dailyrecord - GOLF: DAY CUB BECAME A TIGER

dailyrecord - GOLF: DAY CUB BECAME A TIGERGOLF: DAY CUB BECAME A TIGER

Jul 19 2005

Dad's rollicking inspired champ

By David Mccarthy

TIGER WOODS' father once called him a disgrace for quitting on the course How the rest of the world's golfers must wish Earl Woods had kept his mouth shut the day he delivered a rollicking his 13-year-old son never forgot.

For that was the last time Woods failed to give his all with a club in his hands.

And his refusal to quit and desire to become a better golfer every day have fuelled a career in which Woods has bagged a milestone 10 Majors five and half months short of his 30th birthday.

Coach Hank Haney has been credited with changing the world No.1's swing over the past year.

Woods used it to deadly effect at St Andrews last week to win his second Open at the Fife links.

But 50-year-old Texan Haney believes Tiger's father has had a much bigger influence.

He said: 'The thing that amazes me most about Tiger is he has absolutely no quit in him. None.

'Last year at Tiger's wedding I had a chance to talk to his father and asked how he instilled that in him.

'Earl traced it to a junior tournament on Tiger's 13th birthday. Even then people knew who Tiger Woods was - the gallery sang Happy Birthday to him on the first tee.

'Tiger proceeded to play poorly, and in full view of everyone he began pouting, whining and slapping the ball around the course.

'Earl took him into the snack bar after the round, locked the door and they had a little talk.

'He told Tiger his behaviour was a disgrace and reminded him the game didn't owe him anything, the course didn't owe him anything and he, Earl, sure didn't owe him anything.

'He told him pouting and whining were just other forms of quitting. Earl said Tiger didn't talk to him on the flight home and gave him the silent treatment for two days after that.

'On the third day Tiger told him, 'Pop, I heard every word you said. I promise I'll never quit again,' and he never has.

'Tiger has 42 career victories and more than 100 top-10 finishes but it's his record cut streak that shows best of all that he never quits.

'Earl Woods, in my opinion, has done the greatest job in coaching anyone has done in the history of sport.

'That's the reason I told Tiger to never refer to me as his coach-I'm just a friend who helps him out once in a while with his swing. Tiger's parents, Earl and Tida, are his coaches, and they've done a remarkable job.'

Haney went on to send out a message that should induce a shudder in the rest by insisting Woods is nowhere near satisfied he is playing as well as he can.

He said: 'He keeps getting better and better and better. He basically works 12 hours a day, working out and practising. Not just in the run-up to tournaments, all the time.

'But I don't think he'll ever get to where he wants to be. He is always going to want to keep getting better.

'He had knee surgery and now the knee is stronger than ever. He's never had back problems and he spends two hours a day in the gym trying to make himself stronger.

'It's hard to get him to take a day off and that's what gives him an edge. He's a man who doesn't tire.

'All the talk is about Vijay Singh being the hardest worker in the game but if he works harder than Tiger, he's found a way of putting more than 24 hours into a day.'

Haney hooked up with Woods after spending years coaching Tiger's best mate Mark O'Meara.

He believes it was only a matter of time before the game's top player put on the kind of show that thrilled the 200,000 fans who visited St Andrews last week.

Haney said: 'The way he was striking the ball, I told him the only way he wouldn't come home with the trophy was if he didn't spend enough time on his putting.

'He took his game to another level last week. He's had that other level on the driving range for some time and now he is finally trusting it on the golf course.

'Golfers come into their prime in their 30s so there's no reason why he won't keep getting better. There's a very good chance he can get to Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 Majors.

'Tiger will continue into his 40s because he's the most motivated man I know.'

Haney's words echo Woods' own after his win on Sunday.

The champion cuddled the Claret Jug and said: 'The drive is always to get better. You can always get better, no matter what.

'You never get there - that's the fun of it. No matter how well you play, you can always play better. That's what makes it exciting the next day.'

If you were at St Andrews and thought you heard thunder rumble about 8pm on Sunday, it wasn't.

It was merely the collective groan from Singh, Woods, Monty, Mickelson, Goosen and the rest.

Woods is going nowhere. And while he's around, they'll be going nowhere either