Knee surgery will cost Tiger a step

EDITOR:

I am a big Tiger Woods fan, but when it comes to knee surgeries, I can speak from experience, having had five knee operations on the left knee and although not reconstructive knee surgeries like Tiger, I can tell you from experience that the knee, which is a delicate component in one's ability to compete, is never the same again.

Tiger may win a tournament now and then but I predict that he will never win another major again (i.e., The Masters, U.S. Open, British Open, etc.), because reconstructive surgery takes its toll on a person, and that's what Tiger had.

I know because I was plagued with knee problems for 59 years now and it began with drop drills that we were compelled to do in junior high school after the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950-53. That's when my knee injuries were first discovered and I couldn't try out for the baseball team in high school, one of my favorite sports. I did manage to play a little basketball in the 10th grade, but I was slow as molasses and couldn't run at all because of my chronic injury-plagued knees. Now, Tiger, who is a very gifted athlete and will overcome such injuries, still must compete on a high lever. It will take its toll on him. I wish him all the luck and success in the world because I am a huge Tiger Woods fan, but I just don't see it happening. I certainly hope that I am wrong.

Irv Weisberg

Gardnerville