Tiger's play at County Limerick less than poetic
Irish eyes might have been smiling at the prospect of the world's No. 1 golfer making his return to the JP McManus Pro-Am Invitational in County Limerick yesterday, but Tiger Woods' game gave the fans little to cheer.
Though Woods was clearly pleased with the warm reception he received from the spectators at the Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort , the 14-time major winner couldn't reward those good vibes with good play. Woods shot seven-over-par 79 yesterday, with just one birdie in a round that also featured six bogeys and a double.
While the 34-year-old will have seen this exercise as little more than a practice session - and a session undertaken while still suffering the effects of jet-lag, since he had only arrived in Ireland less than 24 hours after a poor showing at the AT&T National - Woods may still privately be troubled by his new-found propensity for errors.
The 40,000 fans who turned out to cheer on Woods may care not for his romantic entanglements, but chances are they'd at least have liked to have seen a glimpse of Tiger's true ability. For that matter, Woods himself surely yearns to play the way he did before that fateful car crash at the end of November served as a catalyst for the dignity-shredding revelations of the last six months.
Playing alongside three amateurs, Woods didn't appear to be overly concerned by play that may have seen the Woods of old furiously hurling some choice epithets - or perhaps even his golf club.
For all the criticism of Woods' sometimes surly demeanour on the golf course, perhaps some fire in the belly wouldn't go amiss, at least based on recent results. Woods has failed to impress since his post-scandal comeback, the exceptions coming at the seasons' two majors.
With the Open at St Andrews coming up next week, Woods will be hoping to recapture some of the form that saw him win the tournament at that famous old venue in 2000 and 2005, but to do so he'll have to raise his game several notches.
Maybe he can start today, at the second and final round of this charity event. At the very least, he's not the only one struggling in Ireland.
Justin Rose, winner of the AT&T National, finished the first round eight-over-par 80, and has already shipped another bogey this morning.
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