Lifestyle
Tiger Woods Open future clear to see in telling practice round with Justin Thomas
Tiger Woods continued his preparations for The Open Championship at Royal Troon on Monday after hinting this could be the last time he competes for the Claret Jug.
After playing 18 holes on Sunday, Woods got another look Troon’s back nine alongside good friends Justin Thomas and Max Homa. And the trio were in high spirits in the Scottish morning sunshine, cracking jokes as they familiarised themselves with the conditions.
It was a stark contrast from a month ago at Pinehurst No. 2 when the US Open test proved too much for the 48-year-old, missing the cut at seven-over-par. That day, a disconsolate Woods hinted not only that he may have played his final US Open, but this week’s Open Championship could be his last.
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“As far as my last Open Championship or US Open Championship, I don’t know what that is. It may or may not be,” he said in a revealing omission that the end is near for arguably the game’s greatest player. The 15-time major champion has been caught in a vicious cycle of rustiness caused by a lack of competitive reps due to his injuries in recent years, and he has played just four tournaments this season.
He has since been urged by former foe Colin Montgomerie to be “realistic” and retire. Montgomerie told The Times last week: “I hope people remember Tiger as Tiger was, the passion and the charismatic aura around him. There is none of that now. At Pinehurst, he did not seem to enjoy a single shot and you think ‘What the hell is he doing?’ He’s coming to Troon and he won’t enjoy it there either.”
Woods’ compromised mobility in the wake of his 2021 car accident and resulting surgeries was evident throughout the morning on Scotland’s west coast, moving with a slightly awkward gait and looking stiff as he bent over to tie his shoelace. He also appeared to be consciously avoiding the bunkers when it came to getting in practice shots.
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Woods was in high spirits on Monday alongside Thomas and Homa
Woods was in high spirits on Monday alongside Thomas and Homa ( Image: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
After playing their approaches at each hole, the trio would arrive at the green and drop balls in various areas to prepare for the many different short-game challenges they could face when the tournament begins on Thursday. But when it came to the bunkers, Homa and Thomas would lob a couple of balls into the sand yet Woods would steer clear, perhaps to avoid unnecessary strain on his body given the depth of some of the traps littered across this gorgeous links layout.
The 15-time major champion has faded dramatically as a force, but he still carries the ability to move the needle – or the crowd – like few other sports stars. He was playing alongside two of the PGA Tour’s biggest stars, but the healthy crowd that followed was here to see Woods. When he hit his shots, the galleries moved forward to see the next, even if Homa and Thomas were yet to play.
That crowd was treated to a few moments of Tiger magic. A beautifully judged splash shot on the 14th after finding the sand with his approach showed he still possesses immense skill. Yet there were disappointments, with some spectators in the gallery grumbling that Woods had not stopped to sign autographs – which, in fairness, is not unusual for players in the middle of a round.
Woods was not as forensic as Homa and Thomas on the greens
Woods was not as forensic as Homa and Thomas on the greens ( Image: Stuart Kerr/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)
Later on, a course volunteer had a selfie request rejected, not by Woods, but by a security guard who shadowed him throughout the day. “Absolutely not,” he bellowed at the man after he quietly asked for a picture.
There are few parallels between golf and boxing, but in Woods’ case there is at least one. They say the last attribute a boxer loses is power and despite the immense wear and tear he has accumulated on and off the course over the years, Woods still hits the ball a very long way.
His impressive speed off the tee was shown best on the par-four 12th, pummelling his drive 30 yards further down the fairway than Thomas and Homa. A precise approach followed to 12 feet but Woods raced the birdie putt past the cup – a theme of the day as he struggled to judge the speeds of the greens.
Woods, in general, was much less forensic around the greens than his playing partners. He hit plenty of putts and chips after finishing the hole with his original ball, but Thomas and Homa would painstakingly line up numerous efforts to every possible pin position.
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It seemed his patience had worn thin by the time he finished the 15th hole, with Woods standing alone with his caddie on the 16th tee while Homa and Thomas continued working away around the 15th green. But the good vibes flowed inside and outside the ropes, as all three were given a warm reception as they arrived at the 17th tee.
GOLF
Golf’s Favorite Son Returns: Jordan Spieth Makes Rare Appearance Post-Surgery
Jordan Spieth had been in insufferable pain in his wrist. And well, this is not something that just happened. The injury dates back to late 2017 when he happened to injure it during an intense training session. However, he did not get it fixed right away and became a victim of some bad swing habits. It has been a lingering issue, to put it simply, until now.
After almost seven long years, he finally decided to take care of his injury. On August 31, Spieth announced on his social media that he underwent a successful surgery to curb the issue. This was right after he competed at the FedEx St. Jude Classic.“I had a procedure on my left wrist last week, as I had mentioned was the plan,”Spieth wrote on X. “The operation went smoothly, and I’m grateful for the exceptional medical team and support of (his wife) Annie and my family.”As it turns out, he has finally reappeared, not on the greens though.
The golfer took to his official Instagram account and shared pictures of what looked like a recent vacation that he took with his beautiful wife Annie. In the caption, he wrote, “Out of office!”Well, who would not want to be out of office this way? The glimpses he shared were surreal and picturesque. A perfect vacation it seemed.
