On Friday 27 June, playing at the Quicken Loans National on
Washington DC’s tough Congressional Golf Course, Tiger Woods returned a
two-round score of 149. This equated to 7-over par which meant he missed the cut
line by four shots. Shock horror!
As most know, this was Woods’ first round since undergoing
back surgery to fix a pinched nerve. That he missed the cut is not all that
surprising. What is surprising, in fact incredibly so, is the actual number of
cuts he has missed during his professional career.
We all know and accept that the number of majors won is the
prime determinant of where a golfer ranks in the pantheon of all-time greats.
However, a statistic that is arguably the next most important could be the
number of missed cuts a professional golfer suffers during his career.
Love him or hate him, what no-one can deny is that Tiger’s
record on cuts made is simply one of the most impressive statistics in the
history of the game.
The PGA Tour gives Woods’ record as 313 events played, 292
cuts made, 18 cuts missed. This may appear at odds with many news items stating
that Woods’ latest missed cut brings his career total to just ten. The
difference is explained by the fact that Woods played 14 PGA Tour events from
1992-1996 as an amateur. During this time, he made five cuts including the 1996
Open Championship.
Perhaps an equally impressive statistic is the one Woods set
when compiling the all-time record for most consecutive cuts made – 142. The
sequence, which started in 1998, set a new tour record at the 2003 Tour
Championship with 114. This was the point at which his tally passed Byron
Nelson’s previous record of 113, having already exceeded Jack Nicklaus’ figure
of 105. The run eventually came to an end on 13 May (Black Friday?) at the 2005
EDS Byron Nelson Championship at which point the figure had climbed to an
incredible 142.
There are many who consider this the most remarkable golf
achievement of all time. Especially so given the margin by which he broke the
old record. The next longest streak by any of Woods’ peers during this time was
usually in the 10s or 20s. Has there ever been a golfer so dominant for such a
long period?
Critics of Tiger Woods – myself included – have often focused
on his tendency towards petulance when things are not going right. His demeanour
has been increasingly questioned by an ever-inquisitive media, who delighted in
highlighting various transgressions, which even extended to such heinousness as
spitting on the putting surface. All this attention is undoubtedly a by-product
of being so good at what he does – putting together great rounds of golf, week
after week, month after month, year after year.
An interesting observation can be made by comparing Woods’
public comments following each one of his ten missed cuts suffered during his
professional career:
1997 Canadian Open
“It had to happen. I can’t play my entire career without
missing a cut.” — Woods missed the cut by one shot at Royal Montreal. It was his
26th start as a pro.
2005 Byron Nelson Championship
“I just had a tough day. Things I don’t normally do, I did
today.”
2005 Funai Classic at Disney
“I played terrible this week. I hit it all over the map —
irons, woods, everything. I had a two-way miss. Granted, these fairways are
about 300 yards wide, but when you’re missing it both ways, you can’t aim it.”
2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot
“I don’t care if you had what transpired in my life of recent
times or not. Poor execution is never going to feel very good.” — This was his
first tournament since the death of his father. Woods missed the cut for the
first time in a major, by three shots.
2009 British Open at Turnberry
“It was just problem after problem. I kept compounding my
problems out there.” — Woods missed the cut by one shot.
2010 Quail Hollow Championship
“It is what it is. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good enough.”
2011 PGA Championship
“I think it’s a step back in the sense that I didn’t make the
cut and I’m not contending in the tournament. But it’s a giant leap forward in
the fact that I played two straight weeks healthy.”
2012 Wells Fargo Championship
“This is one of my favourite tour stops, and unfortunately,
I’m just not going to be around for the last two days.”
2012 Greenbrier Classic
“I didn’t quite have it.”
2014 Quicken Loans National
“I hate to say it, but I’m really encouraged by what happened
this week. I missed the cut by four shots — that’s a lot. But the fact that what
I was able to do physically, and the speed I had and the distance that I was
hitting the golf ball again, I had not done that in a very long time. Felt great
today.”
A quick glance at those quotes, representing a 15-year time
span, tells the story of a man who is open and honest when describing what
amounts to sub-standard performances. These aren’t the words of a petulant and
sore loser. They are anything but. Rather, one could argue they show a mind more
focused on improvement.
He will be at the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool in two
weeks’ time. Will he defend the title he won last time Hoylake hosted this event
in 2006?
I wouldn’t bet against it.
Golfnutter
