It's time for another case of Ailurophobia to hit Augusta

By Jayson D. Henry


Ailurophobia is the fear of cats. I could not find a word for the specific fear of Tigers so this phobia will have to do.

This weekend professional golfers from all over the globe will head to Augusta National Country Club to experience one of the four ‘Major’ cases of Ailurophobia they will get this year to go along with numerous bouts of lesser cases of the condition.

It’s not enough that Tiger Woods is simply better than every other professional golfer. Not only is he better but he strikes fear, no make that absolute horror, into the hearts and minds, and bladders, of his opponents whenever he strolls up to the first tee.

There are other very talented golfers on the PGA Tour. However, the biggest difference between Tiger and the rest of the pack is that he burns to win. Winning is everything to him. There is no such thing as a good Top 10 finish.

Many of the other golfers out there seem content to take their six-digit paychecks for 4th or 5th place and head home in their private jets. Woods is not happy unless he is taking a trophy, or a green jacket, with him.

Like so many other sports such as NASCAR, and even football, basketball and baseball, big money has taken away the competitive drive and replaced it with contentedness.

Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Lee Trevino not only wanted to win, they needed to win. Players couldn’t Top 10 their way to multi-million dollar status back then. Now, they can.

So, when Tiger takes to the course with his desire and talent along with him he has a big advantage over those who have become content. That’s why it is so obvious he is going to win even when he enters the last day of a tournament several strokes behind.

He wants to win. He is not afraid to let it be known he wants to win and he is not happy with anything else. To the guys who are satisfied with anything else that is very intimidating. Knowing that Tiger will do whatever it takes to ‘seal the deal’ causes the other players to make mistakes. Then, the “I’ll still get a nice check for 2nd place” mindset starts to take over. It is written all over their faces every time it happens.

Tiger’s talent is immense. He is perhaps the greatest pressure putter ever. He can get himself out of messes better than almost any player the game has ever known, in the instances when he gets himself in messes. There is never a time when you can look at where he is on the course or the leader board and say, “He’s done”.

But even with the incredible skill he has been blessed with and has honed, it is his mind that makes him the greatest player in the game today, and quite possibly the greatest ever. His mind is set on that one thing, winning. Total focus and total energy on one thing, the only thing.

His talent is scary to the other players, but his mind is even more frightening.

So, you other golfers take your satisfaction and your big paycheck to the jet port as you leave Augusta this Sunday. But remember, Tiger will be leaving later than you and he will have more than satisfaction and a big check, he will have another green jacket.

Maybe the others can use those big checks to see a psychiatrist about that little case of ailurophobia they have.