It's quite an eye-opener to see Tiger Woods as a longshot on a course he so frequently masters. But what happened Wednesday at Torrey Pines is open to interpretation.
So far, the biggest noise from practice for this week's Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego is this: Woods is in a helluva mess. As in, shankapotomus, by gosh.
Tiger Woods, with golfer Pat Price, center, and coach Chris Como (AP Photo)
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As in, he is open to any and all advice to correct his hideous short game. Coaches, players, caddies ... tarot cards, voodoo, juju … Bueller? Bueller?
Video surfaced of Woods on a foggy practice range, working on his rank-amateur chipping. In his case, chips rhymes with yips, the scourge of golf. Players who must control their emotions with a putter or wedge in hand suddenly find themselves itchy and twitchy, letting nerves get the best of them. Blading, chunking, hosel hitting, you name it.
So before teeing of Thursday, Woods is seeking help with the memory of last week's flameout at Phoenix fresh in his mind. Woods, former No. 1 in world rankings, suddenly looks like Judge Smails with Al Czervik taunting: "I bet ya slice into the woods! A hundred bucks!"
OK, so Woods' driver isn't an issue. But in case you haven't seen it, here's what it looked like while he tried to fix his short game.
Holy mackerel!
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Woods' short game at Phoenix stank like day-old fish lugged to a landfill by the tournament sponsor. Now it's time for a new ad hook to step forward as Woods tries to find answers at the Farmers Insurance Open.
What you don't know can and will hurt you. Just ask Tiger.
Swing coach Chris Como has his hands full as Woods waffles.
Now, there are ways to cure the yips. Jack Nicklaus, of all people, had them late in his career. Golf.com tells the tale of The Golden Bear's therapy sessions with fellow pro Phil Rodgers. Using Rodgers' technique, Nicklaus won the 1980 U.S. Open.
Reached for the story, Rodgers said Woods is "damaged" but not done. Maybe Tiger needs some time with the 76-year-old guru, and Rodgers lives near Torrey Pines.
"You have to be able to commit to those strokes and you also have to have a lot of recall," Rodgers said. "You have to have experience, and Tiger has not had the experience with what's he doing right now to where he totally believes in it."
Among those commiserating with Woods on Wednesday was Pat Perez, who famously fixed his jittery swing in one day.
"I want to see him back on top of his game again," Perez told The Associated Press. "He is golf. I don't care where he is. If he finishes last or first or whatever, he is the game of golf. And until he leaves, he will be that guy. Everybody is always going to question him and go after him. I don't watch the Golf Channel, but I'm sure they have all the answers for him. I hope he turns it around."
So, obviously, does Woods.
"I'm caught right in between patterns and when I have to hit shots, I got to shape shots, I'm caught right dead in between," Woods said Wednesday. "So, they are so polar opposites, the movement patterns, that when I do half of one or half of the other, it's pretty bad."
Torrey Pines isn't his target for turnaround; the Masters is.
"It's a process, and Chris and I are working our tails off to try to get this," Woods said. "I want to get this. I want to be ready come Augusta and the rest of the majors, but we still got some work to do.”
From yips to yippee? Watch what happens this week.