Tiger Woods: A look at the smartest player ever!
Whenever the word ‘golf’ is mentioned, former world number one Tiger Woods’ name is not far behind.
Having bagged big surprises in his once-admired career, Woods still strikes fear into many of his rivals.
Although he is not in the limelight all that much these days, his profile certainly deserves some study.
Born on December 30, 1975, Woods grew up as a "child prodigy", as he loved golf with all his heart. He started swinging clubs at the age of just 2 years.
As a junior player, Woods participated in an event partnering with John Daly and soon grabbed attention.
Woods played amazingly well on the course, as he had a good opportunity to polish his skills alongside professional players.
Turning professional in 1996, Woods never knew that he would become the most influential player in the golf world.
Several players, who had a chance to play with the American star in their career, say they never saw a player who is brilliant in all aspects of the game. And Woods was exactly that.
April 1997 was the time when Woods came to prominence. He grabbed his first major event—the Masters, by making 20 records and matching six others, including the phenomenal triumph with 12 shots ahead of second and a high score -18.
He won three other events in the same year and became world number one. His performance was stunning, such that he was declared the youngest golfer to ever be the number one in the history of golf.
The year also saw him receive the Player of the Year award on the PGA (Professional Golf Association) Tour.
The glaring aspect of his win was that Woods was a rookie before playing in the said event.
While expectations for the American star had always been high, his shining results started plummeting from mid-1997.
He grabbed just one victory in 1998, something that raised his fans’ concern. However, the star resented critics pointing a finger at him for winning only one tournament.
Woods said that he had some trouble making a swing and this is why he would talk it over with his trainer Butch Harmon.
He probably paid more attention to people’s objections and this is why he decided to do his best on the course.
The year 2009 brought big setbacks for Woods. After his marital infidelity surfaced later in the year, he announced to have a protracted break from the sport.
In March 2010, he revealed his plans to play the 2010 Masters. In late March, he began working on a new pub with his sponsor Nike.
Having dealt with so much trouble, Woods is now struggling to get back on the winning track. The 2012 season may prove a “game changer” but the player has a long way to go.
The most important factor is that Woods gradually lost his swing skill, something he was always known for.
In the year 2011, he took extra care to fix his lapses and made some assessment on his poor drives. He started practising on the range, focusing on his worsening putting skills as well.
With the 2012 season that has just begun, a big question looms: Will Woods get back on track and beat the former world number one Jack Nicklaus?
Nicklaus is best known for his 18 major titles, while Woods has racked up 14 so far. Keeping in view his improved performance that has seen him boost his world ranking to 18th recently, the once idolised player can prove his worth once again.
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