“Dismiss him at your peril.” That was the message from Justin Thomas after he played 18 holes of practice with Tiger Woods here today.
Woods limped, he grimaced, but he also produced some wonderful shots and in the excitement generated by his last two holes – on which he almost holed out from the Road Hole bunker before driving the green on the par-four 18th – it was almost irresistible to side with the argument of Thomas, rather than that of Sir Nick Faldo.
Except in the cold light of day, in the reality removed from this first sunlit first day of practice for the 150th Open Championship at the Home of Golf, Faldo’s words were not cruel or overly negative, but simply rational.
“I don’t think he has a chance, no,” Faldo said. The Englishman saw his fellow three-time Claret Jug winner at the JP Pro-Am on Monday and Tuesday and was struck by the limitations on his frame, which still looks and obviously feels battered 17 months on from that career-threatening car crash.
“He played at Adare Manor and had to be in a cart [a golf buggy] for those couple of days to rest the leg,” Faldo said. “The physical challenge is just walking a course and even though St Andrews looks flat, there’s so many twisting undulations to face whilst walking that course. It’s going to be physically really hard work for him.”
It clearly was on Sunday and when one considers that this will be only his third competitive appearance in 20 months, and that on his last start two months ago the right leg he almost lost in that smash forced his USPGA withdrawal after three rounds, it is hard to disagree with Faldo. Never mind any disability, think of the inaction.
“Look even if Tiger was fit and strong, he doesn’t play much, and these kids, who are now the best in the game, are so young and strong,” Faldo said.
Yet in this golfing dreamland, fantasies run riot and so they will right up until Thursday’s first round. The grand pronouncements already are scrambling unchecked across the links and the majority of the field is not even in the Auld Grey Toon yet.
On Saturday, he and Thomas had arrived unannounced on the first tee at 8pm and, with just his putter in hand, Woods strolled all 18 of the course he calls “my favourite in the world”, finishing at 10.40pm. It was a surreal scene and the perfect advertisement for the ever-strengthening call of the bush telegraph in the social media age and for Scotland’s community game.
There were no ropes to stop the fans from joining Woods on the fairways; indeed, out of tournament week, there are byelaws to protect the common man’s right to venture on to this public land.
Yet when the next morning came and when Woods and Thomas went out again – less than 10 hours after they had packed up on Saturday night, but this time with full golf bags – the barriers were in place and it was ticket-holders only.
Yet still they came in their thousands to glimpse a St Andrews icon, believing this hero could walk on water. Instead they saw a figure of discomfort who could barely stumble across these fairways over the opening holes.
They say time stands still on the Old Course. Not for this 46-year-old. It was difficult to equate this Woods with the Woods who won by eight here in 2000, on his second step of the Tiger Slam and by five in 2005. The Woods of 2015, crippled by a back injury and crashing out at the halfway point, seemed far more familiar.
Except, with the red-shirted one it always has been about hits and myths and by the feared 17th the throng had been reconverted. A great drive, but in the game’s most famous trap with his 155-yard approach. No matter, Woods conjured it to three inches. A few minutes later he was hitting his driver 356 yards to within 20 feet of the final flag. He missed the eagle, but someone shouted out ‘you can have that, Tiger” and everyone drifted home happily.
Woods elected not to talk to the media, signifying he would speak after playing alongside Rory McIlroy, Lee Trevino and Georgia Hall in Monday’s Celebration of Champions four-hole exhibition on Monday, leaving it to his faithful young friend to satisfy the notebooks.
Thomas, the USPGA champion, has become well accustomed to this role, knowing not to dampen the fervour. And why should he? Thomas had just watched his mentor walk 36 holes in 18 hours.
“Yeah, his swing still looks as good as ever, it does,” he said. “Would I be surprised if he challenged this week? No. I’ve learned better than to challenge anything about him. And he’s done pretty well around this place.”
Faldo, a St Andrews champion himself, is not about to deny that, but if there is a Woods storyline to make headlines across the globe by week’s end, then he figures it could be for a contrasting reason to a record third Old Course triumph.
“If you’re going to retire then this is the place to retire, but is it too early?” Faldo said. “What does Tiger know and what does he believe about his leg or his golf game? What possibilities are out there? I don’t know – Tiger always keeps this very close to his chest.”