Jeff Sluman, a veteran of 20 years on the US Tour, summed it up as he said: “When you get someone that comes along and does something so much better than everybody else, everybody else quickly has to figure out how to get better or they are going to be left by the wayside.”
The perception in some sections of the galleries and the media room is that Woods is now the one being left behind. But his fellow professionals know better.
Jim Furyk, who won the US Open in June, said: “Tiger’s a victim of his own success. For heaven’s sake he is coming off knee surgery, playing a limited schedule, but has won four times and had other seconds.”
It is true Woods has not won a major since the 2002 US Open.
So what? Phil Mickelson is zero for 46 attempts while Colin Montgomerie is zero for 50.
David Duval, winner of the 2001 Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes, hasn’t made the cut in any major this year and hasn’t played into the weekend in five of his last eight.
And let it not be forgotten that Jack Nicklaus was in his prime when he won the 1967 US Open yet he didn’t win another major until the 1970 Open Championship, 12 starts later.
No one dared tell Nicklaus he “were” the man during that barren period. Surely it is a little early to taunt the Tiger, too.
