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SPORTS Thursday 23 January 2020
Continued from Page 17 that way.
Need more? Look no fur- One of the more telling
ther than Royal Melbourne, moments was at this tour-
where Woods split time as nament in 2008. Woods
Presidents Cup captain made birdie on the 18th
and player, and he won all hole of the tougher South
three matches he played. Course at Torrey to open
He was particularly crisp on with a 67. John Wood,
a course that demanded at the time caddying for
precision. Hunter Mahan in the group
And now he returns at Tor- ahead, stayed behind to
rey Pines, where he has watch and said, "He just
won eight times in his pro won two tournaments with
career, including the 2008 one round." Woods won by
U.S. Open. eight shots that week, and
Woods showed up Tues- the U.S. Open that summer.
day morning in the drizzle He was 32, still five months
of a gray sky. GolfTV, with away from surgery to re-
which he has an endorse- build his left knee.
ment deal, was there to Winning is harder than
document Woods tying his ever, mainly because of
shoes at his car and walk- his age. The competition is
ing through the parking lot. younger and deeper than
The next victory is for the re- ever. Woods plays Thursday
cord, if not now then soon. alongside Collin Morika-
"Just trying to get to 83 ... I re- wa, who wasn't born until In this April 14, 2019, file photo, Tiger Woods smiles as he wears his green jacket after winning the
ally don't think about it be- Woods already had three Masters golf tournament in Augusta, Ga.
cause I have to think about PGA Tour victories. Associated Press
all the things I need to do "When I was younger, I had
to win the tournaments," more good days than bad, his health ordeals, he might just doesn't have the game putting his body back to-
Woods said. "There's so feeling-wise," Woods said. feel that way. He didn't anymore." gether from leg and back
many different shots I have "Now at 44, I feel more bad fade — he's Tiger Woods, Only two players older than injuries.
to play, and strategy, and days than I do good days. and they're not — though 46 had ever won a major, In the decade after Woods
thinking my way around I think all of you at my age he needed help for the first none since then. So it was a won his 14th major at Torrey
the golf course, that I'm or older can relate to that. I time in his 15 major wins. surprise. Would anyone be Pines, he didn't even play in
more consumed in that." think that's the hardest part "I've been able to have surprised if Woods repeat- 14 majors. And there was a
Good health is tantamount about being an older ath- won a few tournaments ed at Augusta National? time not long ago he wasn't
to good play, particularly lete. You see it all the time since I've made my come- Probably not. Winning any- sure he would play again.
for a guy who turned 44 last at the Masters." back, and hopefully, I win where again to set a new "Yes, there were a num-
month and has had more He mentioned Fred Cou- some more," he said. standard of winning on the ber of years where I didn't
back surgeries (4) than ples and Bernhard Langer, Woods spoke on the day PGA Tour? That's practically compete and didn't play,
victories (3) in the last five who were in the mix at Au- Nicklaus turned 80. Of a given, isn't it? so those were some missed
years. gusta National well beyond Nicklaus' record 18 majors, Woods isn't willing to look opportunities," he said. "But
And as much resiliency as 50, but faded at some point what stands out is the last that far ahead. Even when granted, I'm playing again
Woods has shown in return- on the weekend. one in 1986 at the Masters. his biggest challenge is now so these are blessed
ing from so many dark times "It's hard to put it together One tale from that week time, there is no urgency opportunities. I didn't think I
brought on by so much un- for all four days as you get was a story by Tom McCol- about him. He chose not to would have these."
certainty, there is a practi- older," Woods said. "It's just lister in the Atlanta Journal- look back at time lost when With opportunities come
cal side to him. It's never harder." Woods wasn't that Constitution, who assessed he was putting his personal expectations.
easy to win, no matter how old when he won his fifth his chances by writing that life back together after his Young or old, that doesn't
often he once made it look Masters in April, but given "Nicklaus is gone, done. He notorious divorce, and then change.q

Soccer players union promises to

defend Olympic protesters

By GRAHAM DUNBAR Committee revived the de- expression overrides any
GENEVA (AP) — Soccer bate on athlete rights this other interest that may be
players who defy Olympic month by publishing details in play here," said Baer-
rules by making protest of protests in venues and Hoffmann, whose union
gestures at the 2020 Tokyo medal ceremonies that represents 65,000 profes-
Games will be supported can lead to disciplinary ac- sional players.
by their global union. tion, including being sent He praised players who
Freedom of speech on is- home from Tokyo. have fuelled "these fun-
sues like anti-discrimina- Taking a knee, hand ges- damental debates" in soc-
tion and gender equal- tures with political meaning cer by speaking out about Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Commit-
ity needs to be protected — such as raised fist salutes racism and equal pay for tee (IOC), delivers a speech during the 135th Session of the IOC
on the sideline of the the 3rd Winter Youth Olympic Games Lau-
from "a hypocritical rule," — and snubbing a fellow women. sanne 2020, at the SwissTech Convention Centre, in Lausanne,
FIFPro general secretary medalist on the podium "They are trailblazers but, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 10, 2020.
Jonas Baer-Hoffmann said are specific types of dem- on the one hand, they are Associated Press
Wednesday at a United onstrations long prohibited being welcomed by peo-
Nations labor agency con- by Rule 50 of the Olympic ple to take this forward and Baer-Hoffmann said. "And, if you do it in our venues,
ference. Charter. make sport appear as a on the other, now we have we think this is a sanction-
The International Olympic "We feel their freedom of change agent in society," a hypocritical rule that says able offense."q