VIRGINIA WATER, England — Gary Player is desperate to see Tiger Woods rediscover the form that led the American to 14 major titles.
Woods missed the cut at the British Open and now sits 258th in the world rankings, his dream of overhauling the great Jack Nicklaus' haul of 18 majors seemingly over.
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Player, winner of nine majors, is saddened by the former world No. 1's decline, believing golf needs a "black champion."
"We need Tiger Woods. Why? He's a man of color. We need a black champion," the golf legend told Omnisport at the Berenberg Gary Player Invitational. "Go to Africa where we've got all these young black kids used to seeing a white guy as the champion. Now they're getting inspired, they're sitting in front of their TV sets, it inspires them, it gets them interested in golf.
"Asia wants to see a man of color. So there are many reasons besides being so charismatic. I don't know if anybody in the world today can play like Tiger Woods did."
The question is whether the 39-year-old can recapture that form.
"Tiger Woods, he won the U.S. Open by 15 shots (in 2000)," Player said. "He was on the way to breaking every record, he was on his way to being the greatest player that ever lived. Whether he will do that now and fulfill his dream, I don't know, only the Lord above knows. But it's sad to see him shooting 85 and missing the cuts and not hitting the fairways."
Player, who turns 80 this year, feels that Woods has received coaching from the wrong people and suggested he should turn to someone who has been a decent player.
"He won the U.S. Open by 15 shots and was having a lesson the next week," the South African added. "He's had lessons from four people or five people who really are not that good at playing.
"You've got to go for a lesson with someone who has been in the arena. If I want to know about business I'll go to a businessman, I'll come to you for good interviews; everyone has got their skills.
"But Tiger Woods, he needs it overall — mentally, physically and theoretically — so he can get back to normality."
The Berenberg Gary Player Invitational is a charity event centered around the union of golf and giving. This year's event is raising money for De Paul UK, a charity that works to prevent youth homelessness.