Will crash shake golf from its dependency on Woods?
Tiger Woods' latest fall from grace poses questions for the future running of men's professional golf as well as the personal life of the 15-time major champion. Such has been Woods' standing in the game, his influence has grown with seniority despite a history of wayward driving stretching back almost two decades. Never mind the multiple infidelities revealed after hitting a hydrant and tree (2009), a reckless driving conviction (2017) and a high speed crash that miraculously involved no other vehicle (2021), Woods has been golf's go-to guy.
On Friday, he flipped his Range Rover on a quiet residential street on Florida's Jupiter Island and the world was treated to another dishevelled mugshot of one of sport's most famous faces. Charges of driving under the influence (despite passing a breathalyser test for alcohol), refusing a urine test and property damage will follow due process. Meanwhile, we wait for a response from Woods and wonder if he will show up at Augusta for next week's Masters.
The odds are against. And already observers are wondering whether this is the incident that should finally shake golf from its Tiger Woods dependency, because the sport has repeatedly seemed duty bound to turn to the 50 year-old to shape its future. Augusta wanted a new public nine-hole golf course - "The Loop".
Let's get Tiger to design it. The PGA Tour sets ups a committee to decide its future shape. Let's get Tiger to chair it.
The US needs to win back the Ryder Cup. Let's get Tiger to be Captain America. Woods has been a player director on the PGA Tour Policy Board since August 2023 and vice chairman of the PGA Tour Enterprises board for the past two years.