Tiger Woods' former coach says he gave up on Nicklaus' record in '07
The biggest star in golf may be missing from the Masters for the second time in the last three seasons. Though Tiger Woods' agent refused to rule out a surprise return to Augusta next week, Woods hasn't played a golf tournament since August and had another back surgery in September. In a depressing news conference earlier this month, Woods conceded that he has no idea when he'll be ready to return.
Inside SI's @TigerWoods cover story with @MaggieGray & @AlanShipnuck: https://t.co/clh3ANUu7n #GrayArea pic.twitter.com/6kRYNuDcDM
— SI Now (@SInowLIVE) March 29, 2016
Despite his absence, Woods landed his 24th Sports Illustrated cover this week, and in a lengthy cover story by Alan Shipnuck full of interesting anecdotes from Tiger's career, Woods' friend Steve Stricker said he's worried about the 14-time major champion.
Via Golf.com:
A decade ago Woods seemed destined to become the greatest player in the history of the game and smash every major record, but in the SI story Woods' former swing coach Hank Haney reveals that Woods had given up on breaking Jack Nicklaus' all-time majors record even before his as early as 2007, years before a sex scandal and injuries derailed his career. Haney recalls a tense conversation with former world No. 1, who at the time had a fascination with leaving golf to become a Navy SEAL around the time his physique transformed and Woods became the most ripped player on tour.
Woods' former caddie Steve Williams recently said that he believes Woods' work in the gym may have been the cause of his downfall. Eleven-time PGA Tour winner John Cook, who lives near Woods in Windemere, Florida, told Shipnuck that Woods would casually show up to the range during a workout and blast shots shirtless as if to show off.
