What is it like to follow Tiger Woods at his beloved St Andrews? The biggest crowds, the loudest cheers and a possible farewell - Watch day three of The 150th Open live on Sky Sports The Open from 9am on Saturday
Friday 15 July 2022 16:26, UK
Tiger Woods' injury-plagued career may be edging towards its closing stages, but his appearance at The Open suggested the golfing world is far from ready to bid farewell to one of its all-time greats.
First-timers at the Old Course need not rely on directions from a passing stranger in search of the 15-time major champion; where the flock of spectators scurried and where the mobile phones pointed, you followed. At a brisk pace, too, such was the battle for an unimpaired view.
Occasionally his playing partners Matthew Fitzpatrick and Max Homa were something of a willing supporting cast, the crowd seemingly halving by the time they stepped up to putt as thousands raced to position themselves for Woods' next shot.
Groups yo-yoed across the fairway in pursuit of an optimum vantage point, others contemplated and conceded skipping holes in order to guarantee a prime viewing area further down the line. Where players had spent the week warning of the need for imagination to decipher and tackle the Old Course, spectators faced a similar predicament in securing their maximum dose of Tiger. A test of calf muscles on steep inclines, reward for premium eye-sight, a willingness to walk among prickle bushes, all the bobbing and weaving in the world to find a gap between heads and apologetic whispers in the event of toe-treads.
That the UK's recently-crowned US Open champion found himself largely on the backburner reminded that Tiger's draw has not faded in the slightest.
"It's like a football game" suggested one suited spectator at the third as a cluster of Tiger disciples huddled in mutual adoration for the St Andrews favourite. Another had to ask his friend who else was in Woods' group.
He was still every bit the story, few coming close to rivalling his crowd enormity and 18-hole commitment over the first two days.
"I was very nervous," admitted Homa. "I felt a lot more calm than I thought I would, like, leading up to the tee. Then once we got to one and it was kind of just like me, Matt, and Tiger. You could feel the gravity of it. Felt a lot more nervous.
"Then one is the easiest tee shot on the planet as far as nerves go. Matt and I were just talking about it. I didn't realise how many people were there until when Tiger got announced on one, it was like a sea of people around us. Then all of a sudden, I was, like, holy cow. So I was very nervous. The whole first hole, I was kind of having like an out-of-body experience."
One man dared to walk the course in a tiger costume, made funnier by mundane activities like hiring a phone charger, while youngsters carried tiger teddies with them. A group of Scottish ladies later serenaded Woods with three chants of 'I love you!' upon his walk down the 10th, before epitomising the path-crossing beauty of the Open as they befriended two men from Kansas. They learned that one of the men's sons attends the University of Kansas, where the grandson of the most vocal Scot is set to enroll. Cue conversation.
Granted, entirely unrelated to Tiger Woods. But with awestruck excitement to see Tiger Woods in their own country and a trans-Atlantic trip to see Tiger Woods came your unlikely Open union.
Elsewhere at the eighth a solo-travelling Atlanta, Georgia native, besides asking the nearest Englishman whether this was our summer or winter (Thursday was a chilly one), admits he is merely thankful to be watching Woods walk let along play golf again amid a disappointing round one. Touche.
But even now the aura of inevitability that once followed him religiously continues to withstand the test of time and a deterioration of the body that might have resigned most to retirement long before now.
Sighs of 'he doesn't quite look right' in the wake of squandered putts both ignored the reality he will never be 'quite right' following a career-threatening car crash, which Woods himself has acknowledged, while reflecting an ever-faithful expectation that he can and will still make every tough shot.
"Unbelievable. It was cool. I told Joe, if there was anybody else in my group, if it was probably just Matt, I would have been complaining all day, and I'm sure he would too. He would say that too. It was the coolest frickin' day I've ever had on a golf course. He's the GOAT for a reason. He was very, very nice. It was a really fun day. It was a dream-come-true type day minus some of the golf. It really felt like fantasy."
By now every hint of a limp or minor back stretch warrants assessment, but what was as pleasing as anything, on top of him simply being here, was to see Woods move around the course in some comfort. Far more comfort than outings earlier in the year.
Despite a six-over round of 78 on day one, he had actually been striking the ball soundly with what remains an immaculate swing. In fact, there was a notable contrast between Woods' tee shot and an uncharacteristic near-scuff from Fitzpatrick as if master and student. Of course, these days that is far from the case for the outstanding Yorkshireman.
Upon approaching the fifth one dad could be heard explaining to his son what made Woods and that swing so special, as if trying to excuse putting miscues that might distract the new generation of golf fans from once-untouchable talent.
A roar at the sight of a long-awaited first birdie at the ninth offered a similar feel, with ramped up volume more in relief over a break for their hero than anything else. A roar at the sight of a second successive birdie at the 10th offered a different feel, one of giddy belief in a comeback that might keep a fairytale of a third St Andrews crown alive. It wasn't to be.
Shots were being ushered and willed for the duration, precision chips in the Old Course dips generating 'there he is!' applause for class that will never leave him, and groans following miscues on the green coming in reluctance to accept that said class no longer appears as consistently as it once did.
"They were fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. So supportive. Obviously they're not going to be quite as loud because you don't hear them in the middle of the golf course. They're only on the perimeter. But just the support coming off each tee and each green, when they were in proximity. Most of the tees they were, yes; but some of the greens they weren't. But when the greens that they were, they were very respectful and very appreciative of all of us out there today, which was great."
Crowds of the past swarmed to experience Tiger Woods because he was the best; crowds of today swarm to experience Tiger Woods because you have to given uncertainty over the expiry date on his career. As much was evident when his following pack swelled even more on day two.
It's perhaps part of the reason so many Americans travelled to Scotland this week despite having the opportunity to watch three of the four men's majors in their own country. Tiger at St Andrews remains a must-not-miss on the golfing calendar, and this might well have been the final opportunity.
Older generations are there in loyalty and love for an athlete that has given them everything, parents bring their children to teach them about the athlete who raised the bar before they were even born, a generation of young adults fork out money to go and admire a man who, many have said and will continue to say, made the sport 'cool'. If you don't know golf, you still know Tiger Woods, as was reminded by one young girl timidly imitating 'come on Tiger' chants.
With regards to people travelling from far and wide to watch Woods, the rainbow of US fans sporting NFL, NBA, college football and hockey attire was matched by socks and jackets in the South African colours, yellow Henrik Stenson-printed Sweden shirts, Japanese fans greeting Yuto Katsuragawa with a sign and a select group of Mexicans following Abraham Ancer's every move. It is then when you realise why Woods loves it here so much.
As 62-year-old Mark Calcavecchia bid goodbye to The Open this week, he dismissed suggestions this would also be Tiger's last appearance at St Andrews.
But it felt quite the opposite as an emotional Woods strolled up the 18th fairway, waving his cap and struggling to hide the tears to the sound of a euphoric, reflective, rapturous grandstand. Perhaps a farewell, most definitely a thank you.
Multiple players echoing the sentiment of 'any time you get to see Tiger play is special' underlined acknowledgement of a ticking clock this week, as did Fitzpatrick and Homa hanging back to allow Woods the floor heading to the final hole.
Nobody is quite ready to let go, but here was the latest reminder to soak up every closing moment until the decision arrives.
Watch The 150th Open throughout the week live on Sky Sports' dedicated channel. Live coverage continues on Saturday from 9am on Sky Sports The Open. Live at The Range, Featured Holes and Featured Groups will be available via the red button on Sky Sports The Open, along with the Sky Sports website and app.
