Tiger Woods :: I may coach myself

Tiger Woods has given the strongest hint yet that he might not hire a new coach and, instead, take full ownership of his swing going forward.

Speculation has been mounting over Woods’ next professional move following his split from coach of four years Sean Foley last month.

He has been linked, invariably, with a return to either of his two former coaches – Butch Harmon and Hank Haney – with others, such as Butch’s son Claude Harmon III and Chuck Cook also rumoured to be attracting the interest of the former world No.1

Read more –> Butch Harmon and Haney on their time with Tiger Woods

However, writing in his latest blog on his website, tigerwoods.com, the 14-time major winner suggested he might, as some have suggested, take a different tack altogether and go it alone.

“As for my coaching situation, there is no hard-and-set rule on this, wrote Woods. “I may just do it on my own. I’m keeping my options very, very open. I need to get healthy first before I start back and see how I feel. That’s the No.1 concern. And from there, I can start deciding where I want to go with it.”

Tiger, who will miss next week’s Ryder Cup at Gleneagles as he continues his rehabilitation from a back injury which has blighted his season, added that he has discussed his coaching situation with close friend and former tour pro Notah Begay.

“We just kind of talked things through; he’s like an older brother,” said Woods. “We’ve discussed my options and what direction he thinks I should go. He’s just trying to help out any way he can.”

Despite missing the Ryder Cup, Wood did insist that he would be tuning in from the action from Perthshire. US captain Tom Watson has been criticised in some quarters for the three picks he made to flesh out his side but Tiger thinks that the detractors are wide of the mark.

“I think Tom Watson made three great captain’s picks.” – Tiger Woods

“I’ll tune in to the Ryder Cup to see how our guys do,” he continued. “I think Tom Watson made three great captain’s picks. Hunter Mahan hits the ball on a string and is one of the best ball-strikers out here. And when he putts well, he wins, hands down.

Webb Simpson is a great grinder. He’s a great person to have in these team events because he can get up and down and make putts. And Keegan Bradley is just a ball of energy. He’s the guy you want on the team because he’s fired up, anxious to play and wants to do anything he can to help out his teammates. He’s just fun to be around.”

Woods also said he is planning to swing a club again ‘later this month or early next’ ahead of his scheduled return to action at his own event, the Hero World Challenge, which takes place at Isleworth in Florida at the beginning of December.

Should Tiger Woods coach himself?

Former world No.1 Tiger Woods reckons he can go it alone in terms of coaching. Do you think that would be a good or bad move? Leave your thoughts in our ‘Comments’ section below.

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor