Andy North believes Tiger Woods could genuinely be a “threat” at The Open Championship this year as he gets ready to compete at the PGA Championship. Woods surprised many earlier this year when he made his return to competitive golf at The Masters.
The American golf icon was just 14 months removed from the horrific car accident which nearly led to his right leg being amputated. Incredibly, Woods was fighting towards the top of the leaderboard after the first two rounds to make the cut.
But the hilly and challenging course at Augusta National eventually caught up with him over the weekend as he finished 47th. North was amazed that Woods was even able to step onto the course for The Masters last month.
“I couldn’t believe he was able to do it,” he told Express Sport. “I thought, if there was any chance to play this year, it would be at The Open Championship at St Andrews because it is an easy walk, it’s flat, the tees are pretty close to the green. It was the perfect scenario.
JUST IN: Bryson DeChambeau withdraws from PGA Championship with injury
“For him to play at Augusta, I thought that was the last place he’d play so I’m excited that he’s going to play.”
Woods has not played since, but will be playing in his second tournament of the year this week at Southern Hills. It was 15 years ago when Woods won his last PGA Championships held at Southern Hills where he obliterated the field after taking the lead in the second round.
Woods admits that it is a “very different golf course” now to what it was back then. But ESPN pundit North still believes Southern Hills will be a challenging walk for the 15-time major winner.
DON’T MISS
However, North goes on to suggest that Woods could genuinely be a threat at The Open this summer due to the easier conditions at St Andrews.
“I would think, at Southern Hills, his game will be a little bit sharper and probably a little more consistent because he’s had another month to keep working in that direction,” he added. “His leg is also probably a little bit stronger. Southern Hills isn’t the easiest walk. There’s two or three hills you’ve got to play but it’s definitely not as bad as Augusta.
“Everything points to him having a better opportunity at the PGA than at The Masters. And you’d think by the time The Open Championship came around he could possibly be a threat.”