TIGER WOODS’ RECENT struggles around the greens have left Greg Norman stunned, the latter describing the situation as “mind-blowing”.
Fourteen-time major winner Woods withdrew from the Farmers Insurance Open through injury during Thursday’s first round, raising further doubts over his ability to continue competing at the highest level following a host of fitness issues.
The 39-year-old – golf’s dominant figure for so long - has now withdrawn from three of his last eight tournaments.
Norman, meanwhile, has been alarmed by the decline in Woods’ chipping and putting abilities – most notable during his second-round 82 at last week’s Phoenix Open.
“He was a brilliant short-game player,” Norman – a former world number one like Woods - told Perform.
“For that to fall off a cliff as quickly as it has is mind-blowing. I’ve not seen that in any other athlete.
“The only sort of person I can relate it to is Bernhard Langer. I remember playing with him one time in Europe during the early 80s and all of a sudden he was four-putting from two feet and five-putting from two feet.
“He just lost the control of his putting, he got the yips. That’s the only other person I think I could use. So is it mental? Or is it physical?
“You can see the physical side of it about where his weaknesses are and what he’s doing wrong but I think it’s more deep-seated. I think it’s deep inside his head and maybe deeper than that.”
Norman was far more positive when discussing current world number one Rory McIlroy, who will look to add to his haul of four majors and complete a career grand slam at The Masters in April.
“If you’re going to single out one guy who is going to step up to the plate and who might go on to win another 12 majors then it will be… it could be Rory,” added the Australian.
“I shouldn’t say it will be, I’m saying it could be Rory. He has all of the credentials.
“I love watching him play golf. I’m a big fan of Rory’s and I like the way he conducts himself, I like the way he talks, I like the way he expresses himself and expresses his feelings.
“He doesn’t mind saying something silly and then coming back and redacting it in whatever way he wants to suit himself. So he’s very refreshing for the game of golf right now.”
