Tiger Woods on driver distances: “The genie’s out of the bag now”

Tiger Woods is not afraid to mix up his metaphors when it comes to golf’s biggest issue right now.

Tiger Woods chatted to the media ahead of this week’s PGA Tour ZOZO Championship. Among other things Woods revealed plans ahead of the Masters in four weeks, the atmosphere without golf fans, dodged a question about the introduction of in-tournament betting on PGA Tour broadcasts, and commented on the “racial awakening” of Augusta National.

“I think Augusta’s just like any other part of the world. It has changed, it has evolved,” Woods said. “Yes, it has had some roots that I don’t think that everyone’s very proud of, but it has evolved.

“We have minority members now, we have — it’s more diverse. And just like anything, it evolves. And Augusta certainly has, and I’m sure it will continue.”

And towards the end, Woods mixed up his metaphors when responding to a question about the increase in distances off the tee.

“They should have been worried a long time ago, but the genie’s out of the bag now. It’s about what do we do going forward and how soon can they do it. I don’t know if they’re going — you’re not going to stop the guys who are there right now,” Woods said.

“You can carry — guys are figuring out how to carry the ball 320-plus yards, and it’s not just a few of them. There’s a lot of guys can do it. That’s where the game’s going. There’s only going to be a small amount of property that we can do, we can alter golf courses.”

“I just don’t see how they can roll everything back. I would like to have — like to be able to see that, as far as our game, but then we go back down the road of what do you bifurcate, at what level? So that’s a long discussion we’ve had for a number of years, for 20-plus years now, and I think it’s only going to continue.”

Full press conference below.