Is The Tiger Woods Era Over?

[eagle eye]

This morning the Golf Channel web site has issued an article that says that Tiger Woods is benching himself. Officially the phrase is "Indefinite Leave of Absence". This is a response to Wood's announcement yesterday that his is taking time off. Here is an article from GolfChannel.com's Damon Hack about this most recent episode in the bizarre decline of Tiger Woods.

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/damon-hack/tigers-tale-full-questions-and-confusion/

I've said this before but the Tiger hasn't been "Tiger" since the night Wood's former wife, Elin Nordgren, found inappropriate texts on his cell phone and she proceeded to go all Nebraska on his ass with a golf club. The Tiger mystique died then and there in front of their Florida home. I wonder if it's a matter of personal preference or something more subliminal but don't you see a striking similarity between Elin and Woods' current girlfriend Lindsey Vonn? The real matter is Tiger's ego was gunned down in the street by a betrayed wife who was absolutely justified to be not just to be angry but outraged considering the scope of Tiger's infidelity. There was a span of time after this incident when Tiger and Elin could have patched things up and if they had would this have repaired the damage to Wood's ego? We'll never know but one thing we DO know is Tiger's game is in shambles. Last week in Phoenix Woods missed the green with a chip shot. A freaking chip shot. It is sad for golf because pro golf is a lot more interesting when Tiger is involved but so far in 2014 he hasn't really been involved. He's become a punch line and considering where he stood in the paradigm of the golf world it is nothing less than shocking.

[eagle eye]

This past week it was announced that Tiger was ranked outside the Top 100 golfers in the world for the first time since 1996. On September 29, 1996 Tiger was ranked No 225 in the world the week before he won his first PGA tour event, the Las Vegas Invitational, when he was 20 years old. That was the first of his 79 PGA Tour victories. It's kind of amazing it took this long considering his ongoing struggles on the course. 2014 was a bad year for Woods as a player and so far in 2015 it's been even worse. He hasn't played a tournament since he withdrew from the Farmers Insurance Open way back on February 6. His last victory came at the Bridgestone Invitational in August of 2013, Woods hasn't won a major championships since he beat Rocco Mediate in a playoff in the US Open in 2008. Woods is only 39 but even his vaunted short game seemed to have deserted him early this year.

This is something that really effects the golf world because Tiger's popularity ignited the sport when he hit the scene. It's kind of a shame to see him struggle so much. Woods actually played a practice round of golf at the Masters this week. It's still not known for sure if he's playing or not as yet because he hasn't said ye or nay on the matter. He doesn't have to declare his intention to play at Augusta until April 9 when the tournament begins. When Woods withdrew earlier this year he said he would not play again until his game is in tournament shape. The Masters is my favorite tournament in golf and it would be nice to see him play. I don't think he can win this year but it would be nice to see him back on the course. I would love to see Phil Mickelson win again but I have my doubts about that even though he's playing better lately.

[eagle eye]

I guess I should pay more attention to TMZ or some more gossip friendly outlet but no, that's a real waste of my time. What I found out today is that Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn are no longer an item. Apparently, Tiger felt the need for another woman's company after being cut in the PGA tour event in San Diego back in February. In a recent epiphany by Woods, feeling like he needed to be more honest with Vonn than he was with his ex wife Elin. Honesty may be good for the soul but it's a deal breaker in relationships. Vonn sited in a statement about the breakup that she and Tiger lived very hectic lives and they just spent too much time apart. So, Vonn didn't throw Tiger under the bus but it didn't stop her from leaving the station without him. Tiger seems to like tall statuesque blondes and there are plenty of those out there but Tiger is going to have learn the concept of fidelity at some point. Maybe without Vonn in his life Tiger can concentrate more on his comeback effort or, maybe without Vonn to worry about he can just go buck wild through the female community as the mood strikes.