All Eyes Are On Tiger — Well In Striking Distance

When he was Tiger Woods, a golfing phenomenon of this generation, he was so dominant that no one could beat Eldrick. Walking down the first fairway with his caddie Joe LaCava on Thursday afternoon, he was focused on winning his fifth Masters tournament title, beginning his quest for 18 major titles to surpass Jack Nicklaus’ all-time record.

He’s not an amateur athlete playing with the big boys and climbing the leader board at Augusta National Golf Club. He’s Tiger Woods. He’s a big boy. Yet he, too, can sputter and miss the fairway on a poor shot that affects every player’s game. Then again, he can try for his magic number five, after making birdies and blasting perfect shots, up and over the trees, that rested on the green as spectators in the galleries believe in a potential comeback.

If he wins this weekend, after reclaiming his spot as the No. 1 ranked golfer in the world, it would be accurate to say he’s back and our obligation to forgive Woods. If he wins this weekend, which he’s a favorite to don another green jacket come Sunday evening, Woods will reclaim his status in his respective sport on his path to redemption. As the world’s greatest golfer, standing in perfect position to take the lead, Woods can rehabilitate his reputation and his public image with a major victory for the first time since 2008, for the first time since his erotic scandal, for the first time since he allegedly neglected his ill half-brother who is suffering from multiple sclerosis and for the first time since allegations swirled about his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

And now, on this successful day of his career, in what puts him in striking distance for round two of the Masters on Friday, Woods is finally putting fear on players’ faces. Maybe he is back, but he’d have to win a major title before we can actually acknowledge that he’s Tiger. He has emerged from the darkness of a cheating scandal that stunned the golf world and dominated the front page of tabloids for weeks, for months and for nearly a year. He’s trying to contend, as his late father taught him the fundamentals of the game and how to be a competitor throughout his childhood.

Golf is a much better game when Woods is atop the leader board and when he’s playing his best golf, and as usual, he’s the subject of the Masters, simply because he’s the world’s No. 1 golfer and a legend, win or lose. The Tiger Comeback is interesting and fun to watch, and whenever he’s playing and dominating with aplomb, he’s the scariest athlete at Augusta, a place where he has enjoyed his greatest victories and will forever have lifelong memories. As Woods tries to find the smoothest way back to truly being the Tiger he once was, he’s more focused and knows he’s capable of removing the stains of his infidelity with a victory this weekend.

This was a day when he was a golfer from another planet, maybe not from Pluto, but from another galaxy and finished round of two-under 70. This happened on a day when Tianlang Guan, the 14-year-old sensation, shot at 73 in his opening round at the Masters. It’s a moment the China native will remember for years to come, and spectators were amazed by his maturity and poise, even though he’s an amateur. This is a remarkable story for a teenager who, as the youngest player in a major since 1865, is truly thriving and will one day embark on a lifelong pursuit.

And in this moment, after everything he has fulfilled in just the first round to become the topic of discussion all week long, you can sense that he will be around for years to come if he continues to impress viewers with his efforts and magnificent performances. And as nice as the story was, and always will be, Guan defeated Ian Poulter and Hunter Mahan by three strokes and Bubba Watson, the Masters defending champion, by two strokes. The kid to whom we grew to glorify, a confident and well-mannered teenager who was unfazed and stayed calm, beat the rest of the world and made golf popular in China.

The focus of golf, although there are other golfers who have mastered the game just as well as the world’s greatest, has been Woods, nonetheless with endless debates on whether he’d ever overcome adversity to be the central figure of the game and the same golfer he was 10 years ago. If there is going to be any moment in his career that he comes back, like the dominant athlete we once knew, it is going to happen at the Masters and so far he’s hitting the ball admirably. Now, we know all too well that Woods is capable of a fifth green jacket.

He knows he’s capable of beating the best in the world with his dominance, as good as he’s been, and he knows he was splendid in the first round, finishing with a 2-under-par round of 70. He’s not young, or as dominant, still the greatest, once again trying to win his first major in five years, long after he and Elin Nordegren split up, long after he had fallen from grace by cheating on his ex-wife. He’s playing well and he’s in another relationship, dating Olympic skier, Lindsey Vonn.

And while she was looking on and supporting her honey — wearing a soft brace on her surgically repaired right knee — her boyfriend hit six balls and putted each one. He might be more fascinating to watch than he has been in years, especially after putting together a convincing round that he hit 13-of-18 greens, in his 19th Masters. Woods had finally made his first birdie of the day at the par-3 6th, and sunk another one at the par-5 8th, then played Amen Corner in 1 under by birdieing the 13th. After that, he three-putted for his first bogey of the tournament at the 14th green, but then missed the 15th after a solid drive.

And you know Tiger still has it in him. This is about reclamation for Woods, a time when everyone is — yet again — talking about how he’s the hottest player coming into the tournament, in an environment where he’s experienced the greatest achievements.

The reality is that Eldrick just might be back.

Chill On Tiger: Wake Me Up When Woods Wins Major

It wasn’t long ago when Nike, a marketing ploy for the world’s No. 1 golfer Tiger Woods, released a controversial ad featuring a quote that read “WINNING TAKES CARE OF EVERYTHING.” The worst thing about Nike’s creativity for Woods, who reclaimed his No. 1 golf ranking after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Florida, is that it created a social media storm.

At a time when he’s beginning to see the light, giving chase to Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major titles, he’s favored to overcome months of misery and dismal performances by winning the Masters. There is, believe it or not, a chance Woods can win the Masters at Augusta National by Sunday evening, eyeing a fifth green jacket and finally returning to normalcy. It’s more likely that populace thinks he’s back now that he’s the world’s No. 1-ranked golfer for the first time since 2010. It’s more likely that citizens are convinced he’s back now that he’s won six of his last 20 tournaments, none of them major titles by the way.

But he’s not so convincing when he’s gone five years without roaring back to win the big one, as the golfing world is gushing about Woods winning three events this year, including the last two times he has played. So now we are supposed to applaud a once spotless athlete who is, once again, the heavy favorite going into the Masters. So now we are supposed to buy into the notion that he’s back, that after years in disarray he’s finally comfortable in his swing.

He’s playing his best golf for the first time since undergoing reconstructive knee surgery to repair a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament and since his infamous sex-scandal. He’s still worth a lot in endorsements and he sells products in the best interest of his corporate enablers. For instance, even during the allegations and shocking secrets involving a platoon of mistresses, Nike stood by him and understood bad publicity means good publicity.

He’s poised to end a major drought, he’s focused on his game and hopes to recapture his dominance at a place where he’s won his first major as the second greatest golfer alive. After overcoming a bad relationship and after his ex-wife Elin Nordegren filed for divorce, he’s dating his new girlfriend Lindsey Vonn. But to say that he’s back is utterly silly, when he has not won a major title since his 91-hole extravaganza to outlast journeyman Rocco Mediate in a sudden-death playoff of the US Open at Torrey Pines in 2008.

Believe whatever you want, but he won’t be back until he wins a major. And, should that happen, maybe he will restore his damaged reputation, regain his form and exceed all expectations. The last time he’s put on a green jacket was in 2005 at age 30, when he beat Chris DiMarco in an astonishing duel for his fourth Masters title. At that time, the hope was to dedicate the thrilling victory to his gravely ill father who taught him everything he knows about the game throughout his childhood.

When he was at his best, he was a newlywed with a spotless image who dominated and clearly became an unmatched player in his sport. When he was the world’s most famous athlete, the guidance of his father helped his path to become a winner, as Woods embraced the pleasures of fatherhood, raising his two children with his ex-wife. Woods’ life has never been the same since the humiliation of a tabloid scandal and since he was embroiled in ugly extramarital affairs, but now he’s slowly getting over an embarrassing sex escapade.

He’s a winner, once again, and only cares about winning major tournaments at this point. By winning a major, of course, it cures and heals the wounds of a man who is trying to repair a public image. The thoughts of his scandal won’t wither or disappear anytime soon, and he won’t ever dominate as he’s done before. The public perception, among those who worshipped Woods before his transgressions, won’t ever be the same, either. People love or hate Woods. It’s one or the other.

In the meantime, though, a Masters victory would be one way to rid the stain of his infidelity. It’s fitting for Woods to have the comeback of his lustrous career at Augusta National Golf Club, where he’s had a ton of success way before the sex scandal came into view, way before we even knew that side of Woods, way before we found out that he was never an impeccable athlete and lived a double-life.

For now, that is until he wins another major title, he’s an overly hyped golfer only because folks wanted to believe he was the most recognizable athlete, the most sensational athlete, or the most popular athlete in American sports. If he was back to being Tiger, he wouldn’t have gone eighteen consecutive major tournaments without a victory. Thus, for quite sometime now, he’s showing he’s still the greatest golfer of this generation and has been greatly dominating.

