OT: Annual Tiger Woods Comeback Thread

[RutHut_rivals]

No different than Jack before him, Arnold before him, Ben Hogan...
They are still fan favorites well beyond their winning seasons. People will always have hope that an 86 Masters might pop up.

I loved the 86 masters. Jack was not just a fan favorite.

 

[chase07470]

He has too much horizontal movement with his body. Looks almost like an uncontrollable yippy lunge at the pivot. Bt it's hard to know what to think. Is he forced to swing this way because of the back? Is there a full swing yip? Even a beginner golfer knows to keep your head still. Approach shots are hard to miss if you're on plane and still. His swing action looks dreadful but he's getting the ball on the hole...he's putting on scrambling clinic out there. The fact he's two under hitting 3 of his last 22 fairways and missing so many approach shots, is remarkable.

Where is that Bahamas swing?

 

[Knightmoves]

He has too much horizontal movement with his body. Looks almost like an uncontrollable yippy lunge at the pivot. Bt it's hard to know what to think. Is he forced to swing this way because of the back? Is there a full swing yip? Even a beginner golfer knows to keep your head still. Approach shots are hard to miss if you're on plane and still. His swing action looks dreadful but he's getting the ball on the hole...he's putting on scrambling clinic out there. The fact he's two under hitting 3 of his last 22 fairways and missing so many approach shots, is remarkable.

Where is that Bahamas swing?

Good points. I’d wait 3-4 tournaments before making a judgment on his abilities this season.

But it looks like he can hit every shot that hopefully includes the driver.

 

[RickB113]

The best putter of all time is back. That is why this is encouraging. He will figure his irons and driver out. If the short game is where it used to be he will be back and back big.

 

[Caliknight]

Never winnings another major again. Or any title with a very solid field.

I could see him competing for a day, winning a small tournament even. Just too many better golfers who are younger now.

 

[WhiteBus]

Never winnings another major again. Or any title with a very solid field.

I could see him competing for a day, winning a small tournament even. Just too many better golfers who are younger now.

And none of the younger players fear him. The intimdation factor is gone.

 

[RickB113]

And none of the younger players fear him. The intimdation factor is gone.

They don’t fear him because they don’t have a reason to. His short game was SICK yesterday. If he finds his swing and gives himself more opportunities they will fear him. If he stays healthy it is only a matter of time.

 

[chase07470]

in the end, there are 10,000 golfers not playing in San Diego who could run up better stats on fairways hit, greens hit etc... He is nowhere close to being a tour quality ball striker, right now. However, there are very, very few who could hit it where he's hit it and make a cut and be at -3 heading into Sunday. The putter can win a tournament and win a major. The short game is not quite as sharp but in the neighborhood.

Just don't know what we're looking at with the ball striking. Is it nerves? Did he not play much since the Bahamas? It's really not hard to hit it fairly straight and solid if you play regularly and have athleticism. Yet another mystery in the ongoing Woods comeback.

Needs a much better ball striking day today to leave the week feeling good about where he's at. He could shoot 77 the way he's hitting it.

 

[Caliknight]

And none of the younger players fear him. The intimdation factor is gone.

Completely gone. And for good reason. Most drive it as far or further. His biggest strength has been more than nullified.

His swing has gotten so ugly. It used to be much more in rhythm. Now it looks quick and violent.

 

[WhiteBus]

They don’t fear him because they don’t have a reason to. His short game was SICK yesterday. If he finds his swing and gives himself more opportunities they will fear him. If he stays healthy it is only a matter of time.

No they won't. They didn't play through his peak times. It's like Jordan playing on the Wizards. No one feared him during his return.
His short game was great, yesterday, 1 day so far. Good day putting. Was terrible on Thursday. Yesterday he needed a great short game as his drives were awful. Drive like that at Augusta or the Open you shoot a 100.
There is a lot to be encouraged about but please he has a long way to go. Golf is a funny game, one day something is working and something else isn't. The next day it's reversed. Until he is hitting on all cylinders he is not a contender.

