Tiger Woods Returns to Golf at the Memorial

Frank Doyle wonders if Tiger Woods will be able to summon his talent from the depths at a course he’s dominated in the past when he tees off at the Memorial Tournament this Thursday.

Tiger Woods goes to the Memorial Golf Tournament this weekend in his accustomed position as favorite, but his price is much bigger than we’ve been used to. At the height of his powers, Tiger’s golf odds could have been as short as 6/5 or even money. The morning line for Muirfield has him at 7/1. Seventy bucks’ profit on ever ten dollars bet is more than anybody’s gotten on Tiger since he was a child – it’s an indication of how far from glory he’s fallen.

Tiger’s personal life is clearly in ruins, but he was able to blank that out, more or less by sheer force of will, at the Masters two months ago. The strain of that effort showed in later tournaments though, as he followed up his fourth place finish at the Masters by missing the cut at Quail Hollow and retiring hurt from Sawgrass a month ago during the Players’ Championship.

Tiger is clearly a wounded kitty as he gets ready for Muirfield, a tournament that he’s won four times and a course which is particularly suited to Tiger’s game. But while Tiger himself may be wounded, his opponents aren’t quite closing in for the kill.

Phil Mickelson could have ended Tiger’s long reign at No 1 if he had won at Colonial last week – Mickelson missed the cut instead and, although he’s a 10/1 second favorite this weekend, Phil Mickelson has never won the Memorial. It’s 20/1 and better the field after that, with any pick you make making a lucrative return.

A tempter may be the supremely talented Irishman, Rory McIlroy, who returns $250 on every $10 bet if he wins at Muirfield. McIlroy turned a bad run right on its head when he shot an astonishing 62 to win at Quail Hollow a month ago.

It was McIlroy’s first PGA Tour win, and in winning McIlroy became the first player since Tiger himself to win a PGA Tour event at less than twenty-one years of age. His form may be patchy, but McIlroy’s talent is undeniable. He could be one to watch this weekend at Muirfield Village, while the eyes of the world remain resolutely on Tiger Woods.