The U.S. Open might be performed in Los Angeles this week for the primary time in 75 years, and there’s a predominant California theme to the occasion. Lots of the prime contenders on the event grew up close by. Greater than a dozen within the subject have been raised in California or name it house.
All of which makes it appear virtually fallacious, or merciless, that the perfect California golfer in historical past is not going to be competing. Tiger Woods, who grew up in Cypress, Calif., about 30 miles from the location of this yr’s nationwide golf championship, is unable to play on the Los Angeles Nation Membership after ankle surgical procedure in April. Will probably be the ninth main championship Woods has needed to skip, or go away prematurely, for the reason that harrowing 2021 automotive crash that just about led to a leg amputation and has considerably inhibited Woods’s skill to play, and stroll, a golf course since.
Not surprisingly, even in absentia, Woods’s presence is felt. Particularly right here. Particularly on the U.S. Open, which Woods has gained thrice — often in dramatic, unforgettable style.
Though, as Max Homa, a California native and the world’s seventh-ranked golfer, stated as he practiced his chipping on Tuesday morning: “Tiger is so transcendent that you possibly can argue that he’s particularly missed at any occasion anyplace. However yeah, it does really feel fallacious that he’s not right here. That’s honest to say in case you take a look at the historical past of the sport.”
Collin Morikawa, who was born in Los Angeles two months earlier than Woods gained his first main championship in 1997 and who has since gained the P.G.A. Championship and British Open, stated Woods’s affect on golf was so nice that he questioned what number of of at this time’s greatest gamers would even be enjoying the sport this week if not for him.
“He’s perhaps not the only real purpose why we bought concerned within the sport,” Morikawa stated of Woods, after which added, “However for me rising up, he’s all I cared about.”
With a smile, Morikawa went on to explain how he had loved attending to know main champions like Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas in recent times.
“However I didn’t care about them after I was rising up — I actually didn’t,” Morikawa stated. “Individuals ask me concerning the historical past of Rory profitable this or sure guys profitable that. I didn’t actually care. I solely cared about Tiger.
“So, yeah, I believe he’s at all times missed. However he’s at all times going to affect this sport in ways in which we are able to’t even describe, in ways in which we don’t even know.”
Woods, whose complete of 15 main championship victories is second solely to Jack Nicklaus’s 18 titles, has additionally appeared to avoid wasting of his most memorable performances for when the U.S. Open arrived in his house state.
In 2000, at Pebble Seaside Golf Hyperlinks, he gained by an astounding 15 strokes, which set the occasion document for largest margin of victory. Eight years later at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, Woods, who had not performed for 2 months due to two stress fractures and a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left leg, managed to tie for the event lead with Rocco Mediate after 4 grueling rounds.
A playoff the following day put Woods by 19 extra taxing holes earlier than he claimed the championship.
These have been Woods’s U.S. Open highlights, however he has additionally had six different prime 10 finishes. The final decade, nonetheless, has largely mirrored the decline in Woods’s bodily well-being. Now 47, he final performed the U.S. Open in 2020, when he missed the reduce. Within the earlier 9 U.S. Opens, he was within the subject solely 5 instances. He missed the reduce twice, and his greatest end result was a tie for twenty first.
Since his inspirational victory on the 2019 Masters, Woods has solely accomplished 4 rounds at a significant championship 4 instances. Which brings to thoughts Woods’s plaintive touch upon the eve of this yr’s Masters: “I don’t know what number of of those I’ve left.”
In that manner, his absence at this week’s U.S. Open is one other reminder that Woods is being compelled to cede the highlight he has commanded for greater than 25 years.
However these following in his appreciable wake usually are not permitting him be forgotten.
“His presence within the sport of golf is at all times identified as a result of he’s impacted this sport in ways in which a few of us may solely dream of,” Morikawa stated. “For him, it’s nearly getting wholesome at this level. Who is aware of after we’re going to see him or not? I don’t assume any of us take that without any consideration anymore.”
Late Tuesday morning, practising with the Los Angeles skyline within the background, Homa was requested if California golfers had a way of satisfaction that Woods was one in all them.
“Perhaps it goes deeper,” Homa answered. “I discover a sense of satisfaction in the truth that the perfect golfer of all time grew up enjoying on a really common municipal golf course. So did I.
“I don’t know if it’s a California factor — however I do assume that’s simply cool.”
