Ryder Cup 2016: ‘Tiger Woods was never loved as No 1, but he can win fans’ hearts at Hazeltine’
American vice-captain never succeeded in team play but that can change with his new role, says Constantino Rocca
TIGER WOODS was never loved in the Ryder Cup when he was world No 1 - but he has a shot at career redemption as vice-captain.
Rocca took down Woods 4&2 in the 1997 Ryder Cup singles, the year the 21-year-old American rocked the world by winning the Masters.
To this day he is the only man to beat Woods one-on-one with the Cup on the line.
As fate would have it the two were paired together during that final day at Augusta, but then it was Rocca's turn to stand in awe as Woods entered the record books.
That three-time Ryder Cupper Rocca got the upper hand at Valderrama later that year would appear to back the theory that says Woods does not have the clash with the Europeans at his heart.
But Rocca rubbishes the notion and says Woods' experience in the event, passed onto this year's players, can finally get him in the good books of American supporters.
Rocca said: "When you are No 1, nobody loves you. Tiger has not had a very good experience in the Ryder Cup.
"A lot of people thought Seve was not a good guy but he was, and it's the same with Tiger.
"People will say this and that about him but he is not stupid, he respects people.
"When he sees me he will say hello. OK, I beat him but for me there is still respect because for me he is still the best.
"I played with him in 1995, 96, 97. When you are No 1 you cannot say hello to everyone, you have to go here, there, everywhere.
"Life is like that - the reason I could never be No 1!
And Rocca hints there is an acceptance in Woods, 40, that now he is the elder statesman giving sage tips to young bucks.
It is a sharp contrast from the secretive Woods of his pomp, who guarded all his know-how closely.
Rocca added: "I think Tiger can do a good job with Davis Love.
"He played for 20 years on the top of the world and now he cannot play at the same level.
"When you’re up for something for so long in your life and then drop, it’s difficult to come back to a high level.