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Tiger's Slump Continues Downward Slide
Published: 2/13/2011 3:05 PM
Last Modified: 2/13/2011 3:05 PM

When Tiger Woods won the 2007 PGA Championship at Tulsa’s Southern Hills Country Club we figured he’d pass the all-time major championship record in a few years.
Woods’ victory in Tulsa was his 13th major and a year later he won the 2008 U.S. Open in dramatic fashion for his 14th.
However, after Sunday’s collapse at the Dubai Desert Classic, the question is no longer when will Tiger pass Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major championships. The question is if he will ever reach 18.
What seemed so sure just four years now looks very much in jeopardy.
Woods’ 3-over-par 75 in the final round at Dubair on Sunday left him tied for 20th and seven shots back of the champion.
That brings the Woods drought to 16 tournaments and 15 months without a victory of any type. Before this drought he had won 14 majors and 82 tournaments.
Earlier this season he tied for 44th at Torrey Pines, a place where he had won five times and never finished out of the top 10.
Suddenly, there are now real questions about the future of Woods.
There would now appear to be the very real possibility that Woods, once considered the greatest player in golf history, is an ordinary player.



Reader Comments 9 Total

Hedged (2 years ago)
Tiger will be back again someday.
signalbob (2 years ago)
Hedged: Not likely...he's 35 now, and only one player has dominated golf after that age...Ben Hogan. Even Nicklaus was just "competitive" after 35, and is the only one other than Hogan to win at least 5 majors after turning 35. Tiger needs to win 5 of the next 16 to 20 majors to break Jack's record, and frankly, it's a long shot. Changing his swing yet again at this age is probably the nail in the coffin for his chances to win 19 majors. The knee surgery in 2008, the personal meltdown in 2009, and the swing change in 2010 are probably just too much to overcome.
Hedged (2 years ago)
I surely hope he isn't done at this stage. The PGA Tour has become so boring since his slump. With the exception of Phil, it's hard to watch unless the OSU or OU guys are in the hunt.

If anyone has the odds in their favor, it's Tiger! I'll probably always be a Woods Homer though.
Climb Another Tree (2 years ago)
Tiger Woods will win tournaments again eventually. Whether he ends up winning more majors than any Nicklaus has never been important to me as a golf fan. That was all media hyperbole. Riding his coat-tail whenever possible to write a story. The same group will now tear him down to write their columns.

A sports writer from Tulsa calling him an "ordinary player" to end their column is a perfect example.
Ignatz (2 years ago)
Climb, yes "ordinary" is no tag that will ever stick to Tiger and certainly doesn't to Jack, who even at his age and with knee/hip replacement is still not "ordinary." With his work ethic and aggressive attitude there's no reason to believe Woods can't overcome what's rattling around in his head at this stage of his career. Four or five more majors will be difficult, but hardly impossible.
Arlo (2 years ago)
I do hope Tiger gets his "Game" back, but that's just it, he's playing a game not a sport. I honestly don't think he will ever return to his previous form, but I wish him the best!
Dr. Strangelove (2 years ago)
If golf was just a "game" I'd be a lot better at it.
Blue&Gold (2 years ago)
Tiger will be back and better than ever when he figures "it" out. IT is not his swing, IT is not his putting stroke, IT is his mental superiority over the game. He has always out-thought his competition and the game. He would think of a shot, see it in his mind, and his body would execute. He is not seeing the game like he used to. It is a matter of time before he finds IT again.
independent (2 years ago)
I hope that woods does NOT break Jack's record. Jack is still the greatest of all time. But, to say he is ordinary may be a stretch. blue/gold you are smoking something bro
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Klein's Korner

Tulsa World senior sports columnist John Klein is in his fourth decade of covering sports. He started his newspaper career at The Daily Ardmoreite in 1977 and moved to the Tulsa World in 1978. He served 10 years as sports editor for the Tulsa World before being named to his current position in 2005. He also spent five years as the Southwest Conference beat writer for the Houston Post. He has won many writing awards and is a former Oklahoma Sports Writer of the Year.

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