McDowell and Palmer express Tiger fears
McDowell was all set to tee-up alongside Woods for the opening two rounds of this week’s €4.4m Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in suburban Orlando.
However Woods, an eight-time winner on ‘Arnie’s course’, telephoned Palmer late on Tuesday and explained a continuing back injury was forcing him out in the defence of his title.
Woods’ place in the field is being taken by fellow American Brice Garnett who will slot into the three-ball also featuring the talented Harris English.
“I, of course, have great sympathy for the fact he tried like hell to come here and play, and I appreciated the fact he called me,” said Palmer.
“I don’t think being 38 years is the ultimate stopping point for his quest to catch Jack’s 18 Majors but it does lesson the possibility of that happening.
“It’s going to be tough and the fact that these young guys are tough and they’re strong, it will be hard for anybody, whether it be Nicklaus or Tiger or whomever it would be to continue winning Major Championships.
“The fear of a player being so good that they back off, I don’t think that is the case anymore. The players who are going to win Major Championships have to be physically fit and mentally fit and they’re going to be the ones to be tough to beat.”
McDowell made his regular PGA Tour debut at Bay Hill in 2005 staying with a mate and remarked he had to drag himself out of a local Orlando bar given the Saturday and third round that year was St Patrick’s Day.
However McDowell had been also looking at moving into his own house on the exclusive Lake Nona Resort and his second prize cheque of €320,000 was good enough for a deposit.
He was then runner-up to Woods, albeit five shots behind, in 2012, earning a prize of €470,000 which proved very helpful in settling into his current residence. But, while pleased not to have to face the hullabaloo that goes with playing alongside Woods, McDowell shares Palmer’s belief that Tiger may struggle to win another Major.
“I’ve been working myself with physiotherapists and chiropractors or the past six, seven to eight years and competing is all about injury prevention,” said McDowell.
“Tiger’s workout habits have been long documented and the guy is a fabulous athlete who takes his physical fitness extremely seriously. Also his golf swing is very physical, to the detriment of his body. Golf is not a contact sport but from the outside looking in, it looks like our bodies are going to take a beating and have a wear and tear effect on backs, hips and limbs.
“I know I want to play golf into my 40s and to do that, I am going to have to keep myself in shape. Tiger’s a player who creates a lot of speed and a lot of power, and there’s no doubt about it his body is starting to struggle.
“But then I read an article a few weeks ago about the chronological comparison of Jack and Tiger, and Tiger’s search to reach 19 Major victories and beyond but then Jack went onto win another four Majors within that 37 to 40 year timeframe.
“So for Tiger to keep up with that comparison he has to win another few but then we all talk about how good the fields are now and taking Tiger’s physicality out of it, winning Major Championships is getting harder and harder for everyone including the best player who has ever lived, in Tiger.
“So I see it hard for Tiger to break Jack’s record but if anyone can do it I am sure he can find a way as we all know how good he is.”
Joining McDowell this week is fellow Irish-born Major Champions in Pádraig Harrington and Darren Clarke, with Clarke leading his Pro-Am team to a top-five finish.
Clarke is making a return to Bay Hill after contesting every event from 1999 to 2007 with a best of third in 2006 while Harrington competed previously in 1998 (T50th), 2000 (missed cut) and 2009 (T11th).
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