Seems like, it’s not a good time to be Tiger Woods. Just recently, the 15-time major winner lost out to Scottie Scheffler in the popularity battle. The former world no.1 was always the most searched golfer on the Internet. This year he came second for the first time in two decades. Perhaps that also tells something about what happened in a British quiz show recently.
Someone thought Tiger Woods was a Northern Irish golfer. Not American or Canadian, but someone called the 15-time major champion a Northern Irishman. In a British show. This comes from Michael McEwan, the Deputy Editor of Bunkered. McEwan tweeted, “On The Chase tonight: ‘Darren Clarke and which other Northern Irish golfer won the Open in the 2010s?’ ‘Tiger Woods.’ Good grief.”
Woods’s last Open Championship triumph came in 2006. In the 2010s, the Hall of Famer had three top-tens in the oldest golf major. But Tiger Woods has missed the cut in his last three appearances dating back to 2019.
The person has likely confused Woods with Rory McIlroy. They are good friends, but you know McIlroy is 35 and Woods almost 49. They don’t look anything similar. Perhaps the participant was unfamiliar with golf. Perhaps, they were anxious. But that someone would take Tiger Woods for a Northern Irishman in a British TV Show has got fans coming up with wild responses.
Exasperated fans have lost faith in humanity after the Tiger Woods gaffe
For the record, only three Northern Irish golfers have become triumphant at the Open Championship. The last was Rory McIlroy in 2014, and the first was Fred Daly in 1947. In addition, two Irishmen have lifted the Claret Jug three times: Padraig Harrington (2007, 2008) and Shane Lowry (2019).
In light of all these, it’s not surprising that some fans were angry. Most of them couldn’t hide their contempt either. “Wow. This has angered me,” responded one. Another commented, “Noooooooo sometimes I lose more and more faith in the human race.” Since 2010, six Americans have emerged victorious at the Open Championship. The rally was started by Phil Mickelson, carried forward by Jordan Spieth, and now reached its peak with Xander Schauffele‘s victory at Royal Troon this year.
Now, Tiger Woods has lost some of his charm, but for over a decade, he was synonymous with Golf. And his influence transcends the game to permeate into pop culture as well. Woods was also one of the few athletes to cross the $1B mark in career earnings. In the backdrop of this, the answer was all the more infuriating for some. One of them commented, “Is this what regression looks like?”
USA Today via Reuters
A few others resorted to sarcasm. One user quipped, “I thought that you guys played together at Saint Copies of Northern Nebraska.” While another chimed in, “Wow! Tiger Woods? Ridiculous. Obviously the answer is John Daly.” Daly was the Champion Golfer of the Year in 1995, his second and last major triumph. Wild Thing outlasted Costantino Rocca at St. Andrews, rallying to victory by five strokes.
Tiger Woods would’ve probably smirked at this gaffe. The 15-time major champion will tee off at the 2024 PNC Championship with his son Charlie by his side. Perhaps, that would brush people’s memory a bit.
