It seems like everyone is talking about Tiger Woods’ recent win at the Chevron World Challenge last Sunday and what it will mean for his career in the long run. Some people are calling this a “resurrection” of the old Tiger, banking on this one win to turn everything around for him after a disappointing two year streak which began shortly after the turmoil in his personal life.
The big names in golf are even talking about what Tiger’s return will mean for the game. Controversy erupted when No. 1 Luke Donald said that Woods was the best golfer he has every played against, but No. 2 Rory McIlory is the most naturally talented. A day later, Donald clarified his comment and tweeted that he meant no “disrespect” to Woods. Other golfers have welcomed Tiger’s comeback as a chance to face off with the golf champ, including McIlory.
However, we will have to wait to see if Tiger’s most impressive stretch of golf in two years, which began in October will continue into the New Year. Woods’ next tournament is the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on January 26. Joe LaCava, Tiger’s caddy, expressed concern about how Wood’s seven week break would affect his playing. However, Woods is optimistic about the upcoming year and says he needs “…a chance to just kind of unwind and then start gearing back up for next year.”
So what exactly does this win mean for Tiger? Tiger’s win at Chevron may not actually result in the speculated dramatic outcomes. After all, Chevron is not even recognized as an official event by the PGA Tour. No one can know for sure what to expect from him at Abu Dhabi, especially against players like Donald and McIlory. We can be sure that Woods’ win will provide a glimmer of hope about Tiger’s future to his fans, the media, and most importantly, to him in the New Year.