The 2020 PGA Championship did not go the way Tiger Woods would have liked it. He appeared to be not in his element and admitted he is trying to reach the milestone set by Jack Nicklaus, who has a record haul of 18 major titles. Woods wants to touch that record and overhaul it, but his age could become a factor. His 14th major came in the US Open over 12 years ago. That was against Rocco Mediate. The 15th major came last year, but this year, he was unable to add to his tally at the PGA Championship. A series of knee and back injuries denied him that opportunity.
It must have been a terrible letdown for the golfer. This game needs a high level of concentration, superb eyesight, a fit body, and fans' on-field encouragement. However, Woods was handicapped with health problems, and his efforts ended in the third round.
Tiger Woods accepting mediocrity at PGA Championship doesn't feel right https://t.co/3sGBlASflY pic.twitter.com/4WCk5bDQgG
— New York Post (@nypost) August 10, 2020
Sky Sports says Tiger Woods could not win his 16th major at this week's PGA Championship. He is in his mid-40s and certainly not in his prime. He wants to remain at the top of the table and admits that time is running out to complete his dream. The task becomes difficult with more extended and tougher course set-ups at a majority of the venues.
He has to overcome such obstacles. As he explains - "There are not as many as when I first started playing! The reality is that the golf courses are getting bigger; they are getting longer."
Race keeps getting difficult for Tiger Woods
Harding Park was the venue of the 2020 PGA Championship. Tiger Woods won his first major in 1997 and was keen to inch towards the record of Jack Nicklaus, but circumstances did not appear to be in his favor.
Sky Sports quotes him, saying - "It's getting tighter and it's getting harder to win events, but you look at the leaderboard of most major championships, you see the same guys." He added they might not always be the same winners, but belong to a handful of players who have mastered the art of winning major championships.
Only four players 23 or younger have ever won the PGA Championship. Their names are Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and... Collin Morikawa. https://t.co/M6ulWSabhI
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) August 10, 2020
Tiger Woods might have felt the absence of spectators
Sky Sports also mentions that Woods talked about the indirect participation of spectators. Normally there are thousands of them around. Interacting with them livens up the game and adds zing to the proceedings. However, in the present game, there were no spectators. That led to a dull game, and the absence of supporters probably reflected on the results. He admits that the game norms have changed, and golfers have to adapt to the new scenario.
His fans would have to wait for a resurgence. He is a determined golfer, has regained his lost forms in the past, and can do it again. Recently, Tiger Woods gave some advice to young golfers. It was about controlling the amount of running they do.
Fans of Tiger Woods must be disappointed
According to the New York Post, golf is a game of individuals, and win or loss depends on the person's ability to assess the strength of the opponent. In the case of golf, it also depends on the surroundings. Incidentally, in February 2019, Donald Trump played golf with Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus in Mar-a-Lago. When Woods left the field to exit Harding Park from the 2020 PGA Championship, he knew he would have to rework his strategies.
He is aware of his weak areas and would have to improve those. There was a time when he dominated the scene, but his injuries have taken a heavy toll on his performances. The form of a player depends on many factors. Some of them are in his control; others are not. He has some more golf lined during August and September, where he can retrieve lost ground and make a comeback. His caddie Joe LaCava explains his performance at Harding Park as - "It's just a lack of tournament golf to me." Tiger Woods had plans to participate in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but coronavirus led to the games' rescheduling.