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Tiger Weeps for Competition
Wednesday, July 26, 2006, 02:37 PM EST
[NFL]
As Tiger Woods tapped in for par this past Sunday on the final hole of the 135th British Open Championship, his emotions finally got the better of him. The man with ice in his veins stood with a quivering chin, which quickly gave way to full sobs as he clung to his caddy, Steve Williams, in the center of the green. With the amassed throng cheering the winner of 11 major tournaments, Woods continued to weep and hug his bearish caddy. After a few moments, Williams encouraged Tiger to exit the green.
Many in the television audience, having been reminded every 5 minutes throughout the four day event, quickly thought the emotional outburst resulted from Tiger wining his first major since the passing of his father, Earl Woods, some months ago. It may have played a part, but knowledgeable golfers around the world knew the real reason for his inconsolable wails. With this win it had become painfully clear; Tiger Woods' legacy is diminished with each new major tournament victory.
Unlike his idol, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger once again bested a field more worthy of a weekend charity golf outing than the most prestigious tournament in the sport. Unlike Nicklaus, who week after week battled to the final stoke for most of his major wins, Tiger once again sashayed around the course making fun of the pretenders. The Tiger era features Tiger. The Nicklaus era featured Jack, Tom Watson, Gary Player, Lee Trevino and Seve Ballesteros; golfers who combined for 46 major tournament victories during Jack's reign. Tiger has, well, Tiger. Gary Player, a regular Nicklaus nemesis, has more major tournament wins than Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia, Chris Dimarco, Jim Furyk and Davis Love III combined.
With these uninspired competitors it's very possible that Tiger will win 30 or 40 major tournaments before he's done. I'd cry too if I spent my entire life preparing for competition at it's highest only to face this week after week. It's a shame really, that Tiger Woods will eventually hold the record for most major tournament victories, but he will have won them against a cast of Lilliputians, unable to compete like the legends of yore.
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