“Everyone Was Very Uncomfortable”: Ex-Rival Holds Tiger Woods Responsible for an ‘Intimidating’ Change in Golf

“I can’t control you. The only thing I can control is me. Now, if I do this more efficiently than you, if you get intimidated, that’s your own f***ing issue,” Tiger Woods had said during a 2018 Tiger Jam charity event. Well, the point is, that the issue is real. And those who have played alongside Tiger Woods can attest to how frightening the ‘tiger stare’ can be. Longtime Tour pro Arron Oberholser has not forgotten it to date.

Oberholser and Tiger Woods have a long history of competition against each other. The two played against each other several times before going pro. In fact, in 1996, Oberholser and the 15-time major winner each had six collegiate titles to their names. He could recall the final round of USC’s invitational when he was on the receiving end of the famous (or, should we say infamous?) ‘Tiger stare.’

“So I remember going to shake his hand. He’s always the last on the tee, as we all know. And we’re waiting, ‘God, he’s going to miss his tee time.’ Here he comes. And he walks onto the tee, and he’s not looking at you. He’s looking through you as he’s shaking your hand like you’re not even there. And that, to me, was the first time I had really felt truly physically intimidated by another human being.”

And I had to re-gather myself really quickly and say, ‘OK, all right, I’ve got my business to take care of today. I want to win USC’s tournament,” Oberholser had said in 2020. Now former six-time PGA Tour winner Hunter Mahan has opened up about how Tiger’s very presence was enough to unsettle his opponents.

Speaking on the Par 3 podcast with J.R. Smith and Stephen Malbon, Mahan shared, how Woods harnessed an intense, almost overwhelming aura that made competitors uneasy. “You’re in the sports field. It’s like it’s an intense place, it’s like guys are going be a little chippy, but like he really used that to his advantage, like he stepped on that tee and there was an intimidation, there was an intensity that was very unknown to everybody and he used that in a huge huge way because everyone was very uncomfortable about it and they couldn’t do anything about it there, nothing about it,” Mahan said.

Imagine standing on the tee box with someone who carried an air of inevitability—Woods wasn’t just there to compete; he was there to dominate. Mahan didn’t just stop at calling Woods intimidating—he really dug into what made him so challenging to compete against. Golf, usually a calm and measured sport, felt completely different when Woods was in the mix. The man brought an intensity that flipped the script.

Mahan explained how Tiger’s focus and presence created a psychological edge, saying it wasn’t just about skill—it was mental warfare, turning opponents’ discomfort into an advantage. “He (Woods) used that discomfort to his advantage,” Mahan shared. Competing against Woods wasn’t just tough; it was almost impossible to play your best when you were up against someone who seemed untouchable. Probably that is why Mahan believes Tiger is the perfect person for a role.

In January, Mahan had said that the US Ryder Cup team should have Tiger Woods as its captain for both Bethpage and Ireland in 2025 and 2027, respectively. Mahan himself has participated in the Ryder Cup three times: in 2008, 2010, and 2014. “They should roll with Tiger for the next two and let it be a four-year commitment. You’re not too worried about the next one, being at home. The home ones are kind of easy because of the emotion and the crowd is on your side. The one in Ireland is going to be brutal. It’s not going to be the next one you’re worried about,” Mahan had said.

Despite Woods’ record of winning one of the eight Ryder Cups in which he participated, the former Ryder Cup player feels confident about him. “Tiger’s a great leader in his own way. You’ve seen it in the Presidents Cup. With Tiger being in the leadership role, he’s a completely different animal. He has this military background which is all about groups and subsets,” Mahan had said.

“He would plan this thing all out and his preparation for everything would be off the charts so that when guys get there and the tournament rolls around, they would have a plan. He’s going to have everything situated in a way that nobody’s really seen before. He’s going to be beyond prepared and learn from the past mistakes. You have to treat it differently, it’s night and day being at home and being on the road.” Notably, former skipper Davis Love III had also supported the idea.

While injuries have limited Woods’ appearances this season, including skipping the Hero World Challenge, his impact on the game remains unmatched. As Mahan put it, Woods didn’t just change how golf was played—he changed how it felt to play it.

Tiger Woods is all set for his return

After a long wait that feels much like an eternity, Tiger Woods will finally be back on the course. After months away from competitive golf, Woods will team up with his son, Charlie, at the PNC Championship. This will be his sixth event of 2024 after a tough season, where he only completed 72 holes once—at the Masters. He withdrew after two rounds at the Genesis Invitational and missed cuts at the other majors. Thankfully, the 36-hole format of the PNC Championship should be more manageable for him as he continues recovering.

Last year, Bernhard and Jason Langer took the win, narrowly beating David and Brady Duval. Woods and Charlie’s closest finish was in 2021, when they came in second, finishing just behind John Daly and his son.

This year’s field is stacked. Fred Couples, making his debut, will team up with his stepson, Hunter Hannemann. Legends like Lee Trevino, Gary Player, and Nick Faldo are also joining, alongside current stars like Nelly Korda, the women’s World No. 1, who’ll be playing alongside her dad, Petr.

Woods’ presence always adds excitement, but the big question remains—can he and Charlie Wood finally claim the title? What do you think? Let us know in the comments!

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