Reuters
Tiger Woods reacts after playing a shot from the second tee during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Southern Hills Country Club. | Courtesy: Reuters Images
Reuters
Tiger Woods reacts after playing a shot from the second tee during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Southern Hills Country Club. | Courtesy: Reuters Images
Tiger Woods’ revelation of his personal affairs in the 2010s shook the golf community. The celebrated golfer was no longer deemed to be the ideal role model for children. But it affected Woods’ mentality too, as he since has only added one major championship to his impressive tally. But how did his colleagues react to the golf great returning to the sport after the scandal?
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The lead-up to Tiger Woods’ comeback post-scandal
Woods was left to run around courts after his rendezvous life came to light. It eventually broke his marriage with his ex-wife, Elin Nordegren, with the divorce finalized in 2010. Keeping all matters aside, the 47-year-old made his return to the circuit, albeit with much skepticism.
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A number of questions swirled around the community. Would the experienced pro be able to handle enormous expectations again? Could the surreal winner get back to winning habits? Woods wasn’t seen much in public, which left many uneasy about the golfer’s comeback at the 2010 Masters Tournament.
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PALO ALTO, CA – NOVEMBER 21: Honorary Standford Cardinal captain Tiger Woods holds his daugher, Sam, and stands next to his wife, Elin Nordegren, on the sidelines before the Cardinal game against the California Bears at Stanford Stadium on November 21, 2009 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
But a certain major championship winner had the privilege of playing alongside Woods in the build-up to the Masters. Ben Curtis, one of the unlikeliest of champions at the 2003 Open Championship, played 18 holes with Woods a fortnight before the proceedings began at the Augusta National. On catching up with the reporters later, he was quite vocal in his assessment of Woods’ game.
Open Championship winner opens us about playing golf with Woods
Curtis was blunt about Woods’ performance in their friendly practice rounds. “He was a bit rusty,” he immediately said. The pair played at Isleworth and apparently didn’t keep scores.
But more importantly, what was said between the two? Curtis revealed that the talk was strictly golf. But he mentioned that post the scandal that shook the sport, things were bound to be different.
“Everybody that tells you that it was the same as before would be kidding themselves,” he said. “It was obviously a little bit different. When I saw him, no one had actually really seen him in public.”
Woods went on to secure a strong finish at the 2010 Masters, ending up tied for fourth place. While his winning glamour took a hit after the scandal, Woods has continued to maintain his place at the top of golf’s leaderboard. Do you think the 47-year-old will win more major championships in the future? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
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Written by
Edited by
Manaal Siddiqui