Golf: ‘I expected Woods to beat me’

ABU DHABI: Robert Rock admitted he can understand why players falter when going head-to-head with Tiger Woods, having himself faced the pressure of playing against the 14-time major champion firsthand. The Englishman fended off Woods in the final round to win the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. Only nine men have emerged victorious when Woods has entered the final round in at least a share of the lead and Rock acknowledged the pressure that comes with such a challenge. “A lot of players have found it very difficult playing Tiger in those circumstances, and I can understand why,” said Rock. “I was fully expecting to be the next one.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 9^th, 2012.