Wounded Tiger will still be hard to catch

TIGER WOODS celebrated his 27th birthday yesterday. Given that he seems to have been around for such a long time, I suspect many believed him to be a lot older.

It's just another demonstration of the grip this remarkable individual has taken on the golfing world and despite the odd blip here and the odd defeat there, it is difficult to see anybody reining him in for some time to come.

He is recovering from arthroscopic surgery to his left knee, on December 13, to remove fluid from inside and outside the anterior cruciate ligament, while benign cysts were also removed.

He is making a quick recovery, but won't be rushing things. He will miss the season-opening Mercedes Championship in Hawaii on January 9-12 and won't be back in action until mid-February.

Good news in the short term for his rivals, bad news for the television networks who readily acknowledge their ratings plummet once Tiger stays at home.

How could it be otherwise? He is miles ahead of everybody else in the States and if you think that's an exaggeration, examine the statistics for the year just ending.

Tournaments played 22; won 6 (5 on US Tour including the Masters and US Open; one in Europe, the Deutsche TPC); top 10, 17.

First since Jack Nicklaus in 1972 to win the first two majors of the season.

Scoring average 68.56. 1st.

US Tour earnings $6,912,625. 1st.

Career earnings $33,103,852. 1st.

Winner of the US Golf Writers Association player of the year award for fourth successive year.

There are more, but that's enough to be getting on with.

One of the most frustrating elements for his pursuers is that there is no way they are going to overtake Woods at the top. Even if he never won another tournament, he would stay out there by a distance for a long time to come.

He has 15.72 world ranking points. Phil Mickelson is second with 7.72, Ernie Els third on 6.84. Sergio Garcia, 23 in nine days time, is the only one in the top half dozen who has age on his side and the potential capacity to catch Woods. He has 6.19 ranking points, while Padraig Harrington is seventh with 5.63.

The problem for Mickelson is that he can't win a major or a world championship, the events that provide the best opportunity of making up lost ground. Els is okay in this area having captured two US Opens and the 2002 British Open, but so far he has lacked consistency and, at 33, has to give more than six years to Woods.

Garcia looks the part and has produced some fine performances on both sides of the Atlantic. Nevertheless, when it comes to the big occasions, he is rarely to be found except for the famous 1999 US PGA Championship showdown with Tiger when, as a 19-year-old, he lost out by a shot at Medinah.

This has to be more than a little maddening for all concerned. Money is no longer a factor with most of them so it's wins they want and especially on the biggest stage of all.

They are repeatedly asked if they are frustrated at being around at the same time as Tiger Woods and to a man they insist this is not the case. You have to wonder. Everybody wants to be regarded and these guys are way off the pace.

On the credit side, it is equally certain Tiger won't and can't win everything in which he competes. That's where the real fun enters the equation. Very few have beaten Woods head to head. Among the exceptions are two Irishmen, Darren Clarke and Padraig Harrington. That has to give them extra confidence going into 2003 and makes the prospects for the coming year all the more appetising.

For consistency, though, it is likely Woods will be out on his own once again, especially as he seems to mature more and more.

Asked how he reacted to a poor shot, such as the one at the 16th hole in his (unsuccessful) showdown with Harrington at the Target Challenge in early December, Tiger responded with words that might be taken to heart by all club golfers: "Yeah, I yell at myself," he replied honestly before adding: "When you hit a bad shot, it is frustrating. It is not what you intended. The only thing you can do is be 100% committed on the next shot. Some times, it takes longer than others but by the time you get to the ball, you should be fine."

Happy birthday, Tiger.