It’s hard to believe Tiger Woods can elicit sympathy
A GRIP ON SPORTS • That was hard to watch. No, we’re not talking about the Mariners’ most recent shutout loss, one seemingly assured after the lineup was decimated just before the game. Nope, I’m talking about Tiger Woods’ U.S. Open opening round yesterday. Who knew we could feel bad for the guy? Read on.
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• If you’ve been reading this column for a while, god bless you. You deserve some sort of blessing. And you also know I’m not the biggest Tiger Woods fan. Arrogance turns me off. And Woods was as arrogant as one could get – up until that night in Florida about seven years ago. The night his wife found out about his infidelities. Since then, the golf gods seem to have knocked the arrogance out of him. As well as the ability to compete at the majors. It’s a Greek tragedy in 18 acts. Though yesterday’s opening round at Chambers Bay was more of, to use Ian Poulter’s term, a farce. At least as far as Woods was concerned. He hit his opening drive nearly perfectly, splitting the fairway and setting up an easy approach on a tough hole. Then he buried his 6-iron in the ground and pushed his shot into the junk. The stage was set. Woods bungled his way around the course, following double-bogeys with hard-to-believe pars. He made spectacular shots and some of the worst looking ones seen this side of Downriver. He got mad, he got frustrated and, finally, he just started laughing. A par putt would go in and he would shake his head, then share a joke with also struggling partners Rickie Fowler and Louis Oosthuizen. The smiles seemed out of place for a guy who famously declared his intention to win more majors than anyone. And had the laser-like focus to, seemingly, get it done. The only thing laser-like yesterday was the 3-wood he hit on 18. You know the one I’m referring to, the one that looked like you or I hit it, a topped ball that never got more than a foot off the ground and found it’s way into the deep bunker in the middle of the fairway, a bunker that seems more for show than anything else. Yet there he was, descending a series of steps and disappear from view in a hole no one ever thought he would be in. A fitting metaphor, no? Woods’ troubles are basically self-inflicted, from his well-documented philandering to his seemingly endless tinkering with his once-best-in-the-world swing. As he struggled his way around Chambers Bay, an unforgiving course with a few features only Hades could love. Appropriate, in a way, because Woods, once a seeming lock to pass Jack Nicklaus as the most prolific major champion ever, is now in his own hell. His body isn’t strong enough to hold up to the rigors of a game that is in disarray. His mind isn’t strong enough to overcome the problems with his game. In his last 15 rounds, he’s shot in the 80s three times. That’s not good. And either are his chances of being around for the weekend. Golf is better when its highest-profile players are playing their best. No one has a higher profile than Tiger. No one. But right now watching him play is painful. He doesn’t walk, he trudges. He doesn’t lash at the ball, he hacks at it. And he doesn’t elicit jealousy or admiration, only sympathy. Who could have seen that coming just a few years ago?
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• WSU: The Cougar football team picked up a commitment yesterday from one of the state’s better athletes. Jacob Thorpe has more in this blog post. ... Oregon State has a new athletic director.
• Indians: The season began at Avista Stadium last night and Chris Derrick was there. He came this close to experiencing the joy of extra innings, but Dylan Moore’s two-out single in the bottom of the ninth avoided that and sent the Indian fans home remembering a 6-5 win over Hillsboro. Chris has the game story and John Blanchette has a column on Dillon Tate, the Rangers’ top draft pick.
• Shock: With Jim Meehan at the U.S. Open, Tom Clouse fills in on the Shock beat. He has a notebook today that includes the news Arvell Nelson is back with the team.
• Golf: The leader of the Open has pretty strong local connections. Dustin Johnson, who Jim writes about today, is often seen practicing at Gozzer Ranch, the beautiful club overlooking Lake Coeur d’Alene. ... Jim also covers the problems with being a spectator at Chambers Bay in this notebook. ... Johnson’s trials and tribulations seemed to be well covered as was Tiger Woods’ bad day. The same can be said of the course.
• Seahawks: Russell Wilson met the media after the only mini-camp practice the Hawks could hold this offseason and did what he does best: avoid the rush. In this case the rush consisted of questions about his contract status. ... Pete Carroll avoided answering those questions as well. ... One of the developments from the practice was Cassuis Marsh, injured last year, played some linebacker as well as defensive end.
• Mariners: When Robinson Cano (back) and Kyle Seager (food poisoning) were scratched from the lineup just before the game, you knew the M’s were in trouble. Heck, Dustin Ackley had to play second base. And though Mike Montgomery made another strong start, the M’s fell 7-0 to the Giants. There was no margin for error. ... Nelson Cruz is a streaky hitter. He’s now in one of his not-so-good streaks. ... Charlie Furbush continues to get the job done out of the bullpen.
• Sounders: We now know what’s wrong with Obafemi Martins. He has a groin injury. But we don’t know how long he’ll be out. It’s listed as 3-to-6 weeks. That’s a wide spread. ... We still don’t know Clint Dempsey’s fate after the odd match the other night.
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• More golf today. And, later this afternoon, me on the radio. Yep, I’m joining Dennis Patchin and Rick Lukens between 3 and 6 on 700 ESPN. You can listen here if you like. Until then ...
