Tiger: Jack's record now out of reach?
This week’s Sympatico column looks at the fact it is increasingly unlikely that Tiger Woods will better Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 majors:
Eighteen months ago it seemed like a sure thing that Tiger Woods would better Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major championships.
Not any longer.
With the news that Woods wouldn’t play at the U.S. Open at Congressional next week, questions arise about whether the sports superstar is now officially too banged up – both psychologically from the fallout of his 2009 sex scandal and now with injuries to his left knee and Achilles’ tendon – to chase the Golden Bear’s list of titles.
Once seemingly unstoppable, Woods has gone a year and a half without winning anything, let alone one of golf’s four annual majors. Two weeks ago at a press conference for the AT&T National at the start of July, Woods hinted that he couldn’t guarantee he’d be ready for that event. That immediately put the U.S. Open in doubt, and Woods used Twitter and then his website to put to rest any notion of trying to play the event with his various maladies.
“I am extremely disappointed that I won’t be playing in the U.S. Open,” Woods said on his website. “But it’s time for me to listen to my doctors and focus on the future. I was hopeful that I could play, but if I did, I risk further damage to my left leg.”
He continued: “My knee and Achilles’ tendon are not fully healed. I hope to be ready for AT&T National, the next two majors and the rest of the year.”
A bestselling author and award-winning columnist, Robert Thompson has been writing about business and sports, and particularly golf, for almost two decades. His reporting and commentary on golf has appeared in 
RT, Sadly I agree with you. I’ve been a huge Tiger fan and I always think he’ll win every event he tees it up at. But now I just can’t see it. He’s broken down and the emotional mess he’s been in could take awhile longer to heal as well.
The fact that his family problems have impacted his game is just a reminder that golf isnt’ the most important thing in life, it’s just a game. Be good to people, and respect others.
Woods will be back. What else would he do with his life?