Choosing a title for this article was far more difficult than writing it. I may still have fallen short of the mark.
When I told some friends and readers that I was drafting a piece on Tiger Woods’ one failing in the “Major Championships”,* they took issue with my title. Is Tiger’s flaw a “blemish” on his record? A “failing”? “Omission?”
Using negative adjectives and Tiger Woods in the same sentence rarely happens, yet I must do so in honor of golf’s long and great 500-year tradition.
As great as Tiger Woods is, he has never won one of golf’s four coveted major championships by overcoming a third-round deficit. He has always been either tied for or in the lead after the penultimate session heading into Sunday’s fourth and final match.
Some of you may be dumbfounded that I would offer any sort of criticism of a man who has dominated his sport. But I am equally dumbfounded that someone of his talent and grit has never come from behind to win a Major title. This is the one – and only – blemish I see on his resume and legacy.
Look at the other great golfers.
Tiger’s idol – and inspiration – Jack Nicklaus has won the most majors in history – 18. Tiger’s dream is to surpass that mark and he is on track to do it. Nicklaus came from behind in nearly half (8) of his wins. Those finishing as his runners-up included some of the game’s greatest luminaries: Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Raymond Floyd, Johnny Miller, Greg Norman, Ben Crenshaw, and more.
Tiger recently surpassed Walter Hagen on the list of players winning the most majors. Of Walter’s 11 wins, he came from behind in at least two contests. Data is not available for five of them.
Gary Player is next on the list of all-time major championship winners at nine. He staged successful 4th-round comebacks four times and runners-up included such giants as Jack Nicklaus, Hubert Green, and Tom Watson.
Arnold Palmer most closely resembles Tiger as winning many majors and having almost no comeback triumphs. In Arnold’s sole comeback in his seven victories, the tournament’s runner-up was Jack Nicklaus. Lee Trevino, an irrepressible soul and winner of six majors, made successful charges to the finish line in two of his six major victories, with Jack Nicklaus being the runner-up in both.
Tiger is not the only player to win major championships without requiring 4th-round heroics. Among his contemporaries, Phil Mickelson, Retief Goosen, V.J. Singh, and Davis Love never trailed going into the final round. Yet, these four players combined have won fewer (9) majors than Tiger Woods has single-handedly.
Make no mistake. Tiger is an incredibly gifted golfer. He is without doubt one of the best who has ever played the game.
His mental skills are legendary and his track record for his 14 major championships proves that conclusively. Can anyone imagine the pressure of being a front-runner in the most contested, most pressurized tournaments, and managing to hang on and win every time – and 14 times at that? It is a nonpareil accomplishment. It calls for the highest praise possible. Tiger’s prowess cannot be questioned.
Yet, I do question it. Not as a heartless critic, but as a golf aficionado who would love to have the record so clear and compelling that golf fans 20 or 200 years from now will not need to debate as baseball lovers do: was Babe Ruth better than Hank Aaron, Joe Dimaggio superior to Pete Rose, ad infinitum?
To his credit, Tiger appeared on the verge of pulling off one of the greatest comebacks in major golf history by overcoming a 7-stroke third-round deficit at this year’s Masters Tournament. Had that happened, either you would never have seen this article or, if written, it would have presented a much different angle. After birdieing the 16th hole, he was one mere and incomprehensible stroke behind the leader. Could he do it? Would he have the comeback that I so dearly wish to see on his resume? Alas, no. He ultimately finished tied for sixth place, four strokes off the pace after bogeying the 17th and 18th holes.
Even one comeback will satisfy me. I will neither ask nor demand that he possess the same amazing charge power that Nicklaus exhibited in nearly half of his prized 18 major victories. Tiger can win 25 majors with only one come-from-behind conquest, and I will be content. Tiger’s never relinquishing the lead would more than offset Jack’s uncanny ability to pounce on, petrify, and knock off contenders.
* The Masters, U.S. Open, British Open (often simply called ‘The Open’, and the PGA Championship.
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Fred W. Apelquist, III
Approximately 780 words
© April 16, 2009
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