Tiger Woods has politely dismissed with a shake of the head Nick Faldo’s bizarre criticism of the 14-time Major winner.

Faldo, speaking on one of the American TV networks, said:  “Tiger’s woken up and realized this is a hard sport and he’s a mere mortal”.

Tiger Woods shrugs off Nick Faldo criticism. (Photo – www.golffile.ie)

The comment was in reference to Woods indifferent showing at the recent US Open but then it’s since been revealed Woods is struggling with an elbow injury that has him in doubt to be 100% fit for next month’s Open Championship.

Faldo added:  “He’s not in a good mental place.  It was so easy for him before, he made it look so easy, when it such a hard sport.

“But whatever he’s been through, with all his personal problems, has made an impact on his mind, and so much of this sport is all in the mind.

“Nerve is the bottom line.”

Woods responded to the hapless 2008 Ryder Cup captain’s comments simply remarking:  “I don’t know I’ve won four times this year.”

Of course, Woods has played better than any player on the planet this year.

He’s won two WGCs and two other PGA Tour events and heads the PGA Tour money list.

And while Woods has not won a Major since capturing the 2008 US Open, he has won seven times in the past 15 months.

Woods also returned to No. 1 in the world.

And Woods private life is in a far better place with a new woman in his life.

But that’s seemingly not good enough for Faldo!

And Woods said he is hoping his elbow with be fine in time to tee-up and be competitive in next month’s Open Championship.

“In a perfect world, I’m dancing right now and doing 360 dunks,” Woods said. “But that’s not going to happen, so I would like to be 100 percent, but I don’t know. It depends how the body heals and we’ll see how it goes.”

Woods has certainly been no stranger to injury in his career what with left knee, Achilles tendon, and neck concerns.

He then played through the pain barrier at Merion despite aggravating his elbow playing shots out of the heavy US Open rough.

“I pushed it pretty good at the US Open to play through it, made it worse by hitting the ball out of the rough, and eventually got to a point where I wasn’t able to play here,” he said.

“I’m listening to my doctors and not touching a club,” said Woods, who ran through a litany of treatments for his aching joint, including electrical stimulation, ultrasound, ice, soft-tissue massage, and anti-inflammatories.

“There’s a difference between being hurt and being injured. You can play hurt, but playing injured can sideline you for a while.”