Inquired as to whether he could win the PGA Championship, golf’s first major of the schedule year in the midst of an upset season, a grinning Tiger Woods had a basic response for correspondents.
“Of course,” Woods said.
Without any supporters in participation at San Francisco’s Harding Park, there will be no thundering climate that Woods as a rule takes care of off at majors, nor will there be the standard crowd of fans closely following him around the course.
In any case, the 15-time significant victor is confident he can at present flourish in this new serious condition.
“I don’t know if anyone in our generation has ever played without fans in a major championship,” he said on Tuesday, two days before the tournament tees off.
“It’s going to be very different. But it’s still a major championship. It’s still the best players in the world. We all understand that going into it, so there’s going to be plenty of energy from the competitive side.”
“But as far as the energy outside the ropes, that is an unknown. And hopefully I can put myself in a position where I can be in that position where I can feel what it feels like to have no fans and also coming down the stretch with a chance to win.”
Woods has had only one serious trip since golf continued recently, when he tied for 40th spot finally month’s Memorial Tournament.
He missed the Players Championship in March with a back physical issue without further ado before the coronavirus pandemic put competitions on pause, however says he currently feels fit as a fiddle – particularly contrasted with a year ago’s PGA Championship when he missed the cut at Bethpage.
“I feel good,” he said
“Obviously I haven’t played much competitively, but I’ve been playing a lot at home so I’ve been getting plenty of reps that way.”
“Just trying to get my way back into this part of the season. This is what I’ve been gearing up for. We’ve got a lot of big events starting from here, so looking forward to it. This is going to be a fun test for all of us.”
Justin Thomas, who as of late came back to the world No. 1 spot, and Brooks Koepka, who won the previous two PGA Championships, are among the top picks to win in California, while an augmented Bryson DeChambeau has said something with his large driving game since golf’s arrival.
In any case, it is absurd to discount Woods, who topped off a noteworthy rebound from injury when he won the Masters a year ago.
The coronavirus pandemic has seen the heft of the men’s significant golf schedule move to the second 50% of the year.
The Open was dropped, while the US Open and Masters will happen in September and November separately.
