Tiger Woods: Greg Norman Foolish to Think Tiger Intimidated by Rory McIlroy

Greg Norman is one of the greatest golfers in the history of the sport, as is Tiger Woods. Rory McIlroy is years away from joining that class, but Norman thinks that the 23-year-old is certainly getting into Woods' head. 

According to a report from Robert Lusetich of FOX Sports, Norman believes that McIlroy is actually intimidating Woods when the two are on the course together. 

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“What I’m seeing is that Tiger’s really intimidated by Rory,” he says. “When have you ever seen him intimidated by another player? Never."

“But I think he knows his time’s up and that’s normal; these things tend to go in 15-year cycles.

“Jack took it from Arnold (Palmer). I took it from Jack, Tiger from me and now it looks like Rory’s taking it from Tiger.”

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Why does everyone have to try and figure out what is wrong with Woods, or why he doesn't win every major that he enters? Why does McIlroy have to be intimidating Woods?

Did Norman, or any of the other Woods' haters, stop to think that maybe Woods is older and not nearly as physically capable of handling 72 holes in four days like he once was, and McIlroy is an incredibly talented player who has earned his spot?

In sports, we ask so many questions that, honestly, probably don't need to be asked. We have to know why, how, what and what something means. 

Woods is not exactly washed up right now. At 36-years-old, he has won three tournaments and finished in the top 10 at five other events. 

By comparison, McIlroy has won four PGA events this year and finished in the top 10 at five other events, so it is not like he is blowing Woods out of the water. 

Woods isn't intimidated by anyone. He is just not the player he used to be, and that's okay. Norman doesn't seem to want to talk about that. He did mention it, but kind of blew it off as just part of a cycle. 

Norman knows far more about golf than I ever will, but in this case, he is missing the point. Being intimidated by a player and being physically unable to do the things you used to do when you were 28 are two entirely different things. 

Intimidation is not the reason that McIlroy is (probably) a better player than Woods at this particular moment. 

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