 

[RickB113]

Completely gone. And for good reason. Most drive it as far or further. His biggest strength has been more than nullified.

His swing has gotten so ugly. It used to be much more in rhythm. Now it looks quick and violent.

If you think his biggest strength was his distance off the tee vs other golfers than you don’t know golf.

 

[nikoru09]

You're nuts. Tiger in his prime would dominate these guys. They hit the ball longer today because of technology. Not ONE player on tour has anywhere near the all around game Tiger possessed in his prime. Spieth can put like Tiger. Johnson can drive it like Tiger. Rory's long iron game is close to Tigers. Tiger had all of those qualities. I would argue there is not even a Mickelson in his prime on this tour. There are not more quality players today. Everybody just has flaws to their game that bring other players to the top. If you took Tiger or Tiger and Phil out of golf it would have looked like there were tons of good players 20 years ago too. the top ten all would have seemed great and they would have won more. The last FULL season Tiger was completely healthy, 2013, he finished number one in the world and player of the year. That was four years ago at age 38. If he is healthy and that is a big if he will win again and win big.

listen..........tiger will never be the tiger of old ever again..age, injures, makes no difference ...why may you ask?.......EARL WOODS.....when you teach your toddler son the game of golf, and becomes one of the greatest golfers of all time..the man was more than a father..he was on his kids *** from the womb.
the loss of his dad was his downfall..if you can't see this with your own eyes,than what can i say....same deal with mike tyson...CUS DAMATO mentored, and made him a champion...because he loved the kid from the hood, and was his whole moral compass....these two great champions mirror
each other...they both lost there way, and the life changing difference these two men brought to there lives.....case closed

 

[RUScrew85]

in the end, there are 10,000 golfers not playing in San Diego who could run up better stats on fairways hit, greens hit etc... He is nowhere close to being a tour quality ball striker, right now. However, there are very, very few who could hit it where he's hit it and make a cut and be at -3 heading into Sunday. The putter can win a tournament and win a major. The short game is not quite as sharp but in the neighborhood.

Just don't know what we're looking at with the ball striking. Is it nerves? Did he not play much since the Bahamas? It's really not hard to hit it fairly straight and solid if you play regularly and have athleticism. Yet another mystery in the ongoing Woods comeback.

Needs a much better ball striking day today to leave the week feeling good about where he's at. He could shoot 77 the way he's hitting it.

As a older golfer with a bad back it sure looks like a bad back to me. Or at least fear of his back health.

 

[i'vegotwinners]

If you think his biggest strength was his distance off the tee vs other golfers than you don’t know golf.

distance isn't just about "off the tee", and distance matters.

it's also about being able to get out of trouble, hit it over a tree, clear water, etc, when others have to play it safer.

it's about hitting a 9 iron when others are hitting a 7.

about hitting an iron when others are hitting a wood.

Jack, Tiger, and Norman, are the three guys of my time that were basically playing a different course than everyone else, and all were dominant in their time.

yes, it takes a lot more than distance, but the dominant guys of the modern era have been the ones with the great short games and dominant distance.

i don't see anyone with "dominant" distance today, though many hit it a ton..

not that they don't kill it, just that they're playing a bunch of other guys who also kill it.

it will be interesting to see if another player with a great short and overall game comes along, who along with Jack and Tiger, is basically playing a different course than everyone else, due to a dominant power game.

as for Tiger today, a minor tweak can change missing every fairway to hitting most of them. (no tweak can take you from hitting it 240 to 310).

loss of range of motion, (flexibility), is why his swing isn't as fluid as it was. (still crazy flexible compared to normal people, but not nearly so as young Tiger was.

the guys with the most fluid looking swings, are the most flexible ones.

age takes away range of motion, as does bulking up. (don't bulk up if you're a golfer).



if his back holds up, he can compete again. but he'll never dominate again, because he no longer has dominant distance to go along with everything else.

 

[WhiteBus]

Should be a great finish today. Winds up. Day making a move. Holmes in the hunt. Finau still hanging around. Should be a fun finish.
Tiger having a rollercoaster type day. Some good some bad. In the end he will be happy that he finally finished a 4 round, full field tournament.

