Written By Kevin Scarpati

Around the golf world, you can hear the rumors circulating about Tiger’s demise as clearly as an early-morning tee shot.

Those speculations certainly are not without merit. After shooting a disastrous 6-over 42 at The Players Championship on the front nine on Thursday, Woods withdrew from the event, citing knee and Achilles injuries.

The showing was one stroke away from tying Tiger’s worst nine-hole score ever, and the image of him limping from shot to shot will likely leave a branded memory in our minds during what should be an extended absence from the links.

But for all the naysayers out there, this is hardly the end of golf’s most recognizable figure.

Look, he’s only 35. Physically, he’s in the best physical shape from the knees up of any golfer out there. And Tiger’s famed competitive drive is the greatest of any current athlete in the sporting world today.

Need proof? Look no further than the 2008 U.S. Open.

Tiger’s crowd of blog haters and lesser-educated columnists will write that this is the end of him as we know it. But less than six weeks ago, those same bloggers and writers were trembling at the thought of Tiger’s near-miss at winning the Masters Tournament, the world’s most prestigious golfing event.

Tiger’s going to take some time off. We won’t hear from him for awhile, and that’s probably the best thing for him. He’ll come back, healthy and focused, and when he wins his first major event sometime next year, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anybody.

For now, people around the globe will have their fun poking holes at Tiger’s game and his life. That’s just how the world goes.

Haters gonna hate.