Former double winning US Open champion Curtis Strange really should know better than to right off Tiger Woods in winning a second Royal Liverpool Open Championship in succession.
Next week’s 143rd Open Championship will be Woods’ first Major of 2014 since undergoing back surgery in the days following last March’s WGC – Cadillac Championship.
Woods has contested just one event since and that was missing the cut in the Quicken Loans Championship at Congressional.
The 14-time Major winner’s next event will be next week’s Open Championship where in 2006 an emotional Woods reigned supreme and just a matter of weeks since the passing of his father, Earl.
And while Woods has never ceased to surprise the golf world there are those including Strange, and also captain of the 2002 USA Ryder Cup team, who are prepared to right off Woods in winning a 15th Major.
Of course, Woods could miss the halfway cut in his return to Royal Liverpool but it comes a strange surprise Strange is no quick to right off the former long-time World No. 1.
“Even before his surgery, and his form was obviously hampered by his physical condition, he wasn’t playing well so when you have an operation and you’ve been out for three months, you’re not going to be a better player after doing that,” said Strange.
“If he goes to Hoylake saying, ‘I’m here to win and that’s the only thing’, that would be him telling a lie to himself.”
Headline-catching remarks from Strange but then he’s played the game long enough to know that any golfer, whether or not he’s won 14 Majors, tees up on a Thursday believing he or she can win the tournament. If not, then they are wasting their time competing.
Naturally, it goes without saying Woods would not have entered this year’s Open Championship if he did not believe he could win.
Time will tell if Strange is correct but then he’s going to end up with serious egg all over his face should Woods end-up being handed another Claret Jug.
A sight Curtis Strange should know only too well – Tiger Woods with his third Claret Jug in capturing the 2006 Open Championship at Hoylake.
