David Feherty still believes in and feels sorry for Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods once again has the golf world holding its collective breath as he decides if his game is ready to tackle Bay Hill and then Augusta. David Feherty, for one, wishes people would just cut the aging superstar some slack.

As one of Woods’ most stalwart defenders, Feherty also clings to his conviction that a healthy Tiger can capture that elusive 15th major this season.

The usual media free-for-all that ensued after Woods announced he would take an indefinite break from competition — following his shockingly awful play in the one-plus PGA Tour events he started leading up to his decision — left Feherty sympathizing with Tiger’s plight.

“For the last 18 years he has had a camera meet him in the parking lot and follow him to the parking lot when he’s done,” Feherty said in an interview with AL.com. “It’s a great shame, really, that we haven’t given him any privacy or any kind of respect.

“Even this last episode when he was so bummed and deflated, and for the first time he gave the impression he felt like a basket case, we still followed him to his car and watched him struggle to get his shoes off and drive away,” Feherty observed. “I mean, really? Enough. I never thought I’d feel sorry for him, but I do.”

Woods withdrew from the Farmers Insurance Open more than a month ago, shortly after which he said he would step away from the Tour to get his game back to tournament form. He missed playing at his usual haunts, PGA National and Doral, with the start of the Masters looming on April 9. It’s difficult to imagine Tiger heading down Magnolia Lane without a tuneup at Arnie’s Place.

In the meantime, except for some “he’s chomping at the bit” to play comments from his agent — and that whole drug-suspension distraction — Woods has kept his plans to himself.

It may well be that Woods does not yet know if he’ll be ready to commit to Bay Hill by Friday at 5 p.m. EST. If he gives the go-ahead for the Arnold Palmer Invitational, it is likely he expects to be on the tee at Augusta in less than a month. If he declines, well, it’s back to reading tea leaves and wondering if Tiger will ever get back on course, though he had reportedly signed on to play in a British Open exhibition in July.

Feherty, though, will likely be the last of the Tiger faithful to call it a day. He predicted in January that Woods would reclaim his spot atop the golf rankings, and despite his free fall down to No. 79 in the world, Feherty has not given up hope on the fading ace.

Indeed, Feherty told AL.com that if Woods can overcome whatever ails him physically and mentally — and if looky-loos would just leave him alone — the 14-time major champion can add No. 15 to his resume in 2015.

Even with Woods’ recent play and the fact that he has not won a grand slam event since 2008, Feherty contended there was a “very strong chance he’ll win one this year.

“I’ve been there for 50 or 60 of his tournament wins,” said Feherty. “When he plays well, no one else wins. If he comes back durable and gets his head around all the problems he’s got, I think he’s got a lot left in him.”

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