Matthew Fitzpatrick and Max Homa knew what to do on the 18th hole. Both had now played alongside Tiger Woods for two days. They’d watched him up close as he struggled from hole to hole, sometimes limping slightly, but always with the usual upright, focused gait that has always characterized Woods. However, Fitzpatrick and Homa as pundits may also have recognized quite early on during the first 36 holes of the British Open that Woods is not in the form to play a sporting role in the tournament.
Admittedly, it didn’t take too much expertise to come to this conclusion – a simple look at the leaderboard was enough. Fitzpatrick and Homa were just closer than the rest.
On the stand at the end, classic in dark blue on yellow: “Woods +9”. A result that meant the early end of the tournament for the 46-year-old, which could be perceived as a sporting disappointment and which, of course, did not satisfy Woods, the ambitious player. But “Woods +9” tells only a small part of the story of Tiger’s return to St Andrews – it is also possibly the least important.
The entire facility stood still and in those seconds belonged to Tiger Woods and his departure from St Andrews – possibly forever.
When Fitzpatrick and Homa realized their role on the 18th Friday afternoon on the 18th hole, they dropped back a bit and left the stage in the Old Course’s golfing amphitheater to Woods alone. He walked over Swilkan Bridge, the small, legendary stone bridge over the course’s only water hazard.
Then Woods took off his cap, tears in his eyes, and waved to the spectators, who had also been joined by the players who had just started their round at the opposite first hole. Rory McIlroy also doffed his cap, as players, caddies, guests of honor, stewards, journalists and probably even the seagulls on the clubhouse roof applauded. The whole complex stood still and, in those seconds, belonged to Tiger Woods and his departure from St Andrews, at least for a few years – and possibly forever.
“People have no idea,” Woods says, “of what I’m going through and how much work I have to put into my body to do what I’ve done here.”
“It felt like it might be the last British Open in St Andrews for me,” said Woods after his round. He recalled hearing the goodbyes of Arnold Palmer (1995) and Jack Nicklaus (2005) in the same place: “I felt a little bit like them back then.” Palmer and Nicklaus, like Tom Watson, said goodbye as old men in 2010, while Woods is only in his mid-40s by comparison. However, the circumstances are serious, as he emphasized again: “People have no idea what I’m going through and how much work I do have to put in my body to do what I’ve done here.”
Woods has played three tournaments this year, his suffering was evident three times, which is why it cannot be expected that there will be more in the coming year. He hasn’t made any plans for 2023, Woods said, so far everything has been geared towards this Open Championship. But he is not resigning here either: “I will play more Opens, but until they take place here again, probably in 2030, I don’t know if my body will play along.”
Woods particularly emphasized the role played by the spectators who had followed him through the 36 holes. He was greeted with standing ovations and long cheers at almost every hole on Friday, it was a moving atmosphere that has rarely been witnessed in this tournament in its 150 years. “People knew I wasn’t going to make the cut with my score,” said Woods, “but the ovations got louder and louder as we headed toward the clubhouse.” He always appreciated the respect of the British viewers, “but also this warmth and this understanding” that was shown to him.
His teammate Fitzpatrick reported afterwards that he also had goosebumps: “I will certainly never forget this moment.” The Englishman is still promising with six strokes under par in the tournament, Homa missed the cut like his great role model Woods, but allowed himself a joke on the last hole: “He said to me that I was pretty close to Tiger on the 18 and would have disturbed the picture – I panicked for a moment.”
Woods is now an honorary member of the world’s oldest golf club, which gives him a number of privileges – such as his own locker and priority tee time bookings
Woods formally shook hands with his teammates after the end of the round, congratulated Fitzpatrick on the good result and walked past the clubhouse. Woods is now an honorary member of the world’s oldest golf club, which gives him a number of privileges – such as his own locker and priority booking of tee times, while mere mortals have to participate in a drawing of lots in order to be allowed to play. “It’s very handy” because his son would definitely want to play with him here one day, Woods said at the end with a smile on his lips.
At 3:35 p.m., he climbed into a waiting limousine and headed toward his private jet. When he will appear again at a golf tournament is open.