The Tiger Woods Thread

HighLine

Might not even happen..

https://twitter.com/RyanLavnerGC/status/785537157993734145

Montgolfier

HighLine wrote: »

Might not even happen..

https://twitter.com/RyanLavnerGC/status/785537157993734145

Why?? Are the glutes not firing!

ForeRight

Montgolfier wrote: »

Why?? Are the glutes not firing!

He read Henry Fords comments here earlier and decided what's the point if Henry doesn't care and won't be watching.

HighLine

Confirmed WD. Also out of Turkish Open.

http://www.tigerwoods.com/news/2016/10/10/205629046/tiger-withdraws-from-safeway-open/

https://twitter.com/GCTigerTracker/status/785552659528970245

Senna

I'd love to see him back to his best, but the media coverage is going to have a field day and if he's not playing well, then he's just another journeyman and should receive the same amount of coverage, but that won't happen.

PARlance

Beginning to think Tiger is half Irish with the length of time he's taking to say Goodbye, bye, bye, bye....

FixdePitchmark

Big fan of Tiger.

But unrealistic expectations seem to surround him.

He has too many injuries and - anything around the back - that repeats is normally a slippy slope.

Even in full health he hasn't had a decent major since 2013.

Even when he was playing fit - the real strength of his game - short and putting - seemed to be on the way out.

Senna

But are his short game woes related to injury or confidence? I'd say confidence.

FixdePitchmark

Senna wrote: »

But are his short game woes related to injury or confidence? I'd say confidence.

Yes, but this idea - that you get confident and can become a great putter again - in your 40s. Is crazy.

The short game is a young mans game. As in, eyes - hand eye coordination, confidence.

Yes you can compete and do well in events , maybe a freaky good weekend - (likes of what Tom Watson did , Bernard Langer, Padraig Harrington can do)

To me Tiger Woods - is the Tiger Woods we love of the (2000 to 2008), his game was power , drive, determination, will to win - powerfull long iron shots, great short game and amazing putting.

That Tiger is never going to be back - so to me Tiger Woods as an entity is finished.

I don't mind watching lesser pros play it out until the end - likes of Monty - Woosnam - Faldo - it gets harder when they are true legends like Seve.

But Tiger is another planet - will be very hard for me to watch him over do it.

It was already hard before his injuries.

Senna

Agreed, he'll never be back to hitting a 3i out of a plugged lie to 3ft and won't ever have a big impact on the game again, but I do think short game can come and go and the moments of brilliance around the greens are still possible (within reason).
Those were driven by a self belief that he could do anything he commanded of the ball, he might not have the total confidence again, but it's still the same brain controlling the club, so I'd like to think it's still possible.

HighLine

I think the whole situation is a bit strange IMO. He confirmed he was going to play just this Friday gone. He obviously thought he could play at that point. Maybe he hacked it around over the weekend.. could happen. But then the question must be... why has he also decided to withdraw from the Turkish Open next month?

Something just doesn't add up.

Senna

HighLine wrote: »

I think the whole situation is a bit strange IMO. He confirmed he was going to play just this Friday gone. He obviously thought he could play at that point. Maybe he hacked it around over the weekend.. could happen. But then the question must be... why has he also decided to withdraw from the Turkish Open next month?

Something just doesn't add up.

No confidence, doesn't want to make a fool of himself, simple as that. I'd say his game probably isn't too bad, but he can't come back from injury that same as any other pro would, they would probably aim to make cut for first round back and that would be them happy.

First Up

HighLine wrote:

Something just doesn't add up.

Its simple. He has sponsors who want to see his name out there.

HighLine

Senna wrote: »

No confidence, doesn't want to make a fool of himself, simple as that. I'd say his game probably isn't too bad, but he can't come back from injury that same as any other pro would, they would probably aim to make cut for first round back and that would be them happy.

Think you may have missed my point. Which is... he thought his game was good to go on Friday and confirmed he would play this week. Then today... his game is suddenly not good enough. But also... it's not good enough for next month either.

That would suggest to me it's injury related however he stated this not to be the case.

Senna

HighLine wrote: »

Think you may have missed my point. Which is... he thought his game was good to go on Friday and confirmed he would play this week. Then today... his game is suddenly not good enough. But also... it's not good enough for next month either.

