Tiger Woods ’2020 had a promising start and an emotional end. In between, there was a lot of down time, lots of different shows and a lot of questions about his health and his future.
As Tiger turns 45 Wednesday, this is his year under review on the course.
January
He started with a 69th debut at the Famers Insurance Championship. Woods eventually tied for ninth place as his only high-35 finish of the year. It will be after his third round, however, that we will remember. It was then that Woods, with a camera drawn, found out about the tragic death of Kobe Bryant.
February
Serving as a competitor and guest at the Genesis Invitational, Woods fired 76-77 over the weekend to finally finish among those who made the cut.
March
Post-Riviera, most of Tiger’s news covered his NOT events. He skipped the WGC-Mexico Championship, jumped the Honda Classic, even on the team of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which he has won eight times. His agent, Mark Steinberg, insisted that Woods was “not well prepared” to play. Tiger was not yet ready to compete at the Players’ Tournament, but he received good news when he was announced as the first member of the 2021 World Golf Hall of Fame Hall Class.
April
After being silent for two months, Woods gave the first interview to his partners at GolfTV, talking about his health and life while quarantined at home.
May
In Q&A GolfTV, Woods admitted that every run he made early in his career, “almost destroyed my body and knees.” But with his back feeling better, Woods teamed up with Peyton Manning to beat Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady at Seminole Golf Club and raise more than $ 20 million for COVID-19 relief.
June
As people across the country complained about the deaths of George Floyd and other black victims of police brutality, Woods tweeted. As the PGA Tour began to play again, after a 91-day hiatus, linked to a pandemic, Woods stayed on the sidelines.
July
Saying he felt “a lot better,” Woods returned to competing at the Memorial Championships. But his body betrayed him as Woods struggled physically and tied for 40th.
August
It was not his body, but his putter that led to T-37 at the PGA Championship. Using a different model of Scotty Cameron, Woods opened in 68 at TPC Harding Park, just to see the magic quickly disappear. Woods returned to “old loyal” for the playoffs, but had little success and did not qualify for the Tournament.
September
Tiger’s new season began with the U.S. Open relocated at Winged Foot. And just as he did in 2006, Woods missed the cut.
If only competition were as easy as presentation. Demonstrating his course design at the Ozarks, Woods and Justin Thomas teamed up to beat Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy at the Payne’s Valley Cup.
October
Tiger’s last two official events of the year were title defenses. The first was the Zozo Championship, which was transferred from Japan to Sherwood Country Club due to the pandemic. Woods finished T-72 out of 77, playing alongside Phil Mickelson on a sad Sunday.
November
The Masters ’No. 2 title defense came 19 months after Woods won the No. 15 top. Tiger was said to have an emotional Tiger Dinner and fired 68 bets in the first round. Thursday’s weather delay, however, sparked a domino effect that forced Woods to play 26 holes on Saturday. By the end of the day, Woods was out of the riot. Sunday of Masters 2019 was unlike anything we have ever seen before. The same can be said for Sunday in 2020. Forests hit three balls in the water on No. 12, en route to septuple-bogey 10, and then on five of his last six holes for 76.
December
There was still one event to play, this one both as a team player and as a father. Woods was in partnership with his son Charlie at the PNC Tournament. They shot at 62-62 to finish seventh among the 20 teams. The weekend in Orlando, Florida gave TV viewers a wonderful showcase of Charlie’s talent and energy, as well as Tiger’s love and support.
