Advertisement
Woods at a recent challenge tournament in New York Kevin Rivoli/AP/Press Association Images
Aging Tiger

Tiger won't dominate again, insists Donald

The world’s No. 1 believes it would be near impossible for Woods to retain much confidence after prolonged spells away from competitive golf.

THE TIGER WOODS era of golf is over, according to world number one Luke Donald.

While golf fans around the world have been considering the possibility for several months as Woods stuttered from one tournament to the next, the English golfer believes his counterpart will find it “very hard” to regain the confidence he once had, having been away from the PGA Tour for an extended spell.

In an interview with pgatour.com, Donald was asked if he thought the American could ever be the same player again. “When you get that combination of injury plus the scandal that went on, mentally that’s quite scarring,” he replied.

“It’s a lot to take, even for someone with one of the strongest minds in golf. Between the ears it’s very much a confidence sport. I would imagine he’ll win again; I’m just not sure he’ll dominate like he did.

“Even tough Tiger’s only 35, there are a lot of young guys coming up – Rory McIlroy and Keegan Bradley and a bunch of others. I would assume a new era is upon us. I’m not sure we’ll see someone who dominated like Tiger, but maybe a bunch of people.”

Donald, the highest ranked player in the world, has yet to win a Major and though he would love to claim one of the four biggest prizes in golf, he is of the opinion that he has little chance of repeating some of Woods’ achievements.

“I’ve been consistent, won three times at three pretty big events,” he added. ” What I got sucked into is that everyone associates No. 1 player to Tiger Woods and what he did. Everyone’s had the same opportunity to earn the same amount of points as I have, but I’ve played better than everyone else.”

Woods has been backed to qualify for the 2012 Ryder Cup of his own accord however, having been picked by Fred Couples to participate in the Presidents Cup in Australia.

“I played with him at the PGA and it just looks like he needs to play some tournaments,” US captain Davis Love III told the Florida Times-Union. “If he plays a little more, he’ll be fine. I don’t have any doubt that if he plays a full schedule, he will make the team.”

Woods missed the cut at the PGA Championships and has only taken part in eight tournaments so far this year. He is due to return to Tour action next month in California.

READ – McIlroy breaks into world’s top three

READ – Pádraig backs Tiger to break Nicklaus’ major record