By Joel Beall
The best documentaries tell a story, or a side of a story, that hasn’t been told. Either that or they lean hard into a spectacle. It helps to explain why those who have followed Tiger Woods’ career can expect to find an upcoming special on the 15-time major winner entertaining, but also somewhat familiar.

“Tiger,” a two-part HBO documentary that airs this Sunday, is based on the 2018 book “Tiger Woods” by Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian. Their work explored Woods’ career arc, particularly how it was shaped by his upbringing and the influence of Earl Woods. It was diligently researched and ambitious in scope, and though Woods did not participate in the project it was generally well-received. Unfortunately, the film seldom wanders from its pages, at times feeling like a prisoner to the source material’s more sensational claims. When it does venture outside those confines, it offers nothing new or revelatory (Disclosure: Woods has a content partnership with Discovery Golf, the parent company of Golf Digest).

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Few individuals have been extensively covered and discussed like Woods. The good and the bad; as a National Enquirer editor mentions in the film, Woods’ trials surpassed 9/11 for most consecutive days as New York Post cover stories. However, therein lies the rub with Tiger and his past: Any psychoanalysis or observation or opinion, in some iteration, has already been made and repeated to the point where its impact is dulled.

What does matter is who is making those assertions. Like the book, Woods is not affiliated with the film. A subject’s participation is far from imperative; plenty of documentaries have been compromised by surrendering final cut to its protagonist. Still, the absence of Woods and his competitors, save for the occasional Rocco Mediate cameo, is noticeable. A handful of writers who have covered Woods are featured, but “Tiger”—especially Episode 2—relies heavily on those who were on the periphery of Woods’ life or are no longer in it.

It’s not that those voices and vignettes are inconsequential. (Dina Parr, Woods’ high school girlfriend, is a high point as she reveals homemade films of a teenage Tiger, footage showing a side of Woods rarely seen.) But when they’re the only voices, their piece of the puzzle is made out to be the entire picture. That a good number of them are not on good terms with Woods consequently infers a specific agenda.

However, the biggest obstacle “Tiger” faces is time. Mentioned above, nostalgia is often weaponized in documentaries, but objects of sentimentality require distance to acquire their full patina. This is problematic for “Tiger” since most of what it covers feels fresh. It is fresh. Though he recently turned 45 Woods remains the fulcrum this game revolves around, yet at moments it feels like the film is trying to eulogize a career that is very much alive. It should be noted the book came out before Woods’ successful comeback, which may explain why his 2018 season and first win in five years at the Tour Championship is ignored save for a few seconds of footage, and his 2019 Masters triumph is shoehorned into the finale.

“Tiger” does not fail to amuse. Woods as a subject matter is inherently magnetic, and a carousel of highlights serve their intended purpose. Commentaries on race, what this country demands of its celebrities and the thirst to deconstruct them go deeper than surface level. Those foreign to Woods outside tournament broadcasts or are new to the sport will not be disappointed, and viewers, no matter their station, will get an appreciation of the weight of expectations Woods’ carried, and still does.

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By Christopher Powers
In late March, Armen Keteyian, co-author with Jeff Benedict of The New York Times No. 1 best-selling book “Tiger Woods,” revealed that a HBO documentary on the 15-time major champion was in the works. Keteyian, who broke the news during an appearance on the “Burst Your Bubble” podcast, offered few details, except that it would likely air in November in conjunction with Woods defending his Masters title.

In a press release sent out on Thursday, HBO confirmed the two-part series “Tiger” is happening, with part one airing Sunday, Dec. 13, and part two airing Sunday, Dec. 20. It will be available exclusively on HBO and HBO Max.

“Tiger,” which is directed by Emmy-winning filmmaker Matthew Heineman and Emmy nominee Matthew Hamachek, will cover the rise, fall and epic comeback of Woods, leaning on Benedict and Keteyian’s book as a resource. The series is driven, according to HBO, by never-before-seen footage and “revealing” interviews with those who know Woods best.

Among those interviewees include Woods’ ex-caddie, Steve Williams, who Woods infamously fired over the phone in 2011, according to Williams. Also making an appearance will be Sir Nick Faldo; Earl Woods’ friend and biographer (and former Golf Digest writer) Pete McDaniel; Dina Parr, who HBO describes as Woods’ first true love; and Rachel Uchitel, who was one of the many women at the centre of Woods’ off-the-course scandal. HBO says this is the first time Uchitel has publicly spoken about the scandal.

“Since his introduction to the world at the age of 2, Tiger Woods has inhabited our collective consciousness as a prodigy, a pioneer, a champion, a global icon, and then a tabloid headline,” said directors Heineman and Hamachek in the release. “After months of research and countless hours of revelatory conversations, we discovered that he has always been a projection of outsized expectations. His father, his sponsors, and his fans all made Tiger Woods into whom they wanted him to be. Our goal was to dive deeper and create an unflinching and intimate portrait of a man, who like all of us, is imperfect and inherently human.”

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Following Tiger’s second consecutive U.S. Amateur win (he’d make it a three-peat the following year before turning pro), Earl declared, “I’m going to make a prediction. Before he’s through, my son will win 14 major championships.”

Earl’s prognostication was considered outlandish at the time, but it was also odd. Jack Nicklaus held—and still holds—the record with 18 professional majors so why not predict 19? Or an even 20? In any event, Earl, who passed away in 2006, looked like a genius as Tiger racked up majors at a historic pace. He looked like a prophet when Woods got to 14 before hitting a wall (or a hydrant).

Earl and Tiger Woods talk to one another at the 1995 U.S. Amateur Championship at the Newport Country Club. (J.D. Cuban)

Personal scandals and a slew of injuries made it seem like Tiger would finish his career stuck on 14 majors. And then the 2019 Masters happened. Woods won by one shot to break nearly a decade-plus drought in golf’s biggest events and finally earn major No. 15. Ahead of this week’s U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, Tiger was asked about finally surpassing the total set by his dad nearly 24 years ago.

“Yeah, it was kind of ironic that he said he called 14,” Woods said with a smile. “But I’m very happy that I proved him wrong.”

So are a lot of golf fans.

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Now, just winning another tournament seems improbable for Woods, who continues to grab headlines for all the wrong reasons.

This means Woods will probably finish his career with “just” 14 majors to his name, something Tiger’s father Earl eerily predicted on this day in 1995:

On this date in 1995, Earl Woods, after Tiger, 19, wins the U.S. Amateur over Buddy Marucci at Newport Country Club: pic.twitter.com/m4YHAOVdrT

— Mike O'Malley (@GD_MikeO) August 27, 2017

At the time, Earl’s comments were written off as hyperbolic and outlandish. After all, he did also say Tiger would do more than any other man in history to change the course of humanity. While Tiger’s foundation has done plenty of good, changing the course of humanity seems like a stretch at this point. Sadly, it looks like Earl may have nailed the major prediction though. If only he said 19.

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