We know how much Augusta National means to JP Finlay, and we REALLY know how much it means to Tiger Woods, the five-time champ who played his 100th round at The Masters on Sunday and set a record in making his 24th consecutive Masters cut to get there.
But in that round, Tiger, now 48 and coming off multiple surgeries for back and leg injuries, was five over par and finished dead last at +16 in the tournament, including his worst-ever major round on Saturday when he shot a 10-over 82.
Woods hasn’t won in almost five years, and his T-21 in the 2019 US Open is his only Top 25 major finish since winning No. 15 at Augusta earlier that year…and so, on Monday, JP and BMitch had to wonder: are we seeing the beginning of the end of Tiger on Magnolia Lane, or elsewhere?
“Watching Tiger Woods was so compelling all weekend. He had a record to break by making the cut, but outside of winning again, there's not really any more records for him to chase,” JP said. “What he did Friday was so impressive because he had to tee off early and ended up playing 24 holes that day in conditions that were kind of raw – but he looked miserable physically, and looked uncomfortable. Gutsy and impressive to grind out making that cut, and he really grinded it out, played kind of defensive golf like ’I'm just gonna try to get around this course and that's it.’ It’s commendable, but he shot 82 on Saturday, and came in dead last of people that made the cut – is it possible that’s the last time we’ve seen him play?”
“I think that's been his problem since he started having the injuries. Don Wallace, who works for the PGA Tour, is very good friends with Tiger, and I told Don, next time you see him, tell him I said to just take off and get 100% healthy, then try,” BMitch replied. “Based off the things he's accomplished, Tiger always said he wouldn't tee up if he didn't think he could win, and I have to believe now he doesn't totally feel that, because when he tees up now based off of his body, he does not think he can win…but I don’t think this is his last time.”
Brian doesn’t see Tiger hitting the Champions Tour in 2026 after he turns 50 next December, although JP could see Woods in the Senior Majors just for some competition – but does Tiger just become the dude who hits ceremonial tee shots at The Masters?
“He's in a weird in-between era right now largely because his body is breaking down on him,” JP said. “The golf swing puts a lot of torque on your back, even when you're a hack like me; Tiger has played at the world's most elite level for so long, and he was physically really beating himself up with the torque he was creating on his swing. Just between now and whenever this officially becomes ceremonial, I don't know that he can physically recover.”
“I don't care what sport you play once that starts to happen, we're done, but the problem with him is that like your boy said, guys that would normally be going to play basketball or something else, they started to play golf because Tiger made it cool for the athlete,” BMitch replied. “He has made it cool for those people like that.”
But within that, is Tiger’s body just too beat?
“Athletes normally don't stop, they normally work through it or try to get better while injured; they know it's gonna limit them some, but still they have enough to go. But when he goes to swing, look at the bottom of the swing – both feet are off the ground, which means you are pushing into the ground, so your ankles, your knees, your lower back, all that stuff is important,” BMitch said. “If your dogs are hurt, you're messed up, and guess what? Tiger had knee surgeries, ankles messed up, nearly lost his leg, and he has lower back injuries, too. At that point, it’s hard to constantly push when you don’t have what you need.”
The moral of the story may be, sadly, to enjoy it while it lasts?