Tiger Woods: Why Tiger Will Never Win Another U.S. Open

Tiger Woods has been a much-improved player in 2012, winning two tournaments and finishing second at the Honda Classic. However, he was a huge disappointment at the Masters and has struggled at four of the last five majors he has participated in.

Expect that to continue at this year's US Open and beyond.

Something has abandoned Woods at the biggest tournaments in recent memory. Perhaps it is his poise, his killer instinct or simply the inevitability of his dominance that used to haunt the rest of the field on the Sunday of a major tournament.

He's now finished 23rd or worse in four of his last five majors. He did finish fourth at the Masters in 2011, but he also missed the cut at last year's PGA Championships and finished 40th at the Masters this year.

Whatever it is that has left him, Woods is not the same player on the biggest stages that he once was. The rest of the field is different, too.

There are more contenders worthy of winning any tournament now. Sure, Phil Mickelson was always a threat, but now there is Rory McIlroy to deal with. Luke Donald and Lee Westwood are as consistent as they come. Bubba Watson became America's darling after winning the Masters and has four top-five finishes this year.

Tiger used to be a big fish in a small pond of competitors. He's not so big anymore, and the pond is more like a lake now.

Can he reverse course at the US Open this year? Will the man sitting on 14 Majors ever win another one again? Is the reign of Tiger the Great officially over?

Those are all questions hard to answer, though I would guess the next major he wins will be at the Masters.

And unless we see a major change of form from Tiger on the big stages, don't expect him to win another US Open any time soon.

Or perhaps ever again.

Hit me up on Twitter—my tweets really wanted to have another.