, Woods has laughed in the face of adversity before. But those were particularly difficult odds.

Woods’ personal life wasn’t merely interrupted, but shattered. Divorces for public figures can be a huge distraction, but Woods’ was especially painful because of the events that led up to it. Those types of things have to be incredibly difficult to overcome on a golf course in a sport when spectators are right on top of the action, and it’s hard to imagine that Woods was comfortable in front of them, even if the golf course is considered his own personal sanctuary.

But back to 2010 – Woods may have figured that he would struggle a little and be a bit rusty, but I’m sure the thought of going winless through the entire season wasn’t in his plans. Woods had never gone an entire year without winning a tournament as a pro, and questions still abound about his ability to resurrect his career. So is that career now over? Are the hopes of running down Jack Nicklaus for the most career major wins dashed?

Not a chance.

While it’s no guarantee that Woods will again become the dominant player he once was, he’s young enough that he has plenty of good golf left. For starters, he was the PGA’s Player of the Year and leading money winner in 2009. While he didn’t win a major that year, he still had enough success to make him the world’s number one golfer. It’s hard for me to believe that his skills have deteriorated all that much in just a span of two years.

Tiger also has experience dealing with dry spells in terms of majors. After winning the Masters and the U.S. Open in 2002, he didn’t recapture another major title until 2005. In 2003 and 2004, fans were wondering if his well had run dry. But he’s proven such questions were foolish as he’s won six more majors since 2005.  You wouldn’t think that this recent dry spell would be too much to overcome.

Woods is also the dreaded age of 35 – the beginning of the end for many golfers. Plenty, however, have found success after that age. Phil Mickelson won three of his four majors after 35 and, at 39, won the Masters last year. And when you add in Angel Cabrera’s 2009 win, the last two Masters winners have both been on the cusp of 40. If players without the talent of Woods can have that kind of success, why can’t Tiger? Further, it’s not just the Masters where older golfers can have success. Eight of the past sixteen major winners have been over the age of 35. So age clearly isn’t Woods’ biggest hurdle.

Lastly, there’s the mental aspect. Can Tiger put aside all of the issues that have dogged him since that fateful Thanksgiving in 2009? Well, he’s stared down important putts in the past, and if anyone can do it, he can. Plus, while Woods has been through a lot in his personal life, the questions will eventually end, and he should be able to focus on golf 100% at some point in the future.

Simply put, Tiger has run into a bit of a rough patch, but all signs point to him being able to rebound and return to being one of golf’s most dominant figures.  And I think that 2011 is the year that the rebound officially begins.

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