When he tees off at the Masters on Thursday, he will have a chance to build on confidence and make use of rehabilitation to repair his ravaged career. So finally, he’s producing a little magic and believers are quick to say he’s back without even knowing the truth behind Woods. Keep in mind that Woods dropped from No. 1 in the world to No. 58 and just recently climbed back to No 1., which has created the unnecessary hype about a man who still clearly has an elephant-sized ego, a man who still is getting publicity from his frivolous Nike commercials.

As always, each time the Masters comes around, Woods raises eyebrows for competing in a four-day event at the most prestigious golf tournament. This time around, which people are talking endlessly, he stands at No. 1 for his 19th Masters appearance. And right now, Woods is long overdue for a victory in one of these majors — the Masters, US Open, British Open or PGA Championship.

As we all know, he failed to break par in a final round in a major a year ago. He unraveled in the third round with a 5-over-par 70, after he was tied for the 36-hole lead at the US Open. What happened at the British Open was more disappointing when he shot par in the third round and had four bogeys and a triple bogey in the final round at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. He fell short at the PGA Championship, beginning the third round tied for the lead, but then rain started to pour in Kiawah Island and he couldn’t bounce back. Which, in this case, he’s not back.

That was another full year without Woods winning a major. So it will remain uncertain, whether he’s back or not. I’m not certain that he’s returned to usual form when he’s still seeking to capture another major title at Augusta National, a place where the azaleas bloom in the spring. If Tiger truly is back, if he has what it takes to reach the 18-major milestone, he has to win a major title and then we can say he’s back. If he does win this tournament, it would be indisputable to say he’s not back, it would be silly to believe he’s not the old Tiger. The greatest golfing creature on the planet is capable of playing better than he has in a long time. He’s healthy, he’s happy and he’s reinvented his golf swing. Anybody can see that this can be a monumental weekend.

At age 37, he’s playing his best golf, but he’s not even close to being back. If he leaves Augusta with a victory to end an 8-year drought, then we can say Tiger is truly Tiger.

Tiger-Williams Uproar Laughable -- Williams Looks Like the Bigger Fool

He is about to become the diva of golf for ripping one of the world's greatest golfers who formerly lavished him with massive earnings, just so Tiger Woods could have a loyal caddie to carry his almighty golf bag adorned with endorsement logos.

It was enough for Woods to bail on a longtime relationship that apparently unraveled, an unexpected fallout no one ever imagined and especially Steve Williams, one of the richest caddies who profited from Woods, though he never struck a drive or made a putt.

It's a childlike feud of a destroyed relationship and a bitter ex-caddie aiming for vengeance, angry for being divorced by the man who consolidated his celebrity, a rarity for Williams considering that he only carried Woods' clubs over more than a decade. It's a distasteful dispute, a sight of hostility that creates an uproar in a pedestrian sport, a personal vendetta by Williams all because he felt he was betrayed and backstabbed.

It wasn't long ago, as Williams lost respect for his partner of 12 years when specifics surfaced of the world's famous golfer's sex scandals repeatedly came to light turning Woods infamous as a spotless superstar, when Woods parted ways with Williams, the bagman suddenly flipping the script on the shamed golfer.

The New Zealander, a 47-year-old caddie who is no better than a water boy standing on the sideline serving water, admittedly divulged that he discovered Woods' on decline as his era is fading quickly, a player on the verge of surpassing Jack Nicklaus for record-setting 18 major titles if he can ever recoup and win enough major championships.

If you haven't taken heed to what is happening, well, you haven't closely followed the utmost insanity that just won't disappear from dominating headlines. There is no bigger jerk in golf than Woods ex-caddie, publicly rejoicing with the media, bragging with the media and ripping his former friend through the media.

How can any honest, good friend dismiss the greatest moments when he carried Woods' bags for 12 years and watched the best golfer on the planet imaginably capture 13 major championships, 72 overall wins? What a stinking shame that Williams, just for holding the bags and handing the iron sticks to Woods at each hole, had experienced much triumph mastered all by Woods' brilliance and craft.

Before he attained popularity in this country, before he was made one of the richest caddies when he never attempted a shot but tried to call the shots, Williams was never a star. He was an employee under Woods. The golfer runs the business and show, not the caddie, a person hired to assistance a golfer by lugging the player's clubs and finding the balls.

This is the equivalent of someone befriending an individual only to benefit in many ways, and then eventually dropping the F-bomb, turning one's back on a person who provided and helped that individual in their sensational career. This is Williams' fault. He is whining, bitching, moaning, and almost certainly, the two men have fallen apart following the drastic transitions and statements on the disparity in an abrupt parting.

It really is a pathetic rift, a form of disrespect to lambaste Woods, particularly when he was the hand feeding Williams before the firing, at a juncture of a troubled period of time as Woods is still trying to undo the widespread infidelities 18 months ago. It may shock you to notice that Williams is feuding with Woods, the most chaotic altercation these days, amazingly selling the sport, boosting the ratings of which fans brace conflict to watch rivalries and intense drama ignite.

Understanding that he and Williams is drawing interest in the sport as long as they embroil enough fuss, it could prove to be helpful and beneficial in golf, even more so when it involves Woods. Isn't it so crazy, preposterous? If he had good sense, Williams would had never conducted a postgame interview, boasting after thousands of fans cheated his name as Adam Scott, his new partner, won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

If we really must go there, and speak the truth, then we can honestly admit that Williams never won a title. And he certainly wasn't the winner at the last tournament... instead it was Scott. He was victorious, not Williams. But then, he'd win an award for being the best caddie maybe, but not the best golfer. It's just too bad the sport doesn't have an award for caddies or even for trash-talking.

If so, he would be the leading candidate. Don't you think? It's more as if he's trying to even the score with Woods, a motivational, self-esteem scheme to uplift his emotions. It's never a good feeling when someone is dumped or turned down, but the romance ended all so miserably, the chemistry no longer exist and Tiger and Williams finally had enough.

But if one thought they were "taking a break" -- Williams -- and Tiger, of course, were both confounded and burned out. What truly matters is, he become rich based on Woods' expense, he was a celebrity for carrying his equipment and he was given the best assignment from the greatest golfer on the planet, but almost simultaneously, he insults and ridicules the man who issued paychecks and plenty of gifts in return.

And this is how he repays Woods?

More notably, it doesn't take long for someone to betray another human being. This isn't so much about Woods deciding to change his caddie, but in all likelihood, it's about Williams disrespecting a selfless athlete.

He seems to believe he can make a mockery of someone when he was rewarded with riches and had been in a greater state to nurture his family. He seems to believe he can now belittle the man after he became a celebrity in the modern era of the prestigious and ancient game.

For all we know, Williams has taken the job description to his damn head, and he's tried desperately to be atop all caddies, all because he was behind Woods until he bitterly criticized and mocked him -- seemingly raging and scolding his former boss.

It's a laughable soap opera that won't resolve anytime soon, and it's considerably more than just Woods' bravado or detachment, but also the unfaithfulness and extramarital affairs. We are long past those days, ready to move forward as Woods is rehabilitating from the sex scandals and lengthy battle of injuries confident he can return to prominence and lift back into contention.

So what if Woods decided to move on without Williams? Maybe this change is healthy, for a man fighting mentally and physically to restore faith and his tattered image when much credibility was lost after the allegations elicited anger.

The transgressions against his ex-wife never settled too well with many people as Woods quickly lost consumers and supporters, and even his caddie, telling Steve that he had consent to caddie for Scott at the U.S. Open, back in June at the Congressional Country Club in Washington.

It happened this past weekend in Akron,Ohio, when Woods finally was removed from the injured list and played, in preparation for the PGA Championship this week. But we also know, in retrospect, that he had hired a replacement by the name of Bryan Bell, a best friend of Woods since seventh grade.

If anyone can understand this absurdity, it's because they realize that Williams is infuriated because he was fired, pleading to the world he is still worthy behind Scott. So what if Woods faltered and dropped to 37th place in the tournament? No reason to rub it in, no reason to bash Woods.

The reality here is that Woods had more class and dignity than his old friend, had more respect and maturity and downplayed the nonsense. Maybe Stevie Williams deserved to be fired. Maybe he earned what he was asking for. It never took long for Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, to respond.

“I’m stunned I’ve had to talk about this situation last night and today after Adam Scott’s good win,” he told Golfweek. “I feel sorry for Adam. But I’m tired of (Woods) taking shots for two years. When someone says something patently false, I feel the need to speak up. To say he (Williams) didn’t get fired face-to-face is ludicrous and tiring.”

This whole thing is ludicrous, just utterly ridiculous and it feels like an everlasting soap opera that will never end. And, yes, it's an ongoing story of a overblown breakup and, for the record, it has turned into acrimony. It's just too bad, but now it's time that Williams move on. It's like breaking up with your ex-lover. GET OVER IT, GET OVER YOURSELF!!

