By Jason Sobel
ESPN.com
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I’ve had this theory about Tiger Woods for a few years — and it has nothing to do with mistresses, sex rehabilitation or other tabloid fodder.
No, this is in regard to Woods the professional golfer. You remember him: 10-time player of the year, 14-time major champion, all-time great.
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AP Photo/Bob GalbraithIn his younger days, Tiger Woods showed a true passion for the game of golf. As he’s gotten older, that passion appears to have waned.
Even before Tiger went AWOL from the world, I had never confronted him about this theory of mine, simply because he would have disregarded the notion with an innocent shrug and confounded denial. That’s OK, though. I didn’t need to hear his thoughts, because I could see his actions.
From temper tantrums after sprayed tee shots to profanity-laced tirades based on shifting wind directions, from faraway stares as awestruck fans chanted his name to a general look of utter disdain while playing the game, the No. 1-ranked player helped formulate my idea from inside the ropes. Finally, I understood what was eating at the man, why he looked so miserable while he so often dominated.
Tiger Woods no longer enjoys playing golf.
This theory is more relevant now than ever before, because it serves as an explanation for why his current self-imposed exile has continued into what would have been his first appearance of the PGA Tour season at Torrey Pines, and might extend longer than most of us realize.
Even when healthy and without family obligations for a full season — a combination that hasn’t happened since 2005 — Woods plays fewer events than nearly every other exempt professional. He has often admitted that he doesn’t tee it up when on vacation. He’s never even seen some of the world’s best golf courses that haven’t hosted top-level tournaments during his career.
Sure, his rigorous practice regimen is legendary, but that speaks more about his work ethic and dedication than his passion. Think about it: If Woods loved the game, wouldn’t he seek solace from his damaged personal life in the familiar confines of a tournament? Wouldn’t he attempt to claim some sense of normalcy in an all-too-irregular life by getting back to the one thing he does better than anyone else?
Get all the latest news, highlights and commentary about the world’s No. 1 golfer on ESPN.com. Tiger Tracker
It wasn’t always this way. Chances are there was no “Eureka!” moment in which Woods decided golf no longer affected him as it did before. Rather, it was likely a gradual occurrence, taking place between the time he declared, “Hello, world” upon turning professional in 1996 and when he won the JBWere Masters in Australia two months ago — his most recent appearance on a golf course, which might be remembered more for Woods’ bouncing a driver into the gallery in frustration than finishing atop the leaderboard.
Don’t get me wrong. Tiger doesn’t dislike everything about the game. In fact, he has thrived on performing in the competitive arena throughout his career. He loves winning, adores being better at a singular pursuit than every other person on the planet. He is driven to not only break every record, but to put each one out of reach for the next phenom who comes along.
That’s not all. For better or worse, Woods might have also become dependent upon the luxuries that emanated from his status. Fame. Power. Money. If we are to believe the tabloid stories of his sordid affairs, each one fits this unraveling addictive personality.
The game itself, though? The actual act of swinging the club and strategizing his way around a course and trying to get the ball into the hole in as few strokes as possible? That novelty wore off long ago.
Jack Nicklaus, the man whose major championship record Woods has spent a lifetime pursuing, was recently asked what golf has meant to him, and explained: “I played a game because I loved it, and I played it for the sake of the game. I played it because when I played that game, the competition, the charge that I got from it, excited me to be really good at something. It excited me to be able to focus on something, something to work at, something that gave me goals, something that filled my life with excitement.”
The next time Woods speaks with such reverence and enthusiasm will be the first time. He has often been lauded for his businesslike approach to the game, but it’s possible that his lack of positive emotion during anything but victorious moments has been misconstrued as focus and desire
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