Nick Faldo weighs in on Tiger setback

• Sir Nick Faldo thinks Tiger Woods is running out of time
• The 40-year-old withdrew from this week’s Safeway Open
• “Everything is stacking up against him,” said the Englishman

Sir Nick Faldo believes time is running out for Tiger Woods after the 14-time major winner’s latest setback.

The 40-year-old was due to be playing at this week’s Safeway Open – officially confirming his place in the field on Friday – before sensationally pulling out on Monday night saying his game was in a ‘vulnerable’ state.

“Watching him walk, he just doesn’t look supple to me” – Sir Nick Faldo

The earliest we will now see Woods is at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas from December 1-4 and Nick Faldo, a golf analyst for CBS Sports, says everything is ‘stacking up against’ the American.

Read more -> Tiger Woods has to ‘suck up pressure’ – Miller

CONTINUES BELOW…

“It’s going to be a hard grind to come back and compete against the best in the world,” Nick Faldo told BBC Sport. “You wish him well but what does Tiger want to prove?

“I know personally golf is a wicked game, it dangles a carrot. Ten years ago I’d hit balls and think, ‘I can still play, I can still hit it’ – then you’d go to the course and can’t make a score.

“Maybe he is starting to hit the ball better but it’s the stamina to play” – Sir Nick Faldo

“Everything is stacking up against him now. Physically, mentally and obviously competing. Watching him walk, he just doesn’t look supple to me.

“I know the stamina needed to play 72 holes. He may be able to hit balls on a range but there’s a rhythm to that – on a course you get a five-minute gap between two shots. I think maybe he is starting to hit the ball better but it’s the stamina to play.”

Read more -> Tiger Woods booted from US team photo

CONTINUES BELOW…

Speaking ahead of the British Masters, meanwhile, tournament host Luke Donald says there’s a lot of ‘mental anguish’ around Tiger Woods.

“It sounds like clinically he feels fine,” Donald told The Guardian. “He’s just not quite ready to tee it up from a mental standpoint perhaps. That’s certainly what I gathered from his comments. There’s a lot of mental anguish when you take time away. I think obviously Tiger’s got very high standards and expectations.

“There’s a lot of mental anguish when you take time away” – Luke Donald

“I think that you have to weigh that up with that feel of almost failure or fear or anxiety of not performing well. If Tiger Woods is healthy like he says he is, that’s probably what he’s weighing out right now, just feeling comfortable.

“It’s really hard to get comfortable unless you actually put yourself through it. At some point he’s got to jump in, and if he messes up, he’s got a good opportunity to get better the next time he plays.”

Follow @BunkeredOnline

Do you agree with Nick Faldo on Woods?

What do you make of Nick Faldo’s comments on Tiger? Do you think his biggest issue is his mental state, his back injury, or technical issues with his game? Leave your thoughts in the ‘Comments’ section below.