This update came after almost two weeks of posting a picture with his son, adorable Sammy, wearing a Texas Longhorns jersey. Now his wrist looks better, but that was not the case 15 days after surgery. Speith was seen at the junior fundraiser event, Crush It! Cup. At that time, Spieth’s left arm had the cast, and he could barely move it. Some time ago, Spieth was also spotted alongside Scottie Scheffler as they made it to the 48th governor of Texas, Greg Abbot’s house. There, Spieth could even hold a placard in his left hand.
While the couple looked adorable together and Jordan Spieth looked a lot better, the golf community fixated only on one question throughout the comments section.
The Golf Community is curious about Jordan Spieth’s comeback
Jordan Spieth’s last appearance was almost three months ago, trying to qualify for the 2024 BMW Championship and make it to the Tour Championship. And well, the St. Jude Classic was not his best performance. He scored a disappointing 9-over to drop down to a T68 on the leaderboard after the final round. Now, only the top 50 were to make it to the next event for the FedEx Cup Playoffs, so he did not qualify.
Two weeks later, his surgery being successful was announced. Fans have been waiting to see him play some of his best golf ever since. Taking to this, one of them wrote, “Back better than ever champ”.Another asked him, “When are you coming back, king?”Spieth aims to return to the 2025 season in January with better practice and energy.
The 31-year-old has managed to grab 13 PGA Tour wins and has almost always been a fan favorite. However, the entire 2024 season was what one might call one of his worst career years. Appearing in twenty-two events, he missed cuts in seven of them. His only top-10 finishes came during the first four months of the season, after which his performance only kept declining.
Fans suspect that this might be due to the daunting pain. And now that he is back after the successful surgery, Spieth will get back to his best form. Taking to this, one of them wrote, “😍you look great Jordan. Looking forward to seeing you back on the golf ⛳️ course. Stay strong 🙏🙏”.
The American professional has three major wins in his career. He won the Masters in 2015, the US Open in the same year, and the Open Championship in 2017. The only major he is to grab a win at is the PGA Championship to complete his grand slam. Well, fans are speculating that it won’t be long before he can achieve the feat. Taking this, one of them wrote, “Grand slam incoming”.
While others worried about his prolonged wrist injury commented on his healing process. While one of them asked him, “How’s the wrist?”another simply suggested, “Keep resting up the wrist, King.”.
Lifestyle
‘Accept Nothing Less’ – Serena Williams’ Husband Alexis Ohanian Gets Fiercely Passionate About His ‘Women’s Sports’ Slogan in Rousing UVA Speech
Alexis Ohanian is more than just a tech mogul and Serena Williams’ biggest fan—he’s a passionate advocate for women’s sports.
Whether it’s through investing in the game or speaking up for equality, the Reddit co-founder never shies away from pushing for the changes he wants to see. And his recent visit to his alma mater was no different.
Taking the stage, Ohanian once again championed the challenges women face in sports, reminding the athletes of the opportunities they deserve.
The 41-year-old visited the University of Virginia to cheer up for the women’s basketball team. Ohanian ensured to boost their confidence with an intriguing message as he reflected that women athletes deserve immense limelight just like their male counterparts and expressed his desire to keep working to support them throughout their careers.
In a video that surfaced on Instagram, Ohanian can be seen addressing some female basketball players. He promised that the next time he visits them, he would try to bring his wife, Williams, as well. He lauded the coach of the team as well and said, “Coach, credit to you too.
Their foundation starts here. It’s just so compelling and I see it out there. It’s gonna be a lot of fun to watch this program.” But what caught the attention was his remarkable admiration for female athletes and his desire to bring about a change.
Speaking further to the athletes, Ohanian said, “I will keep doing the work on the court and off the court, will take care of the rest. This is the era of excellence of women in sports.
So no matter how you are thinking like ‘how, well, should I do it now,’ like You all DESERVE EVERY BIT OF THIS!” Continuing further, he also motivated them to understand their worth.
“There is a new bar, there is a new standard Accept nothing less.” Ohanian has continued to take several measures to promote women’s sports and one such example was his initiative in the form of Athlos NYC.
Entertainment
Jordan Spieth Responds to Online Rumors: “It’s a Set-Up, I’m Being Blackmailed”
Golf star Jordan Spieth has hit back against rumors circulating online, calling them a “set-up” and claiming he is the target of blackmail.
The three-time major champion took to social media to set the record straight after false information began spreading across various platforms.
In a strongly worded post, Spieth stated, “There’s a lot of misinformation being shared right now. This is nothing more than a calculated set-up, and I am being blackmailed.”
Although he did not elaborate on the nature of the rumors, Spieth emphasized that the claims have no basis in truth and warned fans not to believe unverified stories circulating on the internet.
Spieth’s team is reportedly investigating the origins of the rumors and has hinted that legal action could be pursued against those responsible.
“We’re living in a time where anyone can say anything online without evidence,” one of Spieth’s representatives shared in a statement. “Jordan is committed to maintaining his focus on the game and protecting his reputation from these baseless attacks.”
With no official comment yet from law enforcement, fans are rallying in support of Spieth, expressing their disappointment in the prevalence of online misinformation.
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