The worst part of it all is, the relationship unraveled amidst he/said theories and finger-pointing to provoke a farce and unnecessary bull. This is what it has become an episode of misguided insanity, a full-blown controversy.

Williams, with the exception of Woods, he thought he was a star, but he never was a star. He was only a worker for his boss, and now, a distasteful S.O.B. with no morals.

That sounds like Stevie.

Tiger Won't Capture a Miracle in Augusta

What, you expected him to suddenly emerge into the world's greatest golfer, dominate on the green and win another green jacket again? The roars overwhelmed Tiger Woods, once the game's most premiere athlete, as the folks in the galleries are confident that he has returned to normalcy, but instead he's shrunk quickly, wilting and plunging into the twilight stages of his graceful career. Turns out, he's not back after all.

So what if he was surrounded by thousands of supporters, cheering and giving standing ovations. The proud spectators sensed a miraculous comeback, ultimately waiting for an epic rebound by Woods in order to soar into contention by dusk on Sunday evening in Augusta. To those fans he should be atop the leaderboard already if he ever wanted in chance to be fitted for a green jacket, but as we all know, it felt like Woods flunked the test on the day he needed to regain ground to ascend the leaderboard.

It really depends on how badly Woods' desires to rekindle dominance in the very prestigious tournament. His swagger, apparently, is not enough to pull it off and eliminate the youngsters from contention, an event Woods has stumbled and faltered in lately, an event where he never seizes control, an event he hasn't won since 2005.

More than ever, he's a prima donna in the sport, although he cajoles viewers and balloons television ratings by wearing his stylish, colorful Nike brand shirts and standing as the world's most glamorous golfer, the talented player everybody desires to watch. One still can find the sport eventful as long as Woods is present, as long as he is showcasing his consciousness and excellence in the Masters, nearly impeccable in the eyes of spectators intrigued and awed by Woods. He is, with no apologies, the best golfer on the planet, well, he used to be the greatest until he fell from grace.

He was also linked to a Canadian doctor who was investigated by the FBI for allegedly providing Woods with human growth hormone. It's one of the saddest stories, just how fast the world's most beloved athlete can fall from grace and be marked for life, no longer the flawless idol the world became accustomed to for being a spotless family man with values and an iconic figure running an educational center for children who adored him. It is, however, one of the woebegone appearances in the Masters for Woods, too, stumbling and toppling in the event.

It would be inconceivable to believe that he could win! Somehow, he needs to win. It's imperative to Woods' legacy that he wins another major title soon and garners the finest rebound in the sport for restoring credibility and erasing the tattered memories of disgrace, in which his popularity and likeability plummeted. There's no better atmosphere than Augusta National to recapture triumph, perhaps refresh our minds with memorable wins on the renowned surface where he earned the greatest victories and celebrated in triumph and amassed five green jackets.


He was in trouble of gaining the lead and never had the intense stare, fussing slightly a bit without tossing his golf club into the creek or going on one of his hilarious anger outbursts. He still hasn't reclaimed his rightful position in the sport and has been incapable of topping the throne in the Masters. This time, on this day, he birdied the third and took a walk towards No. 4, where his body language revealed frustration and disappointment, taking a slow walk on the course.

Even though, he was having an awful outing, he glanced into the crowd at a pair of blondes and smiled. In truth, he's a lady's man. But in reality, the youngster from Northern Ireland, Rory McIlroy is on his way to getting honored in the green jacket ceremony by Sunday evening, currently holding a four-shot lead. So much for Woods. So long to Woods. All eyes are turned, for now anyway, directly to McIlory, if not Woods. It's almost understandable to root against Woods, who was incensed when he botched shots.

The gallery held collective breaths and Woods gazed in despair. While he tried to take back the game he once rightfully owned, McIlroy was sinking a 30-foot birdie putt to finish in a breathtaking pursuit. By the end of the day, Woods was incapable of putting on a spectacular display and shot a two-over 74 and currently stands at five-under for the Masters. Although he can strike again, with the hottest swings and much momentum to storm in position, Woods has never come back from behind on the final day of any major.

In this event, McIlroy has backed up his trash talk and pompous demeanor. So with that, he's entitled to be cocky and really believe that he can win the entire tournament, when after all he is currently atop the leaderboard. The only way he can drop rapidly is by shuffling and wobbling, something hard to envision when McIlory is extremely composed and confident. The Masters, in its 75th year, is engaging because of the 21-year old kid. He is, certainly, the next biggest magnet of golf, aiming to be the most dominant name in this lustful era, terrifying the old-timers with his craft and superb swings, concentration and mindfulness.

We can by now admit that McIlroy has great potential to be the attraction of golf in the future, particularly after settling for three birdies on the hardest final six holes, carding a two-under-par 70 to mark a three-day total to under 12 and leads by four strokes. There's much doubt, judging by the way McIlroy has played and the way Jason Day has been noticed on the leaderboard and the way Angel Cabrera has earned spotlight by jumping onto the leaderboard, that Woods won't pull off the miracle.

The heavy talk this weekend has been on McIlroy and Day, a pair of youngster delivering not only in shots for the Masters but handing over inspiration to children. The point of the matter is that Woods won't win at the 75th Masters, delayed by the expeditious growth of two kids, leaving him in the darkness in Augusta, where he used to always be appreciated and admired. He needs a miracle, and not even Miracle-Gro can induce ambition, not if he is having trouble putting. And as of now, he is seven shots behind McIlroy and, by now, he can drop the F-Bomb and utter the word "Damnit!"

Seems Woods is mortal.

Woods Strikes Back with Swagger: No Need to Sugarcoat It

Suddenly, he was pumping his fist. Gazing with the most intimidating facial expression in sports, stares and emotions Tiger Woods exposes when he's full of swagger poised to return to prominence.

He walked and dominated the green at Augusta, roaring back into the invincible name we were once familiar with on the graceful course as the crowd roared after he posted a convincing round -- after he was more intriguing than the azaleas and the large population that gathered in portable seats in Amen Corner to witness the exquisite scenery of a placid cabin with a stone chimney secluded behind a cluster of trees, dogwoods and azaleas -- but more than ever, to seemingly watch Woods strike back into contention.

This was for the doubters and disbelievers who've berated Woods. The state of Woods' odds in winning the 2011 Masters has created a discussion, particularly when he has climbed back near the top of the leaderboard, impressing his critics and supporters with his emotions and dominance. If he ever expects to move forward, thus in the guise of his tattered reputation that ruined respectability amidst the sex scandal and infidelity against his ex-wife, alleged text messages exchanged with bimbos and mistresses and planes flying overhead with insulting banners, Woods needs to return to usual form by seeking another green jacket before the weekend is over.

The crowd followed Woods and pulled for a romantic comeback and dramatic afternoon at Augusta. His swagger is back, but in reality, he is nonetheless labeled a serial cheater and a womanizer who was addicted to sexual activities with nearly every bimbo. And even if he falls short of winning his 15th major title this season, another green jacket in which he would instantly inch closer towards the legendary Jack Nicklaus' record-setting 18 major titles, he is refocused for a colossal challenge, an opportunity to discard the nightmares that surfaced from his horrific and formidable scandal.

It stunned the world heavily, with all the uncharacteristic allegations that suddenly were publicly divulged truthful. And ever since, Woods, once the world's most premier golfer and one of the best athletes on the planet, he has lost tremendous respect with a status that remained in uncertainty. Now more than ever, excelling in one of the enjoyable competitions in a tradition unlike any other, Woods is looking brilliant, combative and confident. What's on his to-do list might be to stand as the superior one in the Masters, and reclaim the greatest prize in one of the resplendent traditions in sports during the spring.

He is finally back in contention, almost charmingly, within striking distance to finish atop the leaderboard by dinner time on Saturday evening in the friendly confines where a famous golfer with much experience and assurance can card a perfect round. The demise of one spectacular player is delayed and balloons plenty of optimism for Woods. For instance, he believes he'll surpass Nicklaus' record of 18 majors, a historic mark that could define him as the greatest to ever take a swing on the course throughout an acclaimed career.


Within such a recognized span, which includes 14 Major golf championships and 95 titles in his awesome career and 71 on the PGA tour, he is back to his usual self and seems unbeatable only if he claims the lead in the next couple days. It sure looks as if Woods, on the warmest day for the Masters, played splendidly and proved doubters wrong by staying unflappable and focus on the fairways in the hardest round of the tournament, an unpredictable game that makes it easier for some, and I say some, to cheer on the embattled iconic figure.