That would suggest to me it's injury related however he stated this not to be the case.

Yeah I understand that, but I was just saying I think it was he lost confidence, he could have played brutal for 9 holes over the weekend and that was enough.
It would be easier for him to say it's an injury.

Russman

Its a strange one in that he's basically saying that he won't be playing well enough next month to compete. If we assume for a moment that he's fully fit and the injury is fine, then you'd have to wonder if the mind is right. Most decent pros, let alone Tiger, would be playing well enough to enter a tournament, with a month's practice behind them. Unless he's gone into Baker-Finch mode and just can't play the game at all anymore.

Into the realm of speculation now, but maybe he's finding it hard to see how, at 40 years of age, he can possibly compete with the top guys nowadays, he's not 28 anymore but doesn't seem to want to or be able to temper his game to that reality. Did looking at the Ryder Cup and seeing the guys blast it 300+yds onto or relatively close to the fairway, strike a chord with him ? Even at his best, the fairways were a fairly distant relative. A few months ago he was talking about getting more explosive and getting his speed back - I don't think many people get faster as they get older.

Much as I've never been a fan, he could probably hit a 2 iron off every tee and still make the cut, but maybe he doesn't want to do that (I can't blame him really if that's the case anyway !).

Hopefully he gets healthy and back on the course, even if it means finishing 20th each week, that's more than respectable.

FixdePitchmark

Again - of all the golfers I could watch being a journey man - I just couldn't handle that with Tiger - (what Russman has described above sounds about right).

luvthegame

Russman wrote: »

Into the realm of speculation now, but maybe he's finding it hard to see how, at 40 years of age, he can possibly compete with the top guys nowadays, he's not 28 anymore but doesn't seem to want to or be able to temper his game to that reality. Did looking at the Ryder Cup and seeing the guys blast it 300+yds onto or relatively close to the fairway, strike a chord with him ?

I doubt that tbh, Mickelson and Stenson must give him great hope on that score. Tiger was always a great iron player, so I doubt that is the problem. Hitting a few wayward off the tee never bothered him either. Its likely to be the chipping yips resurfacing.

CloudCumulus

I was raging that he pulled out of thisand the next. It made sense to play in them as the only way to build confidence and competitive ability is to play in these events. I figured the timing was perfect for getting into the Masters, a course he knows like the back of his hand.

martinkop

CloudCumulus wrote: »

I was raging that he pulled out of thisand the next. It made sense to play in them as the only way to build confidence and competitive ability is to play in these events. I figured the timing was perfect for getting into the Masters, a course he knows like the back of his hand.

He's already qualified for every Masters for the rest of his life!!!!

AnneFrank

I heard a journalist on skysportsnews this morning saying he looked very stiff even walking at Hazeltine, I really hope it isin't a case of injury as the game just isin't the same without him.Mcilroy and Spieth are deeply dislikable fellows for me anyway, and i don't think either of them could have touched tiger in his prime. Hopefully he was just duffing chips again and doesn't want to embarrass himself, personally, i don't think he would go through all this trouble unless he could compete again,after all, he's only 40 ! People talked about the great Arnold Palmer changing golf, well Tiger made golf exiliarating for guys like me who grew up watching him (and betting on him every last round even when he was 6 or 7 shots behind )

CalamariFritti

So the back is grand but the game is not pro tournament ready. That's two things I have in common with tiger woods!

Really disappointed, was very much looking forward to Thursday. He da man. He must have played sh1t in practice over the weekend. Did he not confirm playin in Napa just a few days ago?

CloudCumulus

martinkop wrote: »

He's already qualified for every Masters for the rest of his life!!!!

Sorry I didn't word that properly, I meant that these tournaments were for building match fitness and confidence for when he goes into the Masters, so cancelling them annoyed me.

ligerdub

I just don't think Tiger can be arsed to do what's necessary to get his game back into shape. That's not a criticism of the man, and to be honest it's completely understandable. At best he'll not be able to get back to 80% of the level he was at at his peak. Good enough for almost anybody, but for a man so used to greatness it must be psychological torture.