 

[RickB113]

Yes tiger had a length advantage but his biggest advantage over everyone else was putting. Very close second was he is a tremendous iron player. By far the best. Those two pieces of his game are why he is the greatest ever.

 

[RUScrew85]

Yes tiger had a length advantage but his biggest advantage over everyone else was putting. Very close second was he is a tremendous iron player. By far the best. Those two pieces of his game are why he is the greatest ever.

Jack might have something to say about that Ms. Woods.

 

[Jtung230]

T-23......not bad for 1st time out.

 

[RUBOB72]

Does he have issues with his swing ?...yes but it does appear this weekend his back held up well... we shall see in 2 weeks if he can hit those fairways with some regularity ....Short game looked pretty good to most analysts... If Tiger gets the Driver straightened out he can win again even with the youngsters roaming the course... I felt sorry for Mickleson today...Phil what the hell happened?... If you have never played Torrey Pines it is a spectacular course... Would love to play it once more before the Big Guy calls me home.

 

[T2Kplus10]

T-23......not bad for 1st time out.

Beat expectations, good for him.

 

[WhiteBus]

I know Tiger Woods needs to play competitive rounds but skipping Pebble, a course he has done great, doesnt make sense. Instead he enters the field at Rivera starting today, a course he has never won and later avoiding playing all together. Odd.
Anyway another great course this week. Great field. Look forward to it.

 

[Abro1975]

I get the sense he doesn’t want to play 6 hour rounds w bad amateurs anymore.

He shot 69 in a practice round yesterday but reportedly still missed a lot of fairways. Easier rough than Torrey Pines though.

 

[NBKnight]

I know Tiger Woods needs to play competitive rounds but skipping Pebble, a course he has done great, doesnt make sense. Instead he enters the field at Rivera starting today, a course he has never won and later avoiding playing all together. Odd.
Anyway another great course this week. Great field. Look forward to it.

Not really, although the weather was great this year, it is sometimes 5 or 6 hour rounds in cold, damp and windy conditions. That is not a good recipe for someone with back issues.

This week's tournament benefits his foundation.

 

[WhiteBus]

The odd part, even by his own admission the course fits his game.

 

[NBKnight]

The odd part, even by his own admission the course fits his game.

He has played well at Pebble Beach, no doubt. But considering the other factors and the fact that only two of the rounds are at PB, it is not surprising about his decision on where to play.

 

[Caliknight]

Jack might have something to say about that Ms. Woods.

The greatest ever has the most majors.

Tiger should play the WM tourney, but he is scared.

 

[WhiteBus]

He has played well at Pebble Beach, no doubt. But considering the other factors and the fact that only two of the rounds are at PB, it is not surprising about his decision on where to play.

Sorry, I was speaking about Riviera CC in my last post. Was watching some of his interview this morning about him not winning here. He was honest about it. I like the change in his response to questions these days.

 

[RUScrew85]

The odd part, even by his own admission the course fits his game.

Probably out banging hookers all weekend.

 

[NBKnight]

Sorry, I was speaking about Riviera CC in my last post. Was watching some of his interview this morning about him not winning here. He was honest about it. I like the change in his response to questions these days.

The tournament benefits his foundation. Sometimes it is not just about golf.

 

[DJ Spanky]

So, more importantly, how's he doing with the ladies?

 

[WhiteBus]

The tournament benefits his foundation. Sometimes it is not just about golf.

Im not sure how that explains that he has never won on a course that suits his game. And I don't think he has ever played at Riviera CC on tour when he its been associated with his foundation.

 

[Caliknight]

With Tiger, it’s all about golf. Don’t kid yourself.

 

[SoCalNYC]

I always wondered why his ego did not allow him to go back to the coach / team that worked. Wasted alot of years and potential and screwing up his swing in those years.

Even Jordan needed Phil.

 

[knightfan7]

The odd part, even by his own admission the course fits his game.

Amazing when you think the first round he played in a PGA Tour tournament at 16 years of