It was about the growth of the youngest cast. That is what the Masters came down to, until Woods hatched from a cocoon of struggles and renovated hope, two years removed from his grisly scandal. The world stopped when the scandal revealed, stunned with the revelations by the world's most likable sports figure. But now, the masses pause for a four-day honeymoon to glorify Woods as if he's done no wrong, as if he's still the spotless athlete we adored and as if he's well in his prime.

When Woods represents the Masters by amazing the spectators in a lovely fashion, by wearing his stylish Nike wardrobe without using obscene language to release his frustration, he brings in a relentless feel, a feel of high spirits and verves. Critics were fooled by his speedy comeback. Hell, I was fooled by Woods on the day his figurative statement made cynics and skeptics forget about his extramarital affairs with porn stars, pancake house waitresses and V.I.P women. The question is, can he come out with the same type of swings for another day or will he vanish into the darkness again, and disappoint the true believers?

You never know with Tiger. You never know in this erratic sport, you just never know. But we all know by now that he had a strong and convincing surge in front of thousands sitting in the galleries -- where often inexplicably --he was bestowed adulation and boasted his chances by climbing the leaderboard unexpectedly. In his divine run, with a widened smile that we haven't seen in a long time, he birdied six of eight holes in a stint and finished with a staggering 66 to place him in contention.

The repercussions of disappointment were at large, but he alarmed the gallery and the people were enthusiastic watching him roar back into conversations for a green jacket by Sunday. Nothing was ever promised to Woods, but he really was in a groove and made the lengthy par putts. It came on the par-4 11th, when Tiger shot his birdie put short, and then rolled the par putt in the middle of the hole and performed his customary fist pump. After all of this, in which he threatens any golfer in the lead and could probably take a commanding lead, only if he doesn't stumble in the next two days, he sank a birdie putt for the 18th.


Tied for third, once he made it, the crowd erupted into the most storming ovation in the second round. It doesn't mean he'll win, but he does put fear in the hearts of the youngsters, pulling three shots of Rory McIlroy. But it was clearly his best round, and finally, he shot a 6-under 66 in the second round, stunning and catching our eyes after discarding the mediocrity and playing like the old Tiger. Fellow golfers are closely keeping an eye on Woods, particularly the leader McIlroy, who is boldly admitting that he can beat him in these Masters and isn't scare to flirt with his mind.

"I'll just be concentrating on the golf course," McIlroy, 21, said when asked about Woods. "If you start thinking about anyone else here, you can -- if you let your mind wander at all, it can cost you a couple of shots. I'll be focusing on my targets and focusing on where I want my ball to go on the greens, and that's all I can do. I don't really care what anyone else does. I don't need to know. So it will be great for the tournament if he's up there. But I'm two shots ahead and I'm in a better position."

Is he cocky or a competitor?

He is a competitor, not intimidated by the presence of the greatest golfer who is on decline, no longer as efficient. It's not telling whether Woods is back or not, but we'll know by Saturday for sure. We'll know if he's back or not. We'll know if he's for real or just having a bunch of luck.

For now, though, he is striking back.

McIlroy Climbs Beyond Greatness, as Tiger Diminishes Into Darkness

His stylish attire, of course, emblazoned in his greenish golf shirt with blue and white stripes and the Nike logo on it, was more attractive than his game itself. The afternoon was elegant, on the day the beautiful venue was engaging as the creeks flowed nicely, as the azaleas blossomed and as the leaderboard was ever so changeable at Augusta National, a refreshing scene for the Masters annual event.

But this time, even if Tiger Woods can amazingly return to normalcy and take the smoothest path to polish as the world's most popular athlete, the afternoon was anything but lovely or kind to Woods, an unhinged golfer trying to reestablish a renewed status. So just like that, faster than he swears angrily or tosses his iron stick in frustration into the creek and engages in obscenity, Woods is on a mission towards not only repairing his tattered image, but also winning another major title in pursuit to shatter Jack Nicklaus' record-setting 18 titles.

In a forgiven country, after he notoriously opposed that he was above any wrongdoings as we truly believed he was the most spotless athlete on the planet, Woods is ready to move forward and clear his name of guilt. In the meantime, we are long past the feel-sorry-for-Tiger stage when he has clearly faded, wilted and declined. We are left guessing and debating if Woods can ever win another major title, even if he's well past his prime and has a slight chance in reemerging into a prominent name in an insipid sport. He was supposed to be a cure for an uneventful sport, but in truth, he needs a win to heal from the dreadful memories of a grisly sex scandal that forayed into his personal life and revealed his double-life.

The point is, he hasn't been spectacular ever since he suffered a hideous downfall in his lifetime, no longer perceived as the immaculate role model with modest family values running an educational center for children. It's hardly nice for the popular face of the sport to deteriorate, an event qualified not only as uninteresting but feeble without the famous Woods, despite his surprising sins that placed his marriage in tatters.

The recent trend of pursuing a title at Augusta has shrunk and, as usual, he seems forlorn in the sport he once dominated. In a complex sport, with all the applause he accepted from zealots in the galleries, he has fallen from grace and has been the only athlete who couldn't redeem or refrain from public humiliation. By any logical perceptions, it's hard to envision Woods returning to usual form when it looks as if his remarkable, dazzling reign has come to an end. With all evidence of historic feats and milestones no other golfer in this era can replicate, comes an awful ending to his precious career, a livelihood that finished so badly after diminishing as the iconic figure amid the scandal.

When he arrived to Amen Corner, a famous crossroad and locale at Augusta National where a restful cabin with a stone chimney hidden in a cluster of trees, azaleas and dogwoods and where spectators can sit in portable seats and witness shots to the 11th hole, 12th hole, tee shots and second shots on the par-5 No. 13, he was welcomed with a warm reception. And seemingly, the crowd was cheering and glorifying Woods when he walked into Amen Corner, a location on the course that should rightfully so be renamed to Tiger's Corner for the spectators powerful roars.

The demise of one of the greatest golfers all-time is gradually in existence, an evident footnote that Woods doesn't have the swagger to seize control of the leaderboard. It's the Masters in Augusta, an atmosphere where Woods has been winless since 2005, and particularly his inability to compete efficiently and intimidate opposing golfers is killing his capability and potential fearsomeness. There is no doubt in our minds that Woods is precisely more potent on a video game released featuring the embattled athlete, unsuccessful in finding his mojo to contend for another green jacket.


The theory was for Woods to rid the uncertainty of his personal scandal and relight his dominance to reclaim invincibility. It's foolish not to realize that every dynasty eventually recedes, but a legacy usually carries on. Nobody aside from Woods believes that his legacy will remain intact, a reputation in tatters after a sequence of allegations from a sex scandal. Nobody respects Woods as a person, let alone his talent. Nobody, that is, seems intimidated or fearful in competing against Woods. Nor, for that matter, has anybody backed down.

For now, at age 35, he's numbered and vulnerable to falter against anybody. Almost obviously, it's not certain that he'll past Nicklaus for title No. 19 in the near future, but if anything, will retire well shy of an honorable plateau in the sport. That alone would definitely put an end to the draining gibberish about his recent infidelity and transgressions on his ex-wife. Though he is on pace to reach a sumptuous mark, he owns 14 major titles in the twilight period of his career, aiming to return to greatness by amending his woes and doing everything he can in the upcoming competitions.

In these Masters, on the afternoon when Woods played horrible and never delivered to ease much of the tension, Rory McIlroy, the 21-year old kid, shot his best ever Thursday -- accounted for seven birdies and no bogeys in an easy 7-under par 65. He climbed the leaderboard with a 65 and stayed in the lead until Woods' sleeper at a major championship Y.E. Yang managed to gather a 7 under but then bogeyed 17 and 18. On the eve before the first round, McIlroy ventured to a shopping mall in Augusta and bought a football.

In front of his rented Augusta home, he was tossing the ball around with a few friends and then eventually a neighbor came out. For McIlroy, who has quickly emerged among many at the Masters, his chances of fitting for a green jacket is probable with victories on both the PGA and European tour. Therefore, he is composed and prepared for the challenge mentally when many inexperienced golfers in the unfriendly confines at Augusta National, a place where the winds blow intensely and where the greens for the players could be difficult to master, lacks composure and aplomb.

This year, he didn't miss the cut. And he never finished lower than 20th. That happened in 2008, during his disappointing lapse. His visit at St. Andrews in last year's British Open was greatly impressive and it represented European golf in many ways. That is when he shot a 63, an 80 the following day and 60 for two rounds, finishing third -- and now in the Masters, he is awe-inspiring. Better than Woods, he played brilliantly and as well as Rickie Fowler and Jason Day, a pair of young players with bright futures in a strategic sport.

