Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia are at it again…and I love it.
If, like me, you are a fan of the PGA Tour, I often wonder what professional golfers really think about each other. Oh, I know, on the surface, they are all full of praise and platitudes, but, when the lights are off, I find it hard to believe that a couple hundred or so highly competitive individuals from vastly diverse backgrounds are all hale and hearty, back-slapping pals.
It would make more sense to believe they are more ‘feuds’ on tour than we are led to believe. Now, most of the spats probably don’t live up to the level of intensity between Tiger and Sergio, but, I have to believe it would be virtually impossible for everyone on tour to leave the course arm-in-arm singing Kumbaya.
I do believe that golfing by its very nature probably leads to a more congenial competitive state, but, there has to be some guys out there that just ‘rub ya’ the wrong way. For example, how about Ian Poulter? I can’t believe his antics and demeanor at various team competitions doesn’t sit in his opponent’s craw. I know I wouldn’t be to happy with his over-exuberant fist pumping and maniacal stare. Or how about the way the US team reacted to Justin Leonard’s long birdie putt at the Ryder Cup a few years back. The Euros voiced their displeasure at the time, but, I would be willing to bet that more than one of the European team members still remembers that day and not very fondly.
Golf and all of its camaraderie often seems too good to be true. Then again, maybe I’m completely off base and the PGA Tour is just one big, old happy family.
As a fan outside of the ropes, I’ll never know, but, for now, I’m going to sit back and enjoy the Tiger and Sergio dust-up while it lasts.
