In a sometimes feisty pre-Open Championship press convention, 15-time main champion Tiger Woods performed up his possibilities of including to his main tally and performed down any speak that it is likely to be time for the 48-year-old to hold up his golf equipment and protect his legacy
Glad to see you again right here at The Open competing as soon as once more. How a lot are you wanting ahead to this take a look at at Royal Troon?
TIGER WOODS: I’m actually wanting ahead to it. I didn’t get to play it final time I used to be right here. Wanting ahead to the challenges. I do know they’ve gone round right here a pair occasions and lengthened fairly a couple of holes. It’s rather a lot longer golf course.
Just a few added bunkers right here and there.
General, it’s a kind of programs the place you’re going to get it on one of many nines. It’s both going out it’s going to be downwind or coming residence it’s going to be into the wind or vice versa.
Half of the holes are going to be taking part in actually troublesome, and the opposite ones are positively gettable.
You’ve spoken beforehand about the way it’s arduous for you as a result of you may’t apply as a lot and you need to choose your battles. What have you ever been in a position to do within the final month that leads you to imagine that this week shall be totally different than those to date this 12 months?
TIGER WOODS: I’ve been coaching rather a lot higher. We’ve been busting it fairly arduous within the gymnasium, which has been good.
Physique’s been feeling higher to have the ability to do such issues, and it interprets on with the ability to hit the ball higher. I can’t fairly keep on the market throughout a apply session so long as I’d like, however I’m in a position to do some issues that I haven’t achieved all 12 months, which is sweet.
There’s at all times a number of speak about your future within the recreation. Hypothetically, if somebody ever did advise you to stop, what would you say to them in response, and the way would you clarify why you retain placing your self by means of the ache to play?
TIGER WOODS: I’ll play so long as I can play and I really feel like I can nonetheless win the occasion.
You almost certainly heard these feedback final week from Colin Montgomerie who mentioned that you must retire. Do you’re feeling that’s a bit hurtful and also you’ve earned the best to make the choice by yourself phrases?
TIGER WOODS: Effectively, as a previous champion, I’m exempt till I’m 60. Colin’s not.
He’s not a previous champion, so he’s not exempt. So he doesn’t get the chance to make that call. I do. So after I get to his age, I get to nonetheless make that call, the place he doesn’t.
May you maybe simply speak somewhat bit about taking part in golf in Scotland and the problem that hyperlinks golf and Troon presents.
TIGER WOODS: Effectively, I feel that anytime I get an opportunity to play, not simply in Scotland, however simply within the UK normally, it’s totally different golf.
Hyperlinks golf may be very totally different. The heaviness of the air is simply totally different. The ball doesn’t journey as far. You’re utilizing the bottom generally as an ally, generally as a deterrent. And these pot bunkers are in contrast to any bunkers we see at residence. They’re penalty areas.
You go in them, you’re in all probability going sideways or backwards or someplace not very far. So it’s crucial to remain out of them.
There’s a means of utilizing the bottom to your benefit on hitting photographs and shaping it appropriately. Have a look at a few of the previous champions which were artists in how they’ve been in a position to manoeuvre the golf ball and use the bottom.
This golf course lets you try this. There are a couple of pressured carries during which you need to ship it somewhat bit, however it’s particularly reasonable. It’s very open proper now.
How do you’re feeling about your brief recreation and your placing?
TIGER WOODS: I’d prefer to tighten up my brief recreation just a bit bit. I hadn’t seen something this agency at residence. Scorching Florida, Bermuda grass isn’t fairly like this.
I must get some extra reps chipping round this fescue and how briskly my blade goes by means of the bottom. It’s going by means of fairly rapidly. So I’ve bought to get somewhat bit of labor achieved right now and tomorrow and be prepared come Thursday.
May you describe maybe a few of the holes that you just mentioned are type of inexperienced gentle “go” holes and perhaps a pair you need to be extra cautious on?
TIGER WOODS: The primary couple holes beginning out are fairly easy, simple. The seventh is a kind of holes that I feel you may go for it if you wish to. You’ll be able to drive it down there.
You get the best wind, you may virtually drive it on the inexperienced. Then coming residence is not any joke. You’ve bought some robust tee photographs coming residence. You’ve bought to hit some good photographs.
However general, I feel there are some gettable holes on the par-5s – nicely, the 2 par-5s on the entrance. Relies upon what 16 is doing with the wind.
You may get it whistling into the wind, it’s a three-shot gap it doesn’t matter what. Or if the wind lays down, you may get there in two.
You’ve simply bought to watch out with the burn coming throughout the golf green.
Apart from that, you’ll see a number of the fellows lay as much as the identical spots.
There shall be occasional areas the place, with the best wind circumstances, guys might be aggressive, particularly a few of the longer hitters.
It does enable for that. However normally, if we get the winds we’re forecasted, I feel we’re all going to be taking part in from about the identical areas.
The Postage Stamp eighth is likely one of the most iconic holes on The Open rota. Are you able to give us your perception into taking part in it and the problem it presents?
TIGER WOODS: I hit 9-iron and a pitching wedge the final two occasions I performed it. I’ve hit as a lot as a 7-iron. Nevertheless it’s a quite simple gap; simply hit the ball on the inexperienced.
That’s it. Inexperienced good, miss inexperienced unhealthy. It doesn’t get any extra easy than that. You don’t want a 240-yard par-3 for it to be arduous.