Unbelievably, Day shot even-par 72 and Fowler, splendid on the fairways in the Masters, birdied four of the final five holes to card a 70. Stylish on the day, McIlroy wore sunglasses on the back of his cap and played proficiently like no other. As for fashion, Fowler won the contest, dressed in green completely that attracted much attention. It's rational to believe that Woods and Mickelson aren't the dynamic duo the nation adores watching as we embrace the newfound era of skilled players.

Suddenly, the elite golfers, such as Phil and Tiger are plunging -- on the course, on the fairways at Augusta, not the main attraction in April but the two high-profile faces of Augusta National in oblivion. Without even being heckled or harassed by a plane carrying a banner overhead, in what was supposed to be a year that he cure the painful thoughts of disadvantages, he shot a 71 in the first round, a customary trait lately but never climbs back into contention.

And he won't come back this year either, if he continues to miss putts. His archenemy, Mickelson, the defending champion, began with seven consecutive pars and carded 70, making a birdie from the pine straw right of the fairway. But where he gaffed was by driving it into the bushes left of Rae's Creek, a shot that almost rolled in a birdie putt before it rested for a par.

These days, Woods just isn't the same untouchable, intimidating guy. Maybe we can trust in McIlroy. This could be the moment he shines. This could be the next celebrity in golf. Bye, Tiger. Hello, McIlroy??

Tiger Woods Drops Drastically as Prominent Golfer: No Luck at Augusta

The last thing we want from Tiger Woods, aside from his fraudulent image staining the perception of golf, a pedestrian sport in America when the casual fan rebuffs interest in watching as a spectator for such mild activity, is constant annoyance heard regularly in regards to his sex scandal in his horrendous past.

As the world's most beloved athlete and a positive role model for many children who adored the golfer, once spotless until he committed transgressions on his wife and never showed fidelity, Woods' privacy was never unveiling in the public or turned into a media circus. When he returned to Augusta National, once a refreshing environment where he was cheered in a four-day honeymoon, it felt like he had never been involved in a scandal or had never done nothing wrong and had finally redeemed himself.

Amid the month of April, on the beautiful greenery at Augusta National where the azaleas bloom and where Amen Corner is filled with activity, a crossroad crowded with hundreds of thousands of spectators sitting on portable seats giving the adulation to a well-known golfer once in shambles, Woods is earnestly on decline. For one, he is marked for life ever since he wrecked his SUV when he slammed into a fire hydrant and a neighbor's tree over Thanksgiving weekend a couple of years ago, unveiling his ugly sex scandal, generating a media circus that invaded his privacy and demolished his believability which forayed into the uncertain legacy of a golfer with his tattered credibility.

In America, before he approved the worthless advertising campaign with the creativity of Nike, it used to be common of populace to put Woods on the pedestal for the delicacy that had advertised the sport as an eventful game to allure the population in which many immersed into the Masters. These days, the Masters is an annual competition and seizes much attention in the spring as long as Woods is present and competes in the most prominent golf tournament among major events.

No more is the Masters dominated by Woods, nor does he comes in wearing the most revealing facial expression on the fairways. He used to be the one golfer everybody adored and never rooted against, but now that he's on decline, Phil Mickelson, his archrival on the course, the athlete in contention with Woods every year, can be fitted for another green jacket no later than late Sunday afternoon. There's no too much trash talking while walking down the fairways, but in recent memory, Woods’ caddie Steve Williams expressed resentment towards Mickelson and fiercely ripped him.

"I wouldn't call Mickelson a great player 'cause I hate the prick," he once said.

If Woods continues to stumble and deteriorate, now that he is aging and suddenly removed from his prime, he won't ever inch closer in surpassing the legendary Jack Nicklaus for 18 major titles, the most in history. But in order to accomplish a rare feat, he'll have to extend his level of competition. The timing is now, with the notion of Woods reaching the twilight period of his outstanding career, when he can shimmer and secure another green jacket to add to a historic collection. This is realistically, assuming he has turned down porn stars, pancake house waitresses and women from V.I.P. rooms, a way he can repair his image and erase the infamous past.

The honest assumption, being that he lost much respect and regards when we wanted to believe he was the spotless athlete with family values running an educational center for children even after revelations uncovered successive allegations of sex scandals, is the he'll never win another major title. If he does win another major, while in pursuit of Nicklaus' record 18 titles, his credibility could very well amend gradually, ending the dreadful mess to restore trust publicly.

For the time being, eager to stun all doubters and non-believers in the 2011 Masters, he is aiming to dismiss plights and horrific sins in his dubious career. The problem is, particularly if he doesn't ever qualify for another green jacket, he'll remain a certified serial cheater and has been labeled notoriously as a sex-addict that the masses amazingly still adores, despite his infamous past of a sequence of infidelity scandals.

In the matter of days, he had fallen from grace long ago and plummeted quickly, a forgotten celebrity for his wrongdoings. It was a real shame as Woods sabotaged his own image. Since then, he has never found the smoothest recovery in the sport when he is simply described as the most talented golfer. At last, from the grand scheme of things, he is returning towards normalcy, all of the sudden intrepid, fearless, confident and combative.


The reputation will take time to repair, but he can relieve much sorrow with a win at Augusta and has already made progress by his incremental maneuvers towards repossessing a piece of hope and gratification. Yet, even while his personal issues mentally and physically slashed his mental capacity on the course, he's never been the aggressive Woods we once were familiar with ever since he took an eight-month intermission to rehabilitate after undergoing reconstructed knee surgery. The good news is, of course, that he's really optimistic about winning again.

The bad news is, no doubt, that he's not the No. 1 athlete in the world but a confused golfer folks despise because of his stunning troubles recently. The odds of Woods winning again are very unlikely, but he honestly believes otherwise, as if he's in position to win at the Masters. When most athletes are forgiven eventually by escaping the dreadful incidents, Woods hasn't been forgiven but ridiculed and maligned for not speaking on what occurred the night of the auto accident or for arrogantly blowing off the media in press conferences.

A year later, nonetheless, he is still hiding behind the shadows to avoid bad publicity and further humiliation. His inability to win a major is unbelievable in a sense, finally realizing that the only way to essentially restore perception as a flawless golfer is by ending a staggering drought. The former No. 1 golfer, before he was shamed and publicly humiliated, hasn't won at Augusta since 2005. Never thought he would have gone more than 16 months winless in a tournament.

He's suffered a fall from grace and endured the worse drought in his wondrous career, dating back to 19 months without a PGA Tour title and has been winless at Augusta for his longest losing streak in four majors, albeit in that span no doubt, he tried to commonly refrain from the public and evolved into a better person. That hasn't happened. That's because Woods is absolutely arrogant and moody, lacking a good personality and moral judgment something which has paralyzed his reputation.

Whatever you believe, we should realize that he'll NOT win another major, not in the age when TMZ cameras will attempt to ruin his opportunity of capturing an adorable milestone, not in an age when he is sexually disturbed and frustrated, not in an age when modern media are ripping Woods of his foolishness. Besides, he's not the invincible golfer everybody once knew, almost obviously, when he's having difficulty focusing on the fairways after his outrageous divorce.

This time, Woods can believe in miracles and aim for a historic comeback, which is trying to place a rupture past behind him by winning charmingly in the most noteworthy major event in the sport. We are long past the Woods era, slowly watching the post-Woods era.

No green jacket? And if Tiger doesn't ever win again, he won't ever erase the ruination of infidelity. So much for Woods being the cleanest athlete. If anything, he's the most infamous athlete we've ever seen.

Tiger Woods on US Ryder Cup Team: Did Corey Pavin Make Right Choice?

As anticipated, Tiger Woods was selected to participate in the Ryder Cup. But I am curious to know if this was the right decision made by Corey Pavin. It was almost impossible to leave Tiger behind, abandoning the world’s greatest golfer, even if his wonderful career is tarnished.

Pavin had to include Woods, and ignore the scandal of his extramarital affairs that shocked the entire world.

Wash away the horrid lapses. Wash away the many mistresses. Wash away slamming his Escalade into a fire hydrant and a neighbor’s tree. Wash away being issued a citation by the Florida Highway Patrol though reports said that the accident wasn’t alcohol-related.

Instead of returning to normalcy on the golf course, he returned as a laughingstock, and dented a miraculous legacy.

I’d like to know where Tiger’s mind has been since the divorce between he and his ex-wife was finalized last week?

Does he have the state of mind to represent the nation in the aftermath of the scandal and finishing a full season without a major title?

Pavin is giving Tiger the benefit of the doubt. And so will we.

For all the controversy, Tiger is still indeed one of four best Americans. And his presence will increase television ratings, turning an uneventful sport into a popular one and maybe even an outrageous soap opera.

If you read Golf World, you will grasp a sense of what the hell I am talking about.

And I have to say: He never cheated on you, so you shouldn’t care less about his egregious affairs. He never affected you in a relationship.

And all this time, you were curious, just as I am curious to know how he’ll recover and escape the hoopla of five hellish months.

