Going into this week’s British Open many theories have been floating around regarding Tiger Woods multi-year slump and now ongoing resurgence to the top of the golf world. Personal issues, swing adjustments and improving competition all get regular air time as possible explanations. Turns out it may be as simple as a man trying to play professional golf at the highest level despite constant pain.
Sports Kinesiologist Zig Ziegeler has worked with an array of professional athletes including Charles Barkley, a longtime friend of Tiger’s. As far back as 2005 as 2005 here’s what Barkley told Ziegler:
Most people don’t know this Zig but Tiger’s back hurts every day
As someone specializing in the impact athlete’s physical condition has on their ability to perform Ziegler calls out this core fitness issue as the root of Tiger’s ongoing injuries that impacted his game:
Tiger showed signs that his body was breaking down from compensating for the root cause of his injuries. Tiger experienced pain and suffered injuries to his Achilles tendon, left knee, right knee, lower back, and upper back. As a result of Tiger’s injuries, his swing suffered.
The continued physical recovery, not the development of a new swing is what Ziegler offers as the explanation for the kind of recovery that has Tiger in contention at Royal Latham & St. Annes this week. Only time will tell if that recovery is complete or the injuries crop back up.
