Is Tiger Woods “Back”?

David Diaz, Manager, Davenport Laroche

For years, he was golf’s – and maybe all of professional sports’ – biggest name. Tiger Woods was dubbed the next Michael Jordan, a player who transcended his sport, both in fame and in endorsement deals.

Then, suddenly, it all came crashing down. A series of injuries and an embarrassing breakup with his supermodel wife, a tabloid barnstormer that included revelations of multiple extramarital affairs, ruined Tiger’s golden-boy image and caused his popularity to implode. It was just two weeks before Christmas, 2009, and Tiger Woods lost his wife, his family, many of his fans, and millions in endorsement deals with Nike, Gatorade, Gillette, and Accenture.

Woods dropped off the face of the earth, at least as well as anyone with his stature and standing – with his name and easily recognizable face – could disappear. Years passed. Woods came out of hiding and tried a few tournaments. He just wasn’t the same. The power was gone, and the legendary control just wasn’t evident.

Stories trickled out in the press. Woods was having back issues, knee issues, leg, shoulder and yet more back issues. Then came multiple surgeries. Golf tried to move on, but even a fleet of newly minted “young guns” could not ignite the crowd the way Tiger did. And who was there to dual Phil “Lefty” Mickelson?

People began speculating that Tiger might be back. There were sightings, reports of him playing nearly up to par again, flashes of that old Tiger brilliance. But there was no fist pumping, and nothing to fist pump about. Tiger Woods had returned to golf, but he had not brought his A game. Sponsors trickled back, this was Tiger, after all, and he still drew a crowd.

Then came Bay Hill, where Tiger won his first tournament nine months after reconstructive surgery. Two years without a win, and now everyone was saying ‘heeeere’s Tiger!’ But was he back? His play was still erratic, but a fan base starved of their hero refused to stop believing. Woods finished in second place at Innisbrook, where he wowed the crowd and turned local sports writers into unabashed fanboys.

After Innisbrook, Tiger was featured, full page and full length, on the front page of the local sports section. They guy who actually won the tournament rated a small inset photo. Even more people were believing Tiger was “back.” Meanwhile, Woods was warning fans to be cautious, not to be too optimistic. He still had “work to do” he said. There was a “process” he needed to go through.

Fans didn’t want to hear it. They were believing again. People who grew up loving and watching golf because of Tiger were desperately cheering for the “old Tiger” to emerge once again. Hasn’t happened … yet … but, they say, he’s that much closer.