This is a huge boon for golf no matter if he’s a worthless S.O.B.. We are welcoming in an embattled athlete, forgetting about his horrendous past. As much as we loathe his contemptible double-life, we admire his skills.

It’s a redemptive story that speaks for itself.

What if Tiger humiliates this country by underperforming? Tiger’s game might be on the decline. But so what?

He is still the world’s greatest golfer. Some counter that he is the world’s greatest disgrace. But most of that is his personal life, not his golf career.

It was the worst scandal in sports, but Tiger can still play, and helps the sport by enlarging its revenue and ratings. That’s another reason Pavin selected Tiger, right?

So can Tiger break out of his slump with the world watching?

Just refer to me as Mr. Curious or Curious George. Just refer to Tiger as a mystery tale.

Tiger's Divorce Helps Game, However Woods Has Been In Decline

It was an unhealthy marriage that diminished the untouchable game of Tiger Woods, with havoc and tension diagnosing a precarious relationship in shambles. Every once in a while in a sport, a well-known athlete struggles finding rhythm and loses swagger when burdens of the personal life evoke countless interruptions, which publicly affects the well-being of a well-respected icon.


It took a car accident to literally bring out the truth of his malicious sex scandal and infidelity. Had he not slammed his Cadillac into a fire hydrant and a neighbor’s tree, all citizens would be unconscious of Woods’ extramarital affairs and the disturbing text message one of his mistresses sold to the U.S. Weekly for six figures. In the aftermath of his shocking affairs with damn near every bimbo in existence, at roughly the same time that he had fallen from grace, we wanted to believe Woods vowed to family values as much as we wanted to believe he was beyond any transgressions.

What a shame we, as Americans, are seeking an explanation now that Tiger and Elin are divorced. As he tries to remove himself from all the dreaded corruption, everyone is raving about his brand for the future curious to know if he can ever win multiple majors. However, of course, he returns to the golf course as a single man relieved of all the drama and is able to return to normalcy and suddenly end the humiliation that once upon a time seemed inevitable.

For a long time, his self-imposed absence lessened the fun in golf and turned a captivating sport back into a pedestrian event. The cynics doubted the helpless golfer, once described as the world’s greatest golfer on the planet to ever enthrall the casual fan with his ripple effect and extraordinary accomplishments. Such as the old times, he has somewhat found his swagger and finally feels relieved, managing to play with mental toughness and poise. Therefore, the supporters and consumers of Tiger are exhilarated to watch the embattled golfer return to prominence at the Barclays.

His faultless legacy and image are almost tarnished, including a marriage in tatters before the divorce settlement was publicly finalized. For once, however, Woods is focused on sustaining more titles in major events, seeking to surpass the all-time great Jack Nicklaus’ record-setting 18 major titles and still believes he’ll shatter the record to become the winningest golfer of all-time.

Four days after the divorce was finalized in Florida, he told ESPNNewYork.com that he “absolutely” is certain he’ll surpass a historic milestone in one of his epic masterpieces, if he ever has another breathtaking moment in sport that the spectators admire for its craft and mastery.

“I look at it this way,” Woods said. “[Ben] Hogan won all nine of his [majors] at my age and older. I think for every kid out there, the goal is to get there. That is the benchmark in our sport, and that’s still my goal.”

There is talk everywhere about the sudden resurrection of Tiger, subsequently for releasing all the agony and headaches over the course of the year. Ever since he was involved in his minor car accident as the media publicly invaded his private lifestyle and detached, he has lived a double-life for the ugliest sex scandal in sports.


On the verge of reclaiming invincibility and being labeled as the world’s greatest golfer again, despite being marked as the world’s greatest disgrace for shamefully breaking vows and family values, all while verified as the world’s greatest role model by running an educational center for children, he’s eluding the pre-scandal and brilliantly is creating shots.

All of a sudden, his body language is an indicator that he’s the fierce competitor everyone is accustomed to. All of a sudden, his facial expression is an indicator of mental toughness, escaping the embarrassing sins and avoiding further misery in his personal life. So maybe he can bypass the trauma of a morbid relationship capable of returning to championship form, although the prime of his career seems to be in decline.

He hasn’t won a major tournament to finish winless for the worst drought of his career, as mental lapses badly delayed Woods an opportunity of curing agony and restoring humanity. If this is the end of Tiger, it has consummated in a horrid ending as the world's greatest golfer suffered adversity and encountered unfamiliarity in his drastic downfall, rarely advancing atop the leaderboard and went 0 for 4 in majors and winless in eight tries since an eight-month intermission to rehabilitate from reconstructed knee surgery.

That said, he has been unsuccessful and hasn’t duplicated a 91-hole epic showpiece, such as when Woods managed to outlast Rocco Mediate in the U.S. Open a couple of years ago. At 34, Tiger is granted with visitation rights to see his two children, a 3-year-old daughter and a 19-month old son. Among other things, Elin in likelihood will earn nine-figures in profit, a devastating blow for a man who deeply had been desiring to salvage his family, but clearly his ex-wife never pursued on compromising to repair an unglued marriage.

It was evident that Tiger, an iconic athlete all of us believed was the more spotless professional in the world, is arguably a sex-addict and can qualify for a profession in Hollywood by presumably becoming the next porn star. The fact is, Eldrick Woods enduring a recovery is very unlikely even if he trails the leaderboard at -4 under and blames his faltering on putting at Ridgewood Country Club. Even if a slew of drama is slowly fading out of the equation, he could still have trouble on the fairways.


Without Nordegren by his side, he surely can concentrate heavily on mending woes and reestablishing into usual form. Ever since a disgraceful plethora of affairs involving cocktail waitresses, pancake house waitresses, porn stars, and young women in VIP rooms, his demeanor and mindset on a strategic sport reached a point of frailty. In addition of his sickness and extramarital affairs, he had been treated for a mental illness twice in order to save the scrutinized golfer of self-destruction.

Then, months later, he staged a rehearsed news conference to disgust us of his elusive and unauthentic speech and tried to sound sincere but instead was disingenuous in the public announcement and disgracefully wasted 13 minutes of national coverage. Worse of all, he tried redeeming and expressing sorrow in a Nike commercial during the launching of a foolish gimmick, promoting a product with the voice of his father in the background.

And with the travails of Tiger, we understand his state of mind to some degree, but it still doesn’t justify he’ll ever win again. As of now, it seems minimal on a day he shot seven pars and two birdies, dropping to -8 under and losing sole possession of the lead. In the first round, he finished atop the leaderboard and performed his usual fist pump in felicity.

But on this day, the possibility of winning shifted instantly and now he’s in position to stumble again, toss his iron stick, and engage in obscenity by the third day. It wasn’t until Friday afternoon that Woods gazed at the greenery and tipped his cap without lifting his head, frustrated how it all finished badly. And yet, as it turned out, he relapsed on four bogeys on his last eight holes and crumbled in the second round and, as a result, carded a two-over par 73. There wasn’t anything delightful on finishing the round tied for 14th, currently four strokes behind Jason Day, the golfer sitting atop the leaderboard. But as we know already, golf is a sport based on momentum and rhythm.

“I didn’t putt well at all,” Woods said. “I didn’t have the speed at all on the greens. I was leaving it way short or blowing it by the hole.”

As for Day, he’s a 22-year old Australian and has battled with mononucleosis but is currently in contention in an erratic event. But moreover are the struggles of Phil Mickelson, who is unlucky and recklessly double bogeyed on his final hole, a dreadful downfall crippling his chances of gaining control.

Aside from that, Woods is focused but it doesn’t mean he’ll win it all. This would be a horrid ending if he wins never again, and it would be difficult to cement a blemished legacy and repair an image without a major title in the near future. In the meantime, he is still Eldrick. He is not Tiger.

WGC-Bridgestone Invitational Shows that Tiger Woods Literally Has Hit Rock Bottom

You know when you see a new golfer in a PGA Tournament, he probably wouldn't start as well? This is what Tiger Woods acted like. This is the realest and probably worse we have ever seen him play in the game of golf. He seems like a man trapped in a shadow. Shadow of horror and fear. Shadow of failure. Shadow of a loser.

This was Woods as his worst. I just can't possibly imagine him like this. As my phone buzzed, I knew there had to be a text message or something. As I took out my Apple iPhone, I looked at a message from ESPN. It read something like, "Tiger Woods is shooting 18-over at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational." I was shocked.

Things have been crazy in this tournament. Woods has shot a miserable miserable 74, then a 72, followed by a 75, and finished with a 77 to be 18-over par. And this is Woods! If you watched him play lately, his appearance looks like a drunk, lonely little bastard. His putts were way off, even a golfer like me could make them, or actually even come close to them. In the words of ESPN.com columnist, Gene Wojciechowski, he played liked a 22-handicapper.

