Tiger Woods proves a knee injury is no obstacle as he bids to land another major
Woods hauled himself into that position despite a pain with which he has been plagued all week, even if he refuses to admit as much. Good players don’t like excuses, for they are a licence to permit failure. Woods has led us to believe that this knee problem of his, which has kept him out for nine weeks, and denied him a single competitive round since The Masters, is “no big deal”.
Asked when he comes off the course whether he feels any pain, “uh, huh” is the extent of his response. Pressed further, he opens his heart to the world’s media. “It’s a little sore,” he reveals.
His drive from the 18th tee in Thursday’s opening round prompted a grimace that gave the game away. And before his second round, he was spotted limping on the range. But it was during Friday’s play that he let slip the most visual demonstration yet, not only of his pain barrier, but of his determination to play through it. The first at Torrey Pines, Tiger’s 10th that day, was a turning point at this year’s US Open, the juncture at which winning the title on one leg seemed not so outlandish a proposition.
Here, there have been eagles, unlikely recoveries from the long stuff, and even the odd putt from 30 yards off the green, as closely-mown areas around the putting surfaces promote a degree of invention. For once, protecting par does not appear to be the USGA’s priority. Statistically, the second round played two shots easier than the first, which is almost unheard of in a tournament that traditionally grows more brutal by the day. Recent changes at Augusta National have led some to describe The Masters as the new US Open. Any more of this, and they’ll be calling the US Open the new Masters, especially if Woods remains high on the leaderboard.
Read the complete article at http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/golf/article4137952.ece
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