​Will Tiger get #15 this year?

Today marks the start of golf’s 2019 major championship season. With the PGA Championship moving from August to May, there will be a major each of the next four months. There are plenty of storylines to grab attention. Rory chasing the grand-slam. Ricky finally getting his first major. But let’s be honest, Tiger f-ing Woods is still the main story line. He’s been stuck at 14 major wins for almost 11 years. Between 2014 and 2017 it felt like he had more back surgeries than cuts made. He’s 43 years old, but played a full season in 2018, including his first win in over five years. And yes, I did shed a few tears when he won the tour championship. You know you did too. Tiger has won a major on 3 out of the 4 major venues for 2019. This also was the case heading into the 2010 and 2014 seasons. But 2010 was a wasted year after the infamous 2009 Thanksgiving incident (Cadillac Escalade, fire hydrant, wife swinging a golf club, young female neighbor...it goes on), and 2014 was the start of Tiger’s back problems. Here’s my take on each course and if it looks promising for Tiger in 2019. Masters: Augusta National is the only course that stays the same every year. Tiger last won here in 2005. If Tiger’s healthy, he can come into the tourney on a thirty day bender of vodka, ambien, and prostitutes and still make the cut. With the length of this course, however, Tiger will have to play perfectly to have a real shot at winning. PGA Championship: Bethpage Black is a beast of a course. Tiger won the US Open here in 2002 and finished tied 4th at the US Open in 2009. Compared to a US Open set up, the PGA setup traditionally allows players to go low. It’s tough to predict how Tiger will do. No matter the setup, this course still is a beast. US Open: Pebble, mother f-ing, Beach. We all know the epic victory Tiger had here in 2000. He also had a real chance in 2010 but faded over the weekend to tie for 4th place. I think this is Tiger’s best chance. This course doesn’t play long and is a real second-shot golf course. Note: Unlike Augusta and other ultra-private courses the US Open and PGA Championship travel to each year, if you have $520 laying around you can play Pebble Beach.  The Open Championship: Royal Portrush. I didn’t even look up this place on the web because the only other time it hosted the Open was in 1951. It’s a 50/50 bet if Tiger has even played this course. I just hope his private jet pilots know that Royal Portrush is in Northern Ireland. This is probably Tiger’s best year, venue wise, to win another major. I’ve been doing a lot of praying (and donating) at church recently, so let’s hope that bodes well for Tiger getting #15 this year!