The Ryder Cup is coming up, and Woods should watch out. If I were Corey Pavin, I would not let Woods play. Things haven't been working well for him. It's been a long year. A very long year. A long-ass year. Woods needs some rest. He can't continue playing if he is playing like this. Sure, he was the number one player in the world. Sure, he used to be considered the best golfer in the world. But not anymore. Put him a bit back. Actually, a lot back. Way to the bottom.

It's pretty obvious.

This golfer, Tiger Woods, has hit rock bottom.

Tiger Woods Needs a Major Win To Be Greatest, Save Tarnished Legacy

It’s not easy brainwashing thousands of spectators to believe in Tiger Woods at the most storied course, a 600-year-old course, classified as the oldest 18-hole course ever in St. Andrews.

But in a timeless four-day honeymoon, greeted by the Scottish spectators sitting charmingly in the galleries, Woods trailed on the leaderboard again, struggled again, relapsed again and lost again. All you need to know about Tiger is that he wore four outfits, flaunting his expensive wardrobe in the final round.


Never before has he been on a drought so agonizing, mired in the strangest position by dropping his last seven majors, and he’s simply delivering mediocrity on the fairways, vastly deteriorating since the disgraceful sex scandal. Wasn’t he the greatest golfer ever? Yes. Wouldn’t he ever win another major?

No.

There’s an indicator that Woods’ time is running short, suddenly staring at retirement faster than he’ll have his name engraved on the claret jug or fit for another green jacket. The warning signs are upon us when he has never dwindled late into a season without a major title, jeopardizing a precious opportunity of surpassing Jack Nicklaus' record-setting 14 major titles.

On the final day of the 139th British Open, Woods slowly unleashed signs of a fading regime and continues to diminish as the harmless, non-threatening golfer. With all the personal burdens, beyond his surgically repaired knee, Woods is disrupted by bedlam and never has been the astonishing winner we once referred to as the greatest athlete on the planet.


Fooled by his hideous transgressions and infidelity, we revered him as the spotless and modest human being, but now are stunned with the shoddy performances in every major. He is ultimately in the midst of a dreadful demise, battered for faltering in reclaiming prominence in a sport he once dominated and engraved happiness.

Rather a surprise, he dropped off the leaderboard and nearly managed a top-20 finish in the Open, on an afternoon when he collapsed and never had the momentum or aplomb. Regardless of having the privilege of playing in the Open at the friendly confines of St. Andrews, where he amazingly won the last two British Opens, Woods wilted, stumbled and suffered mortality eternally.

So much for the Americans relishing the savory of glory at the beautiful scenery, a place American golfers have accomplished much greatness. In fairness, the Americans had won six of the last eight Opens at St. Andrews, but it’s a real possibility that the U.S. could be declining if Woods is suddenly becoming a fallen star, once famous in representing not only the States, but golf in general as the bait of a minority sport.

Consider it an ending to an epic sporting story for which he’s no longer the fierce competitor or beloved athlete adored for masterful feats and enticing an unordinary event. Consider it the last of Eldrick Woods?

Exactly, he’s done…just as a jilted lover is with its prior spouse.

From the love affairs, to the alleged divorce and the ridiculous publicity scene as reporters interrogated a petulant Woods during a press conference earlier last week about his personal business, it’s rational to guess he’s feeling much tension and carefully considering leaving the game of golf without reaching a gigantic milestone.


Its amazing that Louis Oosthuizen, a rising star, is upon us, forging a newborn legacy by winning his first ever major and opening a chapter at the Old Course. Nobody expected to hear a mysterious golfer from South Africa rise atop the leaderboard, and better yet, remain balanced and poised in a gratifying win.

His nickname is “Sherk” because of the gap in his front teeth, but now, his nickname is Louis the Great One, admired for maintaining poise and a competitive nature, until the final round ended happily and brought gratification. In the meantime, Woods switched his famous Scotty Cameron putter for a Nike Method 001 and had two horrible days in the final two rounds, collapsing immensely and wasted a convincing first round.

He apparently assumed that his new putter would have better suited him at St. Andrews, where the greens are slower, or maybe even switched it as a good luck charm. Either way, that is, winning a major is incurable and impossible without hitting masterful strokes.

Either way, that is, Woods, the richest athlete who lost everything he ever possessed such as his family, richest and swagger, will never dominate at St. Andrews.

But without a major, an embattled Woods won’t ever solidify or repair a tarnished legacy unless he wins a major title. And of course, a good time was at the Old Course.

Until then, he’s not the greatest golfer, but the greatest disgrace.

Have we seen the last of Tiger? Who knows? Maybe a regime may end all so badly.

Tiger's Legacy Marked Eternally, Falters to Recoil Astounding Landmark

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif.--It appears as if he qualifies for a career as a porn star, known for dropping his pants to expose his penis as the world labeled him as a serial cheater, attracting nearly all bimbos with his freaky double-life.

From most perspectives, he’s despised for committing malignant transgressions against his family and wife, Elin, after it became evident that he had extramarital affairs, badly ruining his credibility among peers and spectators sitting in the galleries to witness the world’s greatest golfer.

Eventually the bitterness will revoke all attention and mend believability for the transcendent athlete on the planet, but he’ll always be described as a sex-addict by the resentful populace who cannot stand Tiger Woods for his poor judgment.


Half of the people hate an iconic golfer, once known as the inimitable role model who runs an educational center for children, unforgiving of his sex scandal that has ravaged an idolized career.

He almost responded with the best performance since his eight-month intermission while rehabilitating his surgical repaired knee, and his opprobrious sex scandal that unmasked the contemptuous side of Eldrick Woods.

As it happened, he aroused the crowd in the gallery when he fired a remarkable 3-wood shot that soared over the Pacific Ocean, traveled 250 feet and landed on the greenery and rolled 15 past the hole Saturday.

Seemingly, it led to a two-putt giving Woods his third straight birdie for a 5-under 66, tied for the lowest round in the U.S. Open and trailed five shots behind Dustin Johnson, an indecisive leader who collapsed on the charming surface of Pebble Beach on Father’s Day.


While thousands surrounded the green pulling for a tattered Woods Sunday, he absolutely lost balance in an enthralling tournament, bringing back memories of his lousy and hopeless letdown at the Masters and leaving behind grievance entering the Open.

Faced with the similarities from Augusta, it wasn’t a scene of madness involving the chaotic media when swarming reporters questioned Woods about the status of his irreparable marriage and disgraceful scandals that dented a dynamic career.

For much of the afternoon, the Open belonged to the biggest names, such as Woods, his nemesis Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els, but neither of the high-profile golfers prevailed in the grandest moment of the tournament, faltering on the final day.

This was the happiest ended on the coast for the unlikeliest winner Graeme McDowell, defeating runner-up Gregory Havret, two European golfers who survived the likings of the supreme stars of the tournament near the beautiful shores in California.

In a competition Woods transcended, like when he once dominated the fairways with a fiery mindset that he could win his first major title this year and move within legend Jack Nicklaus’ record of 14 major titles, he almost rejoiced in triumph before falling out of the spotlight.

It’s clearly easy to fathom that his time to win seemed perfect on Father’s Day, a day he reflects on the memorable moments with his late father, Earl Woods, who would have scolded and been very disillusioned with his son’s sickness of wrongly cheating on his wife after raising him to be a family-oriented man.


That’s certainly the truth when his father demanded strong character with his influential principles, but arrogantly, Tiger had an unmanageable and disloyal demeanor, ignoring his father’s ethical structures for his poor conduct.

As he ballooned near the top of the leaderboard with a 4-over 75 to tie with Mickelson at 3 over, Woods returned to a gratifying position and heightened his chances of winning the Open.

But unfortunately, he gaffed. He looked unbeatable, but he was beatable. He stared furiously, but he looked petrified. He had it, but he fell. He was a rising star, but crumbled as a fallen star. If he expects to win another major title, he’ll have to close it out strongly and not deteriorate on the final day when competition is vital.

Realistically, it’s the one sport requiring momentum and a tough-driven mental attitude, but he still hasn’t fully escaped or recovered from the tainted scandal, desperately trying to mend his impaired marriage.

There’s a sense that Tiger doesn’t have the urge or mindset, worried about salvaging a damaged relationship. The tabloids are still revealing disheartening chronicles about alleged mistresses, and there’s no doubt that he’s marked as a sexual criminal for the rest of his life with a polluted legacy, which is corroded forever.

This would be the appropriate time to admit that Tiger is gently fading out of the picture, faltering and tarnishing as the invincible and impeccable icon all people admired, including children before he foolishly lived a deceitful and insidious lifestyle. He’s not the same Tiger we once knew after he became known as a Tiger, looking for the women in the Woods.