Tiger, you appeared to embrace hyperlinks golf virtually from the start it appears. Does it current your greatest alternative going ahead, whether or not it’s this week or into the long run to win once more or to be aggressive simply due to the type and perhaps it doesn’t require some issues which might be tougher for you now?
TIGER WOODS: I feel the older you get, the much less you may carry the golf ball. However over right here, you may run the golf ball 100 yards in the event you get the best wind and the best trajectory.
It negates considerably of the excessive launch circumstances that a lot of the occasions you see on the Tour that these days that populate the world. Right here it’s somewhat bit totally different.
You’ll be able to play on the bottom. You’ll be able to burn it on the bottom with a 1-iron, 2-iron, 3-wood, no matter, even drivers, and simply flight it and get a bunch of run.
I feel that’s one of many the explanation why you see older champions up there on the board as a result of they’re not pressured to have to hold the ball 320 yards any extra.
I do know it’s been 20 years because you have been final right here, however does Troon charge extremely for you as an Open venue?
TIGER WOODS: Yeah, I’ve at all times cherished taking part in right here. I’ve solely performed right here twice. I performed in ’97 and in ’04. I cherished them each.
I bought an opportunity to play with Tom Weiskopf in his final apply spherical.
That was neat for him to take me again to a few of his holes and the way he performed them, and I clearly gave him some stick, and he’s giving me stick, like we at all times do.
We had an exquisite time taking part in only a fantastic apply spherical.
Rory McIlroy revealed just lately that Michael Jordan and Rafael Nadal have been two of the individuals who reached out to him after what he went by means of at Pinehurst. I used to be simply questioning in the event you’d spoken to him about that or in the event you may provide recommendation on the way you recover from such a tricky loss.
TIGER WOODS: I simply despatched him a pleasant textual content. That was it. I waited per week earlier than I despatched it. I needed to let it relax. I do know he was being besieged by a number of various things happening, and simply let it quiet down for per week.
Then I despatched him a textual content, It mainly mentioned, as you understand, I’m your good friend. I do know it is a troublesome second. We’ve all been there as champions.
All of us lose. Sadly, it simply occurred, and the uncooked emotion of it, it’s nonetheless there, and it’s going to be there for, I’m positive, a while. The sooner he’s in a position to get again on a horse and get again into competition, like he did final week, the higher it’s for him.
What do you contemplate essentially the most crushing loss you’ve had in your profession and the way lengthy did it take you to course of it?
TIGER WOODS: In all probability the toughest loss to recover from was shedding to YE Yang on the 2009 PGA Championship.
It was arduous as a result of had the lead and I had by no means misplaced a significant championship whereas main. That was the primary. It took somewhat little bit of time to recover from that as a result of I made some fairly silly errors within the center a part of the ultimate spherical.
I made an enormous rally on the finish, however too late. You’ll be able to’t afford to make the errors that I made and count on to win tournaments. I do know higher than that.
With reference to this week, it’s clearly rather a lot totally different to what the fellows play week in and week out. How have you ever tailored your setup in your bag? Have you ever modified any specific golf equipment?
TIGER WOODS: Let’s see. I’m monkeying round with the bounce on my 60° wedge. I bought a pair 60s I’m type of experimenting proper now, one with somewhat bit much less bounce for the chipping areas.
Additionally, I like the best way my older 60 goes by means of the bunkers after which getting out. It’s not digging. So I’ve bought to make a name on that.
I simply bent my 3-iron yesterday one diploma stronger simply to have the ability to hit it off the deck and get that factor down and flighted and operating. And I added lead tape to my putter simply because the greens are so sluggish.
Keegan Bradley has solely simply been appointed Ryder Cup captain for subsequent 12 months, however there’s already a number of hypothesis about who would possibly captain the US in Eire in 2027. What can be your emotions on being a captain there?
TIGER WOODS: As I mentioned, I’ll put my hat within the ring once more when I’ve extra time and I really feel like I can dedicate myself to a Ryder Cup.
As of proper now, I’ve bought so many alternative issues I’m juggling and making an attempt to get proper on the identical time for all of the gamers which might be part of the PGA TOUR. It’s a kind of issues the place you simply can’t get it flawed.
In your position as a negotiator or being concerned within the negotiations between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, are you able to inform us whether or not you assume the sunshine on the finish of the tunnel is any nearer than it was?
TIGER WOODS: I can let you know we’re making progress. I can’t let you know greater than that simply because we’re not going to barter on the skin.
We’ve bought to maintain every part at a excessive degree and personal, however issues are shifting and issues are altering. It’s evolving every day.
There’s e-mails and chains and texts and concepts that we bounce forwards and backwards from each side.
There’s an excellent interchange of concepts and ideas of how the sport may appear like going ahead.
It’s only a matter of placing that every one collectively legally. Clearly, we now have the Division of Justice with oversight wanting into that as nicely and ensuring that we don’t do something improperly there, as nicely, but additionally ensuring that every one the gamers profit from this in addition to everybody who’s concerned.
They need to earn money as nicely. They need to make that return. We’re now into not simply charitable endeavours, we’re right into a for-profit mannequin. So we now have to make returns.
Would you say you’re pleased with the best way issues are going?
TIGER WOODS: Sure, I’m.
