The Tiger Woods Thread

Mushy

283 yards up hill...pin high, ends with tap in birdie. Fantastic stuff!

Deeper Blue

The Premier Man wrote: »

Tilikum 17 badly exposed here

I reckon it'll be a while Tilikums back

Claregaafan18

Rory Sabbatini also in the mix and if he can manage a few more birdies then Tiger and Sabbatini could be a possible pairing come Sunday. That has fireworks written all over it after Sabbatini's deplorable and quite frankly disgusting comments back a good few years ago saying that infamous comment "I hate Tiger". To say that I have no time for the brash, cocksure and bad-tempered South African would be an understatement.

fullstop

That's some chip when you think of the chipping yips he's come through!

HighLine

Some chip in ... tied for the lead.

Claregaafan18

What a chip in by the legend that is Tiger Woods at the 9th. Brilliant absolutely wonderful to watch.

Mushy

Claregaafan18 wrote: »

Rory Sabbatini also in the mix and if he can manage a few more birdies then Tiger and Sabbatini could be a possible pairing come Sunday. That has fireworks written all over it after Sabbatini's deplorable and quite frankly disgusting comments back a good few years ago saying that infamous comment "I hate Tiger". To say that I have no time for the brash, cocksure and bad-tempered South African would be an understatement.

Saying you hate somebody wouldn't be disgusting now surely? As much as I agree that it's misguided, this is a bit much.

Still hoping Tiger wins it

Claregaafan18

Mushy wrote: »

Saying you hate somebody wouldn't be disgusting now surely? As much as I agree that it's misguided, this is a bit much.

Still hoping Tiger wins it

I think that it is common knowledge on tour that you don't throw your toys out of the pram and criticize your fellow players/peers in the public domain. Sabbatini has history in this regard. Remember that infamous incident on the golf course with Sean O'Hair back in 2011 where they have to be separated during an actual tournament round.

You may have a point Mushy but to me you got to look at the actual personality in this case. Just to back up my point Sabbatini was voted the most disliked player to play with on the PGA Tour by his fellow players a few years back too.

Mushy

Claregaafan18 wrote: »

Mushy wrote: »

Saying you hate somebody wouldn't be disgusting now surely? As much as I agree that it's misguided, this is a bit much.

Still hoping Tiger wins it

I think that it is common knowledge on tour that you don't throw your toys out of the pram and criticize your fellow players/peers in the public domain. Sabbatini has history in this regard. Remember that infamous incident on the golf course with Sean O'Hair back in 2011 where they have to be separated during an actual tournament round.

You may have a point Mushy but to me you got to look at the actual personality in this case. Just to back up my point Sabbatini was voted the most disliked player to play with on the PGA Tour by his fellow players a few years back too.

Very true. Misguided over disgusting I'd say, but par for the course for him(Sabbiatini)

HighLine

Again, this is just very impressive all things considered.

https://twitter.com/JustinRayGC/status/972590278233161729

AGC

Tilikum17 wrote: »

He’s always short priced for the masters. The field is so small. Even when he’d struggle with his game, he’d finish top 10 there. He was 20/1 for the masters when he first came back a few months ago.

Also, this idea of him going a decade without missing a cut is nonsense. I’d be a huge tiger fan but he pulled out of a good few tournaments saying he was ‘injured’ when he had a ****e first/second rd. Somehow, that’s never talked about.

He was a much bigger price than 20’s before he played his comeback event last year, by the time that so day came around he was 25/1

AntiClimax

HighLine wrote: »

Again, this is just very impressive all things considered.

I'd love to know what distance that got?

rickis tache

after Phil's win last week, I am bursting with excitement for tonight's play.
how do I tell the missus that Dermot Bannon can feck off mothers day or not.

AntiClimax

rickis tache wrote: »

after Phil's win last week, I am bursting with excitement for tonight's play.
how do I tell the missus that Dermot Bannon can feck off mothers day or not.

Have her listen to Oliver Callan's take off himself and Daniel O'Donnell from Friday weeks' Callan's Kicks.

Henry Ford III

AGC wrote: »

What behaviour on the course do you not like?

Cursing and spitting.

HighLine

AntiClimax wrote: »

I'd love to know what distance that got?

It was 326 yards.

AGC

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Cursing and spitting.

Cursing is every player on tour and not on tour.

Spitting disgusting but seems a very cultural pastime in America.

If you’re getting worked up over then you must not like many on tour.

CalamariFritti

That was pretty fantastic from Tiger. Can't wait for next week now. Gotta feel sorry for Corey Conners. Had a bad day today and fell way back into the pack with a 77.

redzerdrog

Bookies fav for Bay Hill next week!

I always believed he would win again but didnt think he would be this competitive this quickly

Wombatman

redzerdrog wrote: »

Bookies fav for Bay Hill next week!

I always believed he would win again but didnt think he would be this competitive this quickly

Hasn't won anything yet bucko.

First Up

redzerdrog wrote: »

Bookies fav for Bay Hill next week!

