A Letter to Tiger
Guest blogger, Ricky Potts, is a writer, graphic designer and self-titled, ‘opinionated realist.’ You can find Ricky’s blog at rickyleepotts.com and on Twitter @rickyleepotts.
Dear Tiger,
Hey buddy, I hope this letter finds you well, better than how you appear on the golf course anyway.
You continue to amaze me sir. Ever since you wrecked your Cadillac last November, I have been doing all I can to help save face with both you and your brand. I work in an office filled with golfers, most of whom dislike you. I don’t. Just today I bought a copy of the New York Times and a copy of the USA Today as you graced the cover of both. I am not sure why you were on the cover of these publications and not the winner of the WGC-Bridgestone, but I don’t care. I collect your memorabilia. I have spent thousands of dollars on you and your image, and I will be damned if I am going to let that stand in the way of me following you. I am actually a self-proclaimed super fan, considering myself one of your biggest fans on the planet. But that is a story for another day.
Tiger, what happened this weekend? Better yet, what has been going on with you lately? You show up to a course you love and have always played well on, and you shoot some of the worst four rounds of your career. I mean, I get it, the golf course is tough. But Jesus Christ Tiger, I could break eighty on that golf course. Look at the rest of the field. It wasn’t that tough for them.
Your finish that low on the leaderboard made me think of the PLAYERS where you withdrew because of a neck injury. I am not going to say you faked said injury, but you were back on the course a couple weeks later after having been said to have a “potentially season ending injury.” Regardless of what I think, you are playing the worst golf of your life. You are still young and by no means do I think your career is over. Again, let’s go back to what has been going on in your personal life the last eight months. You have been on a roller coaster ride man. But you have to do something or you are going to lose more sponsors and eventually you are going to lose the top spot in the world. You are lucky Phil choked this weekend or you would have lost it on Sunday.
I have an idea for you. Take the rest of the season off. Before you say no, let me tell you what I suggest you do. Take the rest of the season off and practice. And I don’t mean hit balls a few hours a day; I mean practice and sleep. Hit balls, lift weights, run (you like to run) and just get back to the old Tiger that the world is used to. You are not even fun to watch anymore. You hit some shots this weekend that embarrassed me for even considering myself a fan.
I understand that you have been through a lot. No one will deny that. But you need to suck it up, miss a major on purpose, and get back to the old you. I love all the excuses that you keep throwing out too. Whether it is stress, injury, your wife, or kids, I don’t really care. I don’t obsess over you and collect your memorabilia for you to shoot a 77 on Sunday.
Tiger, I’m not the happiest fan right now and I hope you see that. Get your head out of your ass and start making some birdies. I don’t care what is going on in your personal life; you have a job to do. Your job is to make birdies and to win golf tournaments. Anyway, have a great week buddy and I hope to hear from you soon!
Your most loyal fan,
rickyleepotts
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