Frenette: Don't give up on Tiger Woods just yet

It's easy to jump to conclusions of doom about Tiger Woods after the five-alarm fire he set off Friday by shooting a career-worst 82 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Don't go there just yet.

As scary bad as Woods looked around the greens, hitting chip shots like a 20-handicapper, don't forget he hasn't played much tournament golf in the last six months. One horrific round or slump -- four missed cuts or WD in his last five starts -- doesn't mean Tiger is done as a championship contender.

I'm not saying Woods is guaranteed to recover and win a major (or any event, for that matter) because no sport humbles its top players like golf. Former world No. 1 and Jacksonville native David Duval can attest to that.

Woods summed it up best after his round, saying: "It's golf. We all have days like this."

The difference now is Woods is healthy and still looks lost. His confidence is in the dumpster. He's gone through myriad changes, from his swing pattern to switching coaches, so his game is likely to go through a down period. Remember, he was player of the year in 2013. At Woods' age (39), Jack Nicklaus went through the first winless season of his career, then flipped a switch the following year and won a U.S. Open and PGA Championship.

Now if Woods goes through 2015 being a consistent non-factor on leaderboards, then his demise becomes a legitimate discussion. Until then, it's advisable to apply the brakes. 

This article was written by Gene Frenette from The Florida Times-Union and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.