His body has gone through the ringer too. I doubt he is physically able to play the kind of game that wins golf tournaments. I think the most glaring issue with Tiger though was not the quality of his game tee to green, but his short game. Does that ever recover?

I saw him play in Hoylake a couple of years back. Irrespective of knowing or not knowing who the guy was, he just seemed broken. It was sad to watch. I think he seems a bit more happy and relaxed since then. Perhaps he has learned not to expect so much of himself, with the byproduct of this being that his golf game might not be where it could be, and he's ok with that if he's happier.

Golf is in a good place though I think. Day, McIlroy, Spieth, Dustin......these guys are top class competitors. Throw in the likes of Stenson, Mickelson, Rose, Fowler, the level of competition in the game now is as good as I've ever seen.

AnneFrank

none of them could touch Tiger in his prime though, his all round game was incredible.Look back at his stats, if he didn't win he was in the top ten, just like Jack in his prime.Mcilroy will never be that player, either will Spieth or Day or Johnson.I guess we just have to accept his time at the top is gone,It's just such a pity though, Like O'Sullivan in snooker, Tiger was the man who took golf to another level that these guys simply can't reach imo

Letree

AnneFrank wrote: »

(and betting on him every last round even when he was 6 or 7 shots behind )

That was foolish money as he rarely won if trailing after 3rd round

Domo1982

CalamariFritti wrote: »

He must have played sh1t in practice over the weekend.?

I heard he had 26pts in the open singles up in Tulfarris

Russman

AnneFrank wrote: »

none of them could touch Tiger in his prime though, his all round game was incredible.Look back at his stats, if he didn't win he was in the top ten, just like Jack in his prime.Mcilroy will never be that player, either will Spieth or Day or Johnson.I guess we just have to accept his time at the top is gone,It's just such a pity though, Like O'Sullivan in snooker, Tiger was the man who took golf to another level that these guys simply can't reach imo

We'll never know one way or the other. People's opinions will differ wildly.
One could equally argue that Tiger brought fitness etc to a new level and, in a sense, is now reaping what he sowed in terms of pretty much all the top players nowadays being athletes rather that just a few back in his day.

Personally I don't think his record will ever be touched, and for consistent winning on 5 or 6 courses year in year out he was incredible, but purely IMO, give me Rory any day of the week when both of them are in full flow.

Ormus

If I was him I'd hold a press conference and tell the media that he doesn't expect his game to be competitive at the top level for quite a while, if at all, and he is therefore joining the Web.com tour for the year and won't be holding anymore press conferences, just wants to concentrate on being a touring pro battling it out with the rest of them.

Granted I haven't thought this through, is there any reason he couldn't do this? He is like 700 odd in the world. It would do him good to make a few cuts and play a few weekends, which may not happen straight away on the main tour.

ligerdub

AnneFrank wrote: »

none of them could touch Tiger in his prime though, his all round game was incredible.Look back at his stats, if he didn't win he was in the top ten, just like Jack in his prime.Mcilroy will never be that player, either will Spieth or Day or Johnson.I guess we just have to accept his time at the top is gone,It's just such a pity though, Like O'Sullivan in snooker, Tiger was the man who took golf to another level that these guys simply can't reach imo

I disagree with that. All of them have had prolonged periods of form where they were just ripping the course up. Last year (2015) for example, if you look at the collective scores of Jason Day, Jordan Spieth & Justin Rose....they shot -35, -54, -34 respectively. Those scores are ridiculous quite frankly. Now, you can attribute some of this by Tiger raising the bar slightly, but Tiger would have struggled to win under those conditions. This generation is a lot better than what was competing in Tiger's era.

Rory McIlroy has won two majors by at least 8 shots too let's not forget! There are guys out there who are capable of putting together freakish weeks and months of golf.

I'm not suggesting they are as good as Tiger, they aren't. What they lack compared to Tiger is the consistency. That is not to say though that they couldn't put it up to Tiger. Back in the day if Tiger played well he won, simple as. That wouldn't be the case if you plop peak Tiger into the fields playing now.

The game goes on anyway. The game didn't die when Ben Hogan took a back step, it didn't die when Jack hit his 40's, and it won't die as Tiger goes well past his prime either.