His concentration broken, Woods’ best might be past

I received an e-mail Wednesday from a local gentleman who insists Tiger Woods will not win the British Open.

His theory behind such a prediction: Woods is part Thai and one reason for his incredible career has been a Zen-like level of focus.

But now that the seemingly indestructible walls around Woods have been destroyed amid a sex scandal larger than the combined bunkers in links golf worldwide, that concentration has been compromised.

There might be something to it. There might be a lot to it.

It might be the reason Woods never wins another major.

His swing is a mess. He has no coach to help fix it. His caddie is frustrated. He changed putters this week. He can't take a breath without someone asking about a divorce settlement that seems to include a few more zeroes each time a dollar figure is reported.

Translation: I'm not sure Woods is the guy you want as a partner in a game of Brainfreeze right now.

When he was at his best, winning majors and charting a course that his father predicted would impact nations, when he wasn't being linked to a waitress from Perkins or porn stars from wherever porn stars come from, Woods held an unparalleled sense of unconscious focus.

He controlled his mind, speaking about Buddhism as a way to empty his thoughts at the instant his swing made impact. But he also said that it was not possible for human beings to achieve ultimate enlightenment, because we all have flaws.

His have been exposed the last eight months more than those of all the politicians and late-night talk show hosts of the last 50 years.

On one hand, it sounds crazy. Woods is only 34. How could he not again capture one of the game's four major championships? How could he forever be stuck on 14, destined to leave the game four behind the all-time mark of Jack Nicklaus?

It sounds crazy because even now, at his lowest point personally and certainly one of his worst as a professional, Woods managed fourth-place finishes this year at the Masters and U.S. Open.

Even now, with a scoring average of 71.19 and a ranking of 151 in driving accuracy and enough tabloid headlines to make Lindsay Lohan's life seem normal, he played his best (even if it wasn't very good by his standards) at two of the year's biggest events.

"I haven't gone this long into a season without winning a (major championship)," Woods told reporters at St. Andrews on Tuesday. "I think 1998 was the longest time, and it was like nine events or something.

"I'm looking forward to getting out there and playing. I understand how to play this golf course. It's a matter of going out there and putting it together and putting it together at the right time."

On the other hand ...

"You know, things have changed a bit," Ernie Els said of Woods this week. "I think the game has moved on a bit. A lot of players have moved on a little bit. On his day, he is still the best player in the world, but I think there are guys a little closer to him now."

A little closer to his head, for sure.

Whether he needs a swing coach to win again is debatable. You could combine Woods' experience and skill and videotape of his most recent rounds and likely conclude the same thoughts as having another stand alongside as he launches drives or practices putting.

But if others have gained an edge on Woods they didn't hold before, it's that he apparently no longer owns the tour's most unconquerable mind-set.

He won $100 million with the putter he just changed out.

What does that tell you about where his mental strength is at?

Jim Parker is the local who e-mailed on Tiger and his are interesting, intelligent views. Parker writes that Woods now likely "thinks less of himself, is more exposed, more vulnerable, less elevated." That his Zen shield has been penetrated. That losing face is "big stuff" to the Asian roots that flow through Woods' blood.

Is it enough to surmise that Woods will never be the same, that 18 majors is now an unachievable number?

Probably not. But there is something to it.

Tiger Woods might soon again be right in his game.

But until he gets right in the head, he will never again dominate.

As Parker writes, it doesn't take much to miss a 10-foot putt.

Tiger never used to miss those. Then again, he never had so much on his mind.

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618.