Tiger Woods says in a 16-year pro career he’s answered the challenge of many of the greats of the game and he’s just as confident of despatching newest rival and World No. 1 Rory McIlroy.
What the golf world was robbed of witnessing last month in Medinah will take place Wednesday afternoon (WED) local time on the Sultan Course at the Antalya Club in Belek, Turkey.
Tiger Woods has seen off the likes of Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Vijay Singh and he’s confident he can despatch Rory McIlroy. (Photo – Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)
Of course, Woods and McIlroy have been paired together often in PGA Tour stroke play events but never head-to-head in match-play.
Woods was a surprise day one loser in the $ 5.3m to fellow Masters champion, Charl Schwartzel and now faces Medinah Ryder Matt Kurchar in the morning before coming up against McIlroy in the afternoon.
McIlroy only had himself to blame in playing his last four holes in seven over par in a round of 76 to easily lose to Kuchar’s one under par 70.
And with the elite eight-man event billed as ‘Tiger –v- Rory’ fans will get to finally see the showdown.
“What I am going through now is a different generation for me,” Woods said.
“When I first came out here on the Tour most of the guys I played against are now competing on the Champions Tour.
“Now the guys I’ve been going head-to-head for a decade plus, and players like Phil (Mickelson), Goose (Retief Goosen), Vijay (Singh), Ernie (Els), Paddy (Padraig Harrington) and Phil (Mickelson) are now all in their 40s.
“Rory is 23 and he’s going to be around for a very, very long time, and he’s just getting started in his career.
“I have talked about this subject with Jack (Nicklaus) several times. It’s really neat because he found it fun to be a part of that conversation when he was competing in the Hogan days and all the way through Watson and into an era when guys like Seve and all those guys in Europe.
“Jack played the Tour for 25 plus years and having to deal with the question as to who is the best player.
“If I could something like that it would be neat and so far I feel as though I have.
“I’ve been out here for 16 to 17 years and I am still part of that conversation which is good.”