The craziest thing is that we gaze at him like a villain, the bad man with immoralities and lack of respect for women. It’s far more fascinating, and even more annoying, that he owns all the limelight for being described as narcissism and the most polarizing athlete of his infidelity. He said that he’s practicing Buddhism. So maybe he learned the values of acting as a true family man and not a sex-addict.

He spent ample time in rehab to cure his sex-addiction, a mental disturbance that destroyed his legacy, career and family.

So maybe he now avoids pancake waitresses, porn stars, teenage girls, and any other wicked female with nothing better to do but have sexual activity with a star athlete, after losing out on something very priceless.

Besides, he’s an elite athlete often motivated to rise in the biggest occasion, but he continues to struggle at the sport that made him famous, rich and admired.

As Mickelson stumbled to win a national championship, Woods’ failed to close out his second major in a row with useless play in the final round. He finished tied for fourth, hopeless, disappointed and empty again, on the verge of finishing winless of a major in a full year.

Realizing that he has gone two years without winning a major title makes us believe he’s no longer the menacing athlete on the planet, but quickly approaching the end of a captivating and epic age when he greatly dominated the courses with his iron stick and brilliancy.

But as of lately, it’s Woods having the paltry majors on the fairways. He missed half the greens in his final round, bogeying the first hole and was mocked when someone hired a plane to advertise a banner that flown the skies and read “TIGER ARE YOU MY DADDY?”

He begins the day 1-under par before lifting to 4-over after 13 holes, but eventually deflated Sunday with an awful 75 and could have won by capitalizing on even-par.

It’s sad to utter that he’s an irrelevant name, dropping out of contention for his blunders and meltdowns. Not even third-round leader Johnson was relevant, who seemed in command with a three-shot lead and looked fearless and unflappable, but went back six shots following a double-bogey at one point and plunged quickly on the leaderboard.

Els was just as bad, losing and botching an astounding front nine and reached 3-under after eight holes. There was Mickelson, who could have one another major, but didn’t making the turn at even par and bogeyed three holes on the back nine to finish tied for fourth.

There was only one winner and his name was the mysterious McDowell, the guy of Northern Ireland and the first European to win the Open in 40 years on an unfriendly course, as Tiger’s uninspired outing disappointed the homeland when he played badly in front of an ecstatic crowd finally reconciling trust in a tumult athlete.

Considering that Woods was finally recovering and finding his identity once again as the world’s greatest golfer, think again. He’s nowhere near the world’s greatest golfer, but the world’s greatest porn star, maybe. Just call 1-800-LAP-DANCE to reach Mr. Woods.

Phil Mickelson Resonates the Happiest Ending With Wife Amy

In a week when all the brouhaha surrounded Tiger Woods, how he’d respond and contend in his return to the course for the first time since the ghastly sex scandal was an ultimate concern, which deterred any optimism of an inspirational ending at Augusta.

This was an event consisting of infatuation, converting into a public scene with the world’s greatest golfer finishing fourth after returning from a five-month, chaotic hiatus.

In a sport that needed a touching story, Woods uplifted humanity as spectators applauded him everywhere he walked on the course, ecstatic that he returned and recovered from the hellish months.

But in the end, the focus of attention at the Masters wasn’t Woods’ stupendous comeback or potty mouth that ignited an outburst and begot a fuss. Rather, all the recognition turned to Phil Mickelson, a famous golfer and Woods's nemesis who won his third Masters by three strokes.

As much as Tiger hijacked the scene with his eye-opening first two rounds in the midst of his jarring status on-course and everyday life in general that is mired in tumult, all spectators dismissed the soothing and heartwarming opportunity Mickelson had finalizing an inspirational storyline at the Masters.

Amy Mickelson, Phil’s wife, was diagnosed with breast cancer and has been battling the deadly disease with chemotherapy sessions and resting in hospital rooms petrified. Never has jubilation exposed much emotion at Augusta National, endless tears of happiness and romantic hugs and kisses between a husband and wife, whom battled through adversity the last year.

It was the first time in 11 months that Amy traveled to witness her husband deliver a special win, collecting his third green jacket. She dripped tears behind the 18th green, proud of Phil’s accomplishments in a golf tournament he almost eagled three consecutive times Saturday, which gave him a cushion heading into the final round Sunday.

There’s no longer much conversation surrounding Tiger’s potty mouth or sex scandal that has marked his image to some extent. There’s no longer much gossiping about Woods affairs with mischievous bimbos, deceiving his wife, Elin, of his infidelity.


As of now, Mickelson captures adulation by winning his fourth major championship, finally capitalizing on the grandest stage.

It’s almost a glance at redemption, rebounding from a horrendous collapse at the Masters a year ago when he gaffed on the final day of competition. But this time, he prevailed seizing an inexplicable moment. His ailing wife cried when he rolled in his final shot, warm and delighted with her husband’s dramatic turnaround, in which he had finally sustained immortality.

Last year at the U.S. Open, he vowed to win at Bethpage Black and receive the grand prize to place it near Amy’s hospital bed, but dropped and stumbled against Lucas Glover. Four years ago, Mickelson was en route of capturing a victory at the Open, but ill-advisedly blundered in the tee box on a stroke that bounced off a tent.

Over the years, he has been unfortunate, descending in the late stages to lose out on a major championship. There were many rooting for him, even though Woods was pampered with much eulogy.

In the galleries, there were friendly fans pulling and cheering on Mickelson, every time he teed off on the fairways. It was fascinating that he was fearless and unflappable, slapping a shot between two trees on 13, leading to a birdie that organized a win.

The imagery from Mickelson was sentimental, suddenly at ease with fewer afflictions and a problematic crisis that has battered a distress family. In reality, he soothed a difficult scenario to bear with, building upon inspiration in his highest and most meaningful win of his golfing career.

Some will admit that Mickelson’s win resonated the sweetest sporting story in ages, relighting happiness for his wife and mother, who are both fighting breast cancer. This tournament has typified a memorable finish at the 2010 Masters, as many embraced Woods of contending in his return, but also viewed a romantic panorama at the end between Mickelson and Amy.

“I want to recognize my family,” Mickelson said. “My wife has been through a lot this year, and it means so much to us to share some joy together. She’s an incredible wife and an incredible mother, and she has been an inspiration for me this past year in seeing what she went through. I’m so happy that she and our three kids are here. It was such an emotional week, and I’m having a hard time putting it into words.”

Later, Mickelson talked more about his wife’s health status, in which her prognosis seems hopeful and promising of an enduring and healthier status. But cancer is an obscure illness that has a chance of reoccurring, despite experiencing chemotherapy.

“It’s been tough. It’s been tough,” Mickelson said repeatedly. “As I’ve said, we are fortunate long term, but the meds that she has been taking have made it very difficult, and she didn’t feel well. She doesn’t have energy, and she’s just not up for a lot of what this tournament can provide.

"To walk off the green and have her here to share this moment and share the joy of winning on 18 and to share this with my kids is something we’ll look back on the rest of our lives. This means so much to us, the jubilation. It’s very emotional. I don’t usually shed tears over wins.”

It’s not about the win, but it’s the magnitude of the win. He pulled it off for his uptight family, encountering anxiety and heavy burdens, unsure of a treacherous health condition involving a wife to a popular golfer and his children.

Long ago, Mickelson was criticized for lapsing in tournaments during Tiger’s absence, a point within a prominent pursuit that he presumably could have obtained winnings and eminence.

For a long period in time, Mickelson has been enveloped in the company of Woods, who has been saluted as an iconic golfer and the greatest athlete, stealing stardom with the sudden impact he delivers in the sport, even though he slept with damn near every waitress, stripper, porn star, and any other bimbo.


But now the noticeable transformation in golf happens to be Mickelson’s emergence at perfect timing. He hijacked the scene by reducing much hoopla about Woods. The title of best golfer in the world will always belong to Woods, but in the meantime, Mickelson is the best golfer with a monumental defeat to break away from the worrisome struggles that delayed fruition in prior major tournaments.

“Phil, I’m proud of you,” Masters chairman Billy Payne told him at Butler Cabin.

We’ve seen Mickelson at striking distance, at his very best in these Masters. In such a high-spirited mood, he fired a shot that landed within three feet of the hole, fueled with his unstoppable momentum and aggressive strokes.

In striking distance, Mickelson missed the putt, which would have been his third eagle in two days, but reprieved by making a birdie and possessing a two-shot lead over Lee Westwood and Anthony Kim, the 24-year old golfer who climbed the leaderboard in the late rounds.

Meanwhile, Mickelson pulled it off, not just for himself, but his wife. In what seems like a late win, it wasn’t too late for Amy. Seems an inspirational scene uplifted spirit at Augusta, when a committed, selfless golfer wins it for his lovely family.

That is, Phil, of course.