No one knows if we will ever see Tiger Woods compete in professional golf again. I’m not certain that even he knows. If he does he is unlikely to play at the competitive level he once dominated. Without him, ratings for golf on television are sure to plummet.

For a short time we had Phil Mickelson, and then came the “young guns” such as Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, and Ricky Fowler. But they fail to challenge the success of Tiger. The end of “The Open” in Scotland today was significant. A terrific talent, won by the name of Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, will not encourage additional viewers in future broadcasts.

This is not meant to be an article condemning professional golf, which I consider the most difficult game in the world. But here’s the truth. Tiger Woods attacked the game and made it a sport. He had not only the physical talent to dominate the game, but also the mental focus to place fear into the hearts of his opponents. That ability and his resulting domination is now absent from the game.

For years I watched most tournaments, and never failed to reserve time to watch all of the major tournaments. This year I watched the Masters until Jordan Spieth lost his mind on the 12^th hole at Augusta and gave the tournament away. Since that time I have watched less than two hours of the majors and my scorecard registers a zero with other tournaments.

If this was the 1950’s, 60’s or 70’s the game would have consistent viewership. With the advent of Tiger Woods in the late 1990’s, golf was gifted with a far larger audience. He was the first to attack courses around the world as if they were the enemy. The game benefitted from his successes as the fans attending tournaments increased exponentially, and television ratings soared.

The truth is now obvious; there will be no new “Tiger.”

Last year Jordan Spieth displayed signs of removing the legend that was “Tiger,” but after his meltdown in Georgia, he has proven that his mental greatness is non-existent, and that is 90 percent of the game.

This is sad for me. I actually believed that the new generation of golfers were following in Tiger’s footsteps, and would continue to attack the game and not allow it to control them. None of the “new guns” have proven to have both the physical ability and mental acuity to dominate the game of Professional Golf.

The truth is that the PGA has lost one fan, and I’m certain that I am not alone. Personally, golf has returned to an “old man’s pastime.”

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

Photo Courtesy of Keith Allison

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