I always believed he would win again but didnt think he would be this competitive this quickly

Lets see how he manages on a course where he needs to use a driver, or if he can make birdies hitting his approach shots from 50 yards behind the others.

bren2001

First Up wrote: »

Lets see how he manages on a course where he needs to use a driver, or if he can make birdies hitting his approach shots from 50 yards behind the others.

I agree that his driving consistency needs to improve if he's to compete on the longer courses but if you're suggesting he doesnt drive the ball as far as others, you're wrong. His driving distances have been excellent, his clubhead speed phenomenal. Aside from accuracy, his driving is excellent.

First Up

bren2001 wrote: »

First Up wrote: »

Lets see how he manages on a course where he needs to use a driver, or if he can make birdies hitting his approach shots from 50 yards behind the others.

I agree that his driving consistency needs to improve if he's to compete on the longer courses but if you're suggesting he doesnt drive the ball as far as others, you're wrong. His driving distances have been excellent, his clubhead speed phenomenal. Aside from accuracy, his driving is excellent.

If he's hitting a 2 iron off the tee, he'll be 50 yards behind the others. If he's hitting his driver the way he has been, he'll be 50 yards further on but he'll be playing his 3rd after dropping out of the water.

bren2001

First Up wrote: »

If he's hitting a 2 iron off the tee, he'll be 50 yards behind the others. If he's hitting his driver the way he has been, he'll be 50 yards further on but he'll be playing his 3rd after dropping out of the water.

I dunno where this 2-iron off the tee mantra is coming from. He took 2-iron where other players took 3 wood. He used the driver 5/6 times yesterday as thats what the course required.

Either way, his driving ability was never what set him apart, it was his long irons and putter. Over the weekend he was 19th in approach play, 21st around the green and 23rd putting. For a guy who's just come back after a long lay off, that excellent. Hopefully it improves.

He was T42 in driving distance as an aside.

Russman

bren2001 wrote: »

I dunno where this 2-iron off the tee mantra is coming from. He took 2-iron where other players took 3 wood. He used the driver 5/6 times yesterday as thats what the course required.

Either way, his driving ability was never what set him apart, it was his long irons and putter. Over the weekend he was 19th in approach play, 21st around the green and 23rd putting. For a guy who's just come back after a long lay off, that excellent. Hopefully it improves.

He was T42 in driving distance as an aside.

I'd agree to a point, but the 18th hole really called for driver, not a 2 iron, especially when he needed a birdie. Understandably he may have been nervous or didn't trust the driver, but First Up's right, over the season there's no way anyone can compete when approaching greens from 180yds as opposed to 130yds for the better players. Even if its only 2 holes per round that happens, it could easily be 4 shots over a tournament.

That said, his performances at Honda and Valspar, given the circumstances, have been incredible IMO. Whether they're indicative of him being back to greatness or a bit of a levelling off or dip in the form of some the top few guys is open to debate I guess. I mean at one stage yesterday the leaderboard looked like one from 10 years ago, you had Tiger, Sergio, Rose, Casey all in the top 4/5 spots. I'd argue they're all well into their back nine of their careers, or certainly well past the turn !

FWIW I'm delighted he's healthy and pain free (wouldn't wish that on anyone), and I suppose the sponsors will be happy he's back on tour. Never been a fan though, so whether he wins or not, meh. Maybe his new softer demeanour will win some people over, who knows.

Wombatman

Tiger on 18th

Tee Driver
FH 30% - Iron to within 20ft 50% = 15%
FM 70% - Iron to within 20ft 5% = 3.5%

So 18.5% chance of sticking it within 20ft

Tee Iron
FH 85% - Iron to within 20ft 15% = 12.75%
FM 15% - Iron to within 20ft 2% = .3%

So 13% chance of sticking it within 20ft

Go with the driver Tiger on these numbers.

CalamariFritti

Hardly anyone hit driver on the 18th. Landing area just too tight. Water on the right trees on the left.
I guess he trusted that he would hit a good iron in to give himself a putt. Which he did.

Whereas driver would mean there is a good chance he won't have a shot in at all. He played percentages.

Wombatman

CalamariFritti wrote: »

Hardly anyone hit driver on the 18th. Landing area just too tight. Water on the right trees on the left.
I guess he trusted that he would hit a good iron in to give himself a putt. Which he did.

Whereas driver would mean there is a good chance he won't have a shot in at all. He played percentages.

No water down the right.

He got Par all four days with iron off the tee. Needs a bird. That formula is not working.

Most people played iron off the tee on 18th all week because they weren't in a match play situation at that point and were happy with par. Tiger was in round 4.

His combined %'s for birdie (FH, GIR, Putt make %) are better with driver.

First Up

It was his choice of course but from the wider perspective, not having confidence in your driver is bound to limit your options pretty severely.

ThunderCat

Wombatman wrote: »

No water down the right.

He got Par all four days with iron off the tee. Needs a bird. That formula is not working.

Most people played iron off the tee on 18th all week because they weren't in a match play situation at that point and were happy with par. Tiger was in round 4.

His combined %'s for birdie (FH, GIR, Putt make %) are better with driver.

He hit 7 Iron in from the middle of the fairway on 18. It's not like he had to hit another 2 Iron in or something.