In what was only his second tournament since returning from his five-month self-imposed exile, Tiger Woods meekly bowed out of last week’s Quail Hollow PGA golf tournament — he missed the cut! His score: a +7 over 79 to end his two day run at +9. This is only the 6th time he missed weekend play as a result of being cut, in his 241 tournament professional career. For other golfers, it is just something that happens from time to time. For Tiger Woods, it is historic!

“Who are you and what have you done with Tiger Woods” many of us were silently asking the figure on screen. Clearly, on Friday, this “image of Tiger” initially went through the motions without emotion.  But this is Tiger we thought, so soon he will do something miraculous and vault himself back into contention…as he always does, won’t he? Then his seeming ambivalence turned to disgust – no swearing, no slamming the club into the bag or swatting thin air in anger. When he hit the ball in the water, he simply dropped another ball in play and continued; missed a bogie putt, he putted again and continued without the fire. This was not the Tiger we have come to know and revere.

But as devoted fans we hoped and continue to hope because we still happily suffer from that incurable and highly contagious madness. 

One thing we should all learn from history, is that all men are fallible, especially the great ones because they are so unfamiliar with the life struggles and failures of the common man.  Tiger seemed infallible when he was at the top of his game. The world was his oyster. He was king. Now for the first time in his still comparatively young life, he is alone. It is at times like this that the man again becomes a boy who needs his father. From birth he has been able to rely on dad’s support, advice and just simply the comfort of his presence. Since his dad passed away a few years ago, he can no longer have this. His support system has vanished. His world has crumbled. Not only does he no longer have his father at his side, but as a result of his recent transgressions, he no longer has the comfort of his wife, his kids nor does he have the undying support of his once adoring public. The fans attending the Quail Hollow tournament on Friday, actually booed him and gave him the “thumbs-down” sign of disapproval. This was a first. His uncharacteristically poor play on Friday, and the resulting lack of applause from the fans caused a silent but public melt-down for all to see.  He is, after all is said and done, just a human being and nothing more…much to our chagrin. No new support system can replace the old one however, not for sheer comfort, regardless of how expensive or good they are supposed to be.

So where does Tiger go from here? Should he take some more time off to get his personal life together? Probably not a bad idea, because he showed us that he just does not have the capacity to care about golf at this juncture.  He appeared totally fed up with life, let alone golf. As tough as we have always known him to be, he looked as though he was near tears at times on Friday. Should he now try to focus more on golf to the exclusion of his current personal distractions, since it appears as though he is not the one in control of that personal situation? Will his previously adoring public forgive him enough to allow him not to be concerned about their behaviour toward him, while he is trying to play his best golf? Time will tell.

The difference between good sports figures and great sports figures is belief, their belief in themselves and their God-given talent. That initial belief is fuelled by successes or failures. We know that Michael Jordan for example, would not have been the greatest basketball player of all time, had he not made that championship-winning shot in 1982 for his North Carolina college team before he turned pro. Then he made a habit of doing it in the pros of course, because he had a prior success that allowed him to believe in himself. Similarly, Tiger Woods succeeded and was adored from toddler-hood. He was a star when he appeared on the Mike Douglas TV show at age 2, with Bob Hope, back in 1978  – .  Today however, his head is so swamped with the recent unfamiliar collapses he no longer knows what to think. His belief system is in ruins. His mind is mush. Who does he turn to? Where does he hide?

He now has to come face to face with the true Tiger, the man, not the golfer. I hope he likes what he sees because only then will be he able to fix his personal life – first and foremost. If he is truly successful with those efforts, then hopefully and only then will he be able to fix his golf. And then, we can all get back to enjoying that incurable and contagious madness…once again.

Then all will be right with the world.