Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Thursday 5 January 2017
5 questions for a new year, starting with Tiger Woods

DOUG FERGUSON Hideki Matsuyama ended
AP Golf Writer last year by winning four of
KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — his last five tournaments.
The new year in golf is con- A different player has fin-
sumed by an old topic, this ished No. 1 for the eighth
time with a twist. consecutive year. Odds
Instead of wondering are this will be the ninth.
when (or if) Tiger Woods MAJOR MYSTERIES
will play, the question now No one knows what to ex-
is how will he play? pect at the U.S. Open for
And here’s another ques- the second time in three
tion: Who ever imagined years. The USGA took golf’s
a time when the guys he second-oldest champion-
beat for so many years ship to Chambers Bay in
would be rooting for him to the Pacific Northwest in
play better? 2015, and now heads to
“I think we’ve proved that Erin Hills in the middle of
golf does not need Tiger Wisconsin.
to be successful,” Brandt The last time the U.S. Open
Snedeker said last month went to two courses in a
in the Bahamas. “That be- three-year span that had
ing said, golf is better when never held a professional
Tiger is around. I don’t think major was Hazeltine (1970)
we need Tiger necessarily and Pebble Beach (1972).
any more. In this Dec. 4, 2016, file photo, Tiger Woods lines up a putt on the 17th hole during the final round Then again, Pebble had
We all want Tiger. I think of the Hero World Challenge golf tournament in Nassau, Bahamas. been around since 1919
golf is a better product, Associated Press and hosted the U.S. Ama-
it’s better TV and I want to teur four times. Erin Hills
see Tiger play again. It’s held one — Erin Hills for the rious about his motivation, year at No. 1, won three opened in 2006.
fun. You see the crowds he U.S. Open, Quail Hollow for and he speaks from experi- times and fell to No. 5. The PGA Championship
brings and he still has an the PGA Championship. ence. Nicklaus won his 16th Spieth, Jason Day and Rory is going to Quail Hollow,
innate ability to do some- The first tee shot of the year and 17th majors at age 40, McIlroy were separated by the North Carolina club’s
thing only a couple of guys is Thursday. Answers to a and he refers to his final 0.76 points of their world first time holding a major,
can do.” few topics will take months major in the 1986 Masters ranking average going into though it has held the Wells
No one commands atten- to sort out. as “an accident in many last year, so some move- Fargo Championship since
tion like Woods. The big- TIGER WOODS ways.” ment was inevitable. Day 2003.
gest problem for golf might By most accounts, Woods “It’s really difficult when has been at No. 1 since CUPS RUNNETH OVER
be battling the perception made a successful return you’ve had as much suc- the end of the March, and The Americans will be go-
that it matters only when in the Bahamas, except for cess as I had over a long while there is slightly more ing for a third straight victo-
Woods is playing. the one that matters. He period of time to charge separation at the top, there ry in the Solheim Cup when
Compared with last year, finished in 15th place out your batteries, day af- are a half-dozen players or it goes to Iowa this summer.
that’s a nice problem to of 17 players and 14 shots ter day, and go back out more who could end 2017 Nothing brings out passion
have. out of the lead. But it was and say, ‘Man, I want to at No. 1. in team golf quite like the
There remains a battle for a start, and a healthy one. do this again.’ That’s what McIlroy came on strong at United States vs. Europe.
supremacy, minus any The best bet is that Woods he’s going to have to do,” the end of the year. Dustin The Presidents Cup also
talk about a “Big Three.” will return at Torrey Pines at Nicklaus said. “Whether he Johnson won the U.S. Open holds some intrigue. The
Europe has to face a Mid- the end of the month, and can do that or not, I don’t and was the PGA Tour International team has lost
western crowd, this time with each event, the mea- know. That’s going to be player of the year. Henrik six straight times and has
in the Solheim Cup. Two sure will shift form his health the question.” Stenson won his first ma- won only once since the
of the majors are going to to his score. THE BATTLE FOR NO. 1 jor and became a threat Presidents Cup began in
courses that have never Jack Nicklaus is mostly cu- Jordan Spieth started last every time he teed it up. 1994. q

Lindsey Vonn lowing hip surgery.

Riml said Mancuso, a win-
Continued from Page 17 ner of nine medals at ma-
The knee injury hampered prep period was very lim- jor championships, was set
her preparation for the ited. We just have to see to join the American speed
new season, and Vonn de- how her hand is feeling, team for training sessions
cided to sit out the open- how her whole body is feel- on the Turracher Hoehe
ing giant slalom race in ing the next couple of days pass in Austria this week.
Austria in October in order and then make the deci- “Then we’ll have to see
to focus on speed races in sion when it is the right time how she is feeling. She
Canada late November. for her to come back.” didn’t have too many
However, the training crash Another American stand- days on speed skis,” Riml
on Nov. 11 prevented her out, Julia Mancuso, was said. “She’s going into the
from competing again. also planning her return training runs in Zauchens-
Speaking the day before to World Cup racing in ee, and then we’ll decide
a men’s World Cup slalom January, probably in Alten- In this Feb. 20, 2016, file photo, Lindsey Vonn, of the United whether it makes sense for
in Zagreb, Riml said: “Her markt-Zauchensee, after States, celebrates after placing second at a women’s Alpine ski her to compete or not.”q
time on snow in the whole sitting out last season fol- downhill race in La Thuile, Italy.
Associated Press