Posted on 02/05/2017 11:45:49 PM PST by nickcarraway
South African doubts whether struggling American, who withdrew from Dubai event with back spasm, can add to his 14-major haul
Ailing Tiger Woods is suffering from an affliction far more destructive than the back spasm that led to him withdrawing from the Dubai Desert Classic on Friday, golfing great Gary Player has claimed.
In an exclusive telephone interview with Gulf News, Player said he believes Woods is being plagued by “the cancer of golf, the yips” and thus doubts whether he will add to his 14-major haul.
The yips are involuntary wrist spasms known to interfere with putting, the cause and cure for which are unknown. It was coined by the late Scottish golfer Tommy Armour, who said it was a “brain spasm that impairs the short game”.
“The thing that concerns me about Tiger’s comeback, which nobody is saying much about, is when he was playing a little while ago, he had the yips very badly with the chipping,” said the nine-time major champion Player, ahead of his second annual Gary Player Invitational in the UAE at the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club in Abu Dhabi on Monday. “He was hitting a chip shot in front of him or hitting it over the green. I am so used to seeing him having a chip and he puts the ball two feet from the hole.
“To see him chipping the way he does, there’s no way he can win. No way at all.”
Woods has slumped to 666 in the world after only returning to action in December after 15 months out following two back operations.
The 41-year-old cut a dejected figure as he shot a five-over 77 in the first round in Dubai on Thursday. He then didn’t appear for his second round on Friday due to a back issue reported to media by his manager, Mark Steinberg.
Player believes Woods’ decline can be traced back to his relentless tinkering with his game after winning the US Open by an incredible 15 shots in 2000. The 81-year-old South African says since that career apogee, he has noticed numerous fault’s in the American great’s swing.
“If he’d never have had another lesson after winning the US Open by 15 shots, I firmly believe he would have gone on and broken every conceivable record in the game,” he said. “A man called Henry Longhurst, the greatest TV announcer that ever lived, said something interesting: “When you get the yips, you die with the yips.” Very few people recover from the yips. “If you look at Ernie Els, he had this beautiful golf swing, but he got the yips. Look at him in the past 40 tournaments. He’s really struggled to make the cut.
“The yips is a destroyer; it’s the cancer of golf. Everybody I know got it. Only Jack Nicklaus and I didn’t and I don’t know why. I can’t explain it.”
He added grimly: “I don’t think he’ll win another major, but I sincerely hope he does. Nothing would give me a greater thrill than Tiger winning another major, but it’s an awfully big task. He has a monumental challenge ahead.”
Player said his Gary Player Invitational “is more important than golf tournaments” given its philanthropic aim.
Held in conjunction with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club event raises funds for the Zayed Higher Organisation for Humanitarian Care & Special Needs, joining five other global events in a series that together has helped The Player Foundation raise more than $62 million (Dh227.7 million) for charities worldwide. Among the professional golfers confirmed to join are Europe’s 2016 Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke.
Celebrities and sporting icons also set to join the golf professionals are cricket greats Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting; Springbok rugby legend Victor Matfield; model, racing-car driver and television personality, Jodie Kidd; pop stars of the band BoyzLife, Keith Duffy and Brian McFadden; and Emirati comedian, Ali Al Sayed.
Along with the action, the event will include a gala dinner on February 5 at the five-star Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi, as well as a traditional South African braai (barbecue) for tournament participants after the golf competition.
Player will also perform a skills clinic before the competition gets under way, around 11am on Monday.
I know how you got the yips.
Specifically, he has the chip yips. One of the analysts at the Golf Channel says he’s never seen a pro with the chip yips ever get rid of them.
His body is broken since they started testing for steroids.
When it comes to minority golfers, I had a lot more respect for Lee Elder, Jim Dent, and even the pioneer black golfer, Charlie Sifford. All these guys played through more adversity and discrimination than Tiger could have dreamed about.
Golf may be the last gentleman’s game. And you can’t buy your way into being a gentleman, no matter how much money you make or how many trophies you take home.
“His body is broken since they started testing for steroids.”
His spirit is broken since his wife took a 5 iron to his a$$.......
Yip.
That too!
So, you can get rid of the yips, but I had to completely change what I was doing and that changed my mental approach too. The yips are completely mental.
Yes, I've been playing golf since I was 8 yrs old. So that's about 52 yrs now. I can't ever get enough of it.
In his attempt to keep getting bigger and stronger both naturally and artificially Woods body has rebelled and broken down.
Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. /s
I come from a golfing family. My Mom was Cleveland Women;s Champion a few times. Me? I’d rather watch the grass grow!
Sam Sneed had them too although not steroid induced.Steroids are worse than opioids.
The media will never tell the truth!
During his rehabs, Tiger chose to use a Canadian doctor who had a record of smuggling PEDs into US.
Once the PGA began testing for PEDs, Tiger never won another major.
Connect the dots...
Care to share a link or a search term for the specific video?
My question too.
Golf is an addiction. True story.
My father a great golfer put a club in my hand at 6 or 7, and they all said I had a natural swing - I grew up playing, but hated the game because it kept my father from me. When he wasn’t working, he was on the links. But my business required that I take clients to play - top Fortune 500 execs.
I saw how addictive the game was to many.
One day I went to a nearby public driving range before a major client outing at my country club almost next door to my home. Coming off it was an old friend, former drug addict/dealer, former president of really bad biker gang who had been as rough as they get, but became a Christian in the ‘70’s.....carrying a new set of Pings, Ping bag, the whole 9 yards. “Wayne! When did you start playing golf?!?!” “4 years ago. I play almost every day.” I probed more knowing he had a backhoe business.
He then told me how addicted he was, had a 4 handicap, took lessons every week, his playing was killing his income, etc. I said, “Wayne - you ARE addicted!”
He said, “Yes - I used to be addicted to cocaine and heroin. Now I’m addicted to golf. And I can tell you golf is WORSE!”
TRUE story....Wayne is now with the Lord........(not saying.....)
my question too - sometimes the wedge is like a live snake in my hands.
reminds me of an old joke:
One Fall day, Bill was out raking leaves when he noticed a hearse slowly drive by. Following the first hearse, was a second hearse which was followed by a man walking solemnly along, followed by a dog, and then about 200 men walking in single file.
Intrigued, Bill went up to the man following the second hearse and asked him who was in the first hearse.
“My wife,” the man replied.
“I’m sorry,” said Bill. “What happened to her?”
“My dog bit her and she died.”
Bill then asked the man who was in the second hearse.
The man replied, “My mother-in-law. My dog bit her and she died as well.”
Bill thought about this for a while. He finally asked the man, “Can I borrow your dog?” To which the man replied, “Get in line.”
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