Tiger Woods, and 1 a part of his historical past that he thinks you’ll be ‘amazed’ at 

Tiger Woods, in his first begin after the Covid shutdown of 2020, was struggling. Then wasn’t. After a good 71 in the course of the Memorial’s first spherical, he was six-over by way of 15 holes in spherical two, solely to complete birdie, birdie, par, resulting in a made minimize — and a thought. 

Did he take into account himself a grinder?

Actually? Woods? The 15-time main winner? The 82-time PGA Tour winner? A scrapper? A ham-and-egger?  

“At all times have,” Woods mentioned.

And apparently nonetheless does. 

This week, as a part of a curtain-raising for its plush, new multimedia digs, the PGA Tour launched a video of Woods touring the campus, and most of it was Woods’ fan catnip. There have been highlights and commentary about his win on the 2018 Tour Championship. There have been highlights and commentary about his chip-in on the 2001 Gamers Championship. There have been highlights and commentary about his fist pump. There have been highlights and commentary about his 82 Tour wins.  

In the course of the latter, although, Woods provided this:

— He felt he putted “rather well” solely twice in his profession — on the 1997 Masters and on the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Seashore. He gained each convincingly — the margin of victory at these occasions are event data. (He gained by 12 on the Masters, and by 15 on the U.S. Open.) 

— He felt the “finest” he ever hit it in his profession was on the 2000 Open Championship at St. Andrews, the place Woods gained by eight. “I felt like I had the ball on a string and I may do something that I needed to,” Woods mentioned on the video. 

— He felt at most of his occasions, he “didn’t actually have it.” 

Actually? Woods? The 15-time main winner? The 82-time PGA Tour winner?

Amazed? Possibly. 

The takeaway could also be, although. It’s comprehensible, too.  

Maintain grinding. For the high-handicappers, flip the 99 right into a 98. For the scratch gang, dig out a closing par. The moments of getting “it” are simply fleeting, and it’s actually why we play. To get ourselves to that time.  

Woods is aware of this nicely. Consider his play on the 2020 Masters, in his final title protection. In the course of the remaining spherical, he took a ghastly 10 on the par-3 12, then completed this manner: birdie, par, birdie, birdie, birdie and birdie. 

To complete issues right here, we’ll give Woods’ definition of grinder, which he additionally provided on the 2020 Memorial. 

“I believe that anybody who fights all day,” he mentioned. “I believe that’s the fellows which have sometimes been grinders, guys that don’t ever need to make bogeys.”