After Jack Nicklaus’s Cold Majors Snub, Tiger Woods Finds a Fierce Ally in Ex-caddie: ‘Never Say Never’

Don’t write him off just yet; don’t pass over Tiger Woods. Many have done that several times before and had to swallow their words. Joe LaCava, Woods’s caddie for a decade, thinks we still can’t brush aside Woods’s major chances. Delusional? Sentimental? Sure, you can think so.

Since his fifth Masters, the 48-year-old has teed up in ten majors, missed cuts in four, and withdrew from two, including last year’s Masters. His best outing came at the 2019 U.S. Open, where the veteran finished in the 21st position. In between, Woods has met with a life-threatening car crash. In fact, even Jack Nicklaus doesn’t think Woods can match his record. But Joe LaCava is still hopeful, and he has good reasons.

What makes Joe LaCava so hopeful?

LaCava sat down for a candid chat with John Rathouz of the Quiet Please Podcast. Referring to Jack Nicklaus’s comments a few days ago, the host asked what the Hall of Famer caddie made of that. LaCava struck a different note, however. “(Y)ou can never write off Tiger, right? People have tried to do that for the last five (or) eight years now. And that hasn’t worked out for those people that wrote them off.”

But winning three majors on the cusp of 50 is a “tall task,” the veteran bagman admits. Aside from his age, Tiger Woods has “obviously a ton of injuries.” But here is what makes him hopeful: LaCava said, “I do know he’s a lot healthier than he was, say six months ago. So never say never.”

Again, the looper reiterates that it’s not going to be easy. Nevertheless, considering how Woods has defied all odds and breached the limits of possibility, Joe LaCava “wouldn’t be surprised or shocked either, [If Woods] won another one and maybe got to 18.” Morove, the 69-year-old, feels Woods’s game, though not at his peak, is still good enough.

“[H]e’s the kind of guy where he can still hit all the shots,” LaCava adds. Furthermore, “He’s still long enough. He can still putt like there’s no tomorrow.” All these make him hopeful that Tiger Woods can conjure another magic spell like the April evening in Augusta. Nevertheless, the veteran caddie’s previous conversation paints a totally different picture.

Did Tiger Woods hint at retirement?

Not long ago, Woods told LaCava to look for other opportunities instead of waiting for his comeback. The veteran caddie said it sounded a lot like what Fred Couples, his previous employer, told him before retiring. In fact, only last month, Woods himself said that realistically, he could play once a month.

Read More: “[Tiger Woods] Never Ever Came Back to Me”: Ex-Caddie Reveals the Truth Behind Working With the 15x Major Champion

More importantly, post-surgery, his body doesn’t move the way it used to. So, it’s Tiger Woods who has to adapt his game now, and it’s a learning curve of sorts for the 15-time major winner. So, that puts a big question mark on whether LaCava’s comments are realistic or not. We have to wait until the Masters Tournament to get some signs!

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