• Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

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April 9, 2015, Queens, NY  Many years ago, Exxon’s advertising tagline was, “We put a Tiger in your Tank!”  Well, today, at the Masters Championship from the famous (or infamous) Augusta National Golf Club, Tiger didn’t Tank–moreover, he put a Tiger in golf’s tank.  Tiger Wooo (for those of you who saw the Samuel L. Jackson-John Singleton version of Shaft, you know how actor Jeffrey Wright pronounced Tiger Woods’ name) may not be back; it was only the first round.  But he shot a 1 over 73 which means he’ll probably make the cut.  And when Tiger is in the hunt, the ratings go up.

Golf (the sport) and the PGA (the governing body) are happy.  Advertisers are happy.  Sponsors are happy.  The broadcast networks are happy.  The viewership is happy.  Golf gets a badly needed shot in the arm.  Tiger wasn’t supposed to be this good.  But, his recent problems on the course might have as much to do with his psyche as his declining health and constant change of swing coaches.  Tiger is good for golf, and Golf is good for Tiger.  This week, he was seen with his children.  They even caddied for him.  He seems to be a kinder, gentler man.  Not a machine.  Not a terminator.  It’s called maturity.

He bogeyed, he birdied.  And he bogeyed more than he birdied as evidenced by his first-round score.  He might not catch the current leader, Jordan Spieth, who at 21 years of age shot a “Tiger-esque” 8 under par.  He might not be in the final pairing on Sunday.  He might not be make any “spine-chilling supreme” (homage to Daryl Dawkins) putts.  But he draws eyes, ears, and butts (in seats).  Tiger bogeyed the first hole.  Trouble, here we go again.  It’s over.  He’s done.  Stick a fork in ‘im.  He birdied the next hole.  Okay, let’s not throw the dirt on his coffin just yet.  He bogeyed on the fourth.  Let’s get the shovels back out.  He birdied the eight.  Let’s put the shovel down but not back in the garage. He bogeyed the ninth.  Let’s pick the shovel up.  He bogeyed the twelfth.  Let’s start digging.  He birdied the thirteenth.  Let’s stop digging.  He made par on 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18.  The shovel went into the clubhouse with Tiger.

“It was a good day.  I felt good out there.  I made probably two, two dumb mistakes out there,” said a seemingly content Tiger.  When asked about his chipping and his short game, Tiger reflected, “Well, that’s the strength in my game.  That’s the way it should be, and that’s why I worked my butt off for all those months and hit all those thousands upon thousands of shots to make sure it’s back to being my strength again.”

It’s too early toe tell if he got his mojo back.  I could be writing a very different piece 24 hours from now.  However, Tiger didn’t Tank on this day.  In fact, Tiger had a “Tiger in his Tank.”

Professor Clifford Benton can be reached at cliffb@puresportsny.com.

 

By Vernon McKenzie

Graduate of New Institute Of Technology with a BA in Communications with a focus on Television Radio. Owner and Executive Producer of PureSportsNY

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