The Golden Bear is Safe

[ATL96Steeler]

Tiger is in incredible physical condition, but much of the game is mental. I think it is entirely possible that he could win 5 more majors in his career if he can get his mental game together.

This isn't about the best person, it's about the best golfer, Tiger was well on his way until his mental prowess was decimated by the scandal, it is also possible that his window of opportunity has passed.

Was the putter in the majors...he won 5 times on tour this year so obviously his game is back...had a terrible break @ AN hitting the flagstick, but his putting in the other majors were his down fall...that kinda tells you the pressure is getting to him...but if he can somehow get his balls back putting in the majors he could win 5....but he's not going to ball strike his way to 5 more.

 

[HammerDown]

 

[R.J. MacReady]

This is the first time I have seen Tiger having big problems with multiple facets of his game. For some time now Tiger has seem to have lost his nerve when driving. He plays it safe and leaves a big number to get home. And now he can't seem to keep it in the fairway playing it safe. Look at his par 5 stats this year ..he is like 3 or 4 over in about a dozen par 5's

Faldo brought up the issue that he has problems working the ball from certain angles. And the putting magic has been gone for a while.

I will tell you this ...get ready for a report of some sort of injury or swing change. There is too much money riding with Tiger to have him just playing bad for no reason, it's bad for business. They always need an excuse ...it gives the impression that it's only temporary.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

IMO Tiger is getting too old for these massive swing changes...but at the same time I don't think we can expect him to roll out on tour winning like he has in the past...I'll give it a few more events before I have an opinion on his game this year.

 

[NEhomer]

Didn't he go 7 holes in a row without par or better recently? Sure, he ain't playing a local muni but I don't recall the last time I did that.

 

[SoCalWizFan]

Didn't he go 7 holes in a row without par or better recently? Sure, he ain't playing a local muni but I don't recall the last time I did that.

Tiger Woods Round By Round Scorecards - PGA Golf - ESPN

Here you go - it was at the Farmer's tourney. Hey - it happens to all them at one time or another. Both McIlroy & Mickelson had similar rounds last year. Mickelson rebounded quite nicely & McIlroy appears to be on track.

There are a lot of reasons why these things can happen - mind is not into the game, spillover from some other issues, some bad bounces, etc. It doesn't necessarily mean that they are doomed for the rest of the year. Tiger may or may not continue to have issues, but I don't believe that this type of round proves anything moving forward.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

Tiger Woods Round By Round Scorecards - PGA Golf - ESPN

Here you go - it was at the Farmer's tourney. Hey - it happens to all them at one time or another. Both McIlroy & Mickelson had similar rounds last year. Mickelson rebounded quite nicely & McIlroy appears to be on track.

There are a lot of reasons why these things can happen - mind is not into the game, spillover from some other issues, some bad bounces, etc. It doesn't necessarily mean that they are doomed for the rest of the year. Tiger may or may not continue to have issues, but I don't believe that this type of round proves anything moving forward.

True, a bad start does not prove he will have a bad year.

However, lets be clear. This is not just a bad start for Tiger. This is by far the worst he has ever played to start a season in his professional career.

 

[mrwallace2ku]

Interesting.

[MEDIA=twitter]417697548195745792[/MEDIA]

What's Jack got? 18 majors?

Tiger will catch him and leave em in the dust in the end in my OP. Hell I think Tigger wins 2 majors this year...The Masters and the US Open.

 

[SoCalWizFan]

True, a bad start does not prove he will have a bad year.

However, lets be clear. This is not just a bad start for Tiger. This is by far the worst he has ever played to start a season in his professional career.

Well - we will find out shortly. The major issue appears to be his lack of success on par 5s which is traditionally his strength. If nothing else he should do well at the Masters - that is tourney where he almost always has relative success - even in his down years.

 

[TobyTyler]

Well - we will find out shortly. The major issue appears to be his lack of success on par 5s which is traditionally his strength. If nothing else he should do well at the Masters - that is tourney where he almost always has relative success - even in his down years.

Ya, I'd say that let's wait and see what he does on the Florida stretch before we write him off. he usually hits his stride there. If he plays badly in Florida then I will feel a lot better.

 

[NEhomer]

I don't mean to suggest despair or anything but I was shocked to see that streak by Tiger. I'm like an 8 to 10 hdcp so not bad but certainly not great and I truly don't recall going that many consecutive holes without a par.

As for Tiger, the game's bigger than any man so he might best jack, he may never win again. There's just no way to know.

I think the interesting debate is whether it was easier or tougher for Jack to go first. After number 15, he didn't have anyone to chase and no more pressure. If he needed one or two more, might he have grinded and gotten them or might he have been challenged by the pressure like Tiger? Sure, there was pressure at number 14 but that's significantly short of 18 in the grand scheme of golf.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I don't mean to suggest despair or anything but I was shocked to see that streak by Tiger. I'm like an 8 to 10 hdcp so not bad but certainly not great and I truly don't recall going that many consecutive holes without a par.

As for Tiger, the game's bigger than any man so he might best jack, he may never win again. There's just no way to know.

I think the interesting debate is whether it was easier or tougher for Jack to go first. After number 15, he didn't have anyone to chase and no more pressure. If he needed one or two more, might he have grinded and gotten them or might he have been challenged by the pressure like Tiger? Sure, there was pressure at number 14 but that's significantly short of 18 in the grand scheme of golf.

I don't put much stock into TW's current level of play...he's what 38,39 y/o now? The days of him just walking out on tour in Cali and playing well or even winning has to be harder because he's getting older.

On the majors...I have no clue what he'll do. But, I have a feeling if he's in the hunt late in the next 3 or 4 majors he'll eventually get another one. I don't see him running away with another one though.

JN won a lot of majors by watching other contenders fold on Sunday...lately it's been TW folding on the weekends @ the majors.

 

[TobyTyler]

I don't mean to suggest despair or anything but I was shocked to see that streak by Tiger. I'm like an 8 to 10 hdcp so not bad but certainly not great and I truly don't recall going that many consecutive holes without a par.

As for Tiger, the game's bigger than any man so he might best jack, he may never win again. There's just no way to know.

I think the interesting debate is whether it was easier or tougher for Jack to go first. After number 15, he didn't have anyone to chase and no more pressure. If he needed one or two more, might he have grinded and gotten them or might he have been challenged by the pressure like Tiger? Sure, there was pressure at number 14 but that's significantly short of 18 in the grand scheme of golf.

I think it was after # 12. I believe Walter Hagen was first back then with 11 Majors.

 

[NEhomer]

Correct you are...my bad. I also didn't realize that Hagen never won the Masters.

 

[Nosferatu]

I think all Tiger has to do is break through and win one and then he might go crazy and win 6 or 7 in the next 4 or 5 years

 

[TobyTyler]

Correct you are...my bad. I also didn't realize that Hagen never won the Masters.

In his defense, Hagen was already 42 when the Masters started in 1934. Hagen was well past his prime by then. He only one two tournaments after 1933 and one was a 4-ball event. I believe he is the pioneer of professional golf in America. Almost all the other greats of his era were amateurs.

 

[NEhomer]

True. He was also rumored to be a colossal asshole wasn't he?

 

[HammerDown]

What's Jack got? 18 majors?

Tiger will catch him and leave em in the dust in the end in my OP. Hell I think Tigger wins 2 majors this year...The Masters and the US Open.

Meh. I've been hearing that ever since Tiger imploded.

Golden Bear > Tigger

 

[NEhomer]

Well certainly regarding stature, he will never match the Golden Bear no matter the wins.

Earl said that Tiger would be big outside of golf one day and I believed it at the time. Kinda thought maybe politics or something but after his actions and resulting fall, I'm not so sure.

 

[TobyTyler]

True. He was also rumored to be a colossal asshole wasn't he?

I don't think so. At least I've not heard that said about him. He was not treated very well by some of the high end golfing establishments though. My understanding is that often at events where he would win the tournament he would be denied access to the clubhouse.