Tiger Woods and former swing coach Hank Haney have had an up-and-down relationship over the years, but Haney’s respect for Woods is still apparent despite the rocky relationship they’ve endured.
With Woods playing a practice round at Augusta National on Tuesday, speculation has run rampant regarding whether or not he will make his first appearance on Tour in almost two years following his gruesome car accident in February of 2021.
Haney gave his two cents on whether or not he believes Woods will play in the Masters, and whether or not he could win again on Tour.
“I’ve been saying this for a year, if Tiger can walk again he can win again,” Haney tweeted on Wednesday.
Haney elaborated further on the latest episode of “The Hank Haney Podcast.”
“So he’s saying I can walk no problem on a treadmill but it’s not the same as walking on the golf course. No it’s not, but you can tilt your treadmill on an incline and I promise you he has it on an incline … He’s doing beach walks … that’s back at [Genesis Invitational and Riviera] walking in the sand … that was a month ago, two months ago? Plenty of time to make some more progress … it sounds like he’s made a lot of progress. Now they say he’s been up to Augusta and played … listen, first off, he’s playing unless the leg swells up, something happens, and his plans change. That’s what they mean when they say it’s too early to say yes or no,” Haney explained.
The 66-year-old Haney coached Woods from 2004–10, and published a best-selling book “The Big Miss,” which detailed the time he spent coaching Tiger.
The rocky relationship hit a crescendo in 2019, when Haney faced criticism for disparaging comments he made on his SiriusXM radio show about members of the LPGA Tour. Haney’s show on PGA Tour Radio was ultimately canceled, and Haney was suspended from SiriusXM.
When asked about the racist and sexist comments that Haney made, Woods said that Haney “said what he meant and got what he deserved.”
Haney took exception to the shot from Woods, firing back at Woods’ history of marital infidelity.
“Amazing how [Tiger Woods] has not become the moral authority on issues pertaining to women. I spent 6 great years coaching Tiger, and not one time did he ever hear me utter one sexist or racist word. Now, in addition to being a 15-time major champion, I guess he thinks he’s also a mind reader? #glasshouses,” Haney tweeted.
Despite the mercurial relationship between Woods and Haney, the respect for Tiger’s work ethic and golfing ability is still apparent from Haney.
It will be interesting to see if the swing coach’s prediction that Tiger will win again ever comes true.
