Is The Old Tiger Back?

Tiger Woods nearly came back from 7-shots down to win the Masters.  He ended up finishing 4th - four shots back of the winner, Charl Schwartzel.

Everyone is ready to claim that the old Tiger is back.  Not quite yet people.

Tiger's performance on the front 9 yesterday was a great performance by one of the great golfers of our generation.  But I'm not ready to say that Tiger is the Tiger of the early 2000's.

He needs to win before I'm a believer.  And not just win once, but win a few times.  Tiger's approach shots are not as accurate as they used to be and his short game and putting are struggling.  He’s also changing his swing again.  As good as people thought he was this weekend, he only played okay on Saturday and so-so on the back-9 yesterday.

No one on the PGA Tour fears him anymore.  He’s lost that Mike Tyson “poop your pants factor”.  Remember, Mike Tyson prior to the Buster Douglas fight?  He won a majority of his fights because the other fighters were scared of him.

It’s not like that for Tiger anymore.  Other golfers think they have a chance to win now and Tiger knows he’s not invincible anymore.  I firmly believe that’s how Tiger was so good.  He knew he was going to win - much like Tyson!

Augusta National is his course.  Of all of the majors, The Masters is the easiest to win. Woods last won the Masters in 2005. And since that time, he’s finished no worse than sixth.

Last year at the Masters, Woods also finished in a tie for 4^th place.  Guess what happened?  He didn't win a Major and went winless on the PGA Tour for the rest of the season.   He is now in the middle of the longest Major drought of his career – 11 & counting.

I'm still wating for the 12th.  Will it happen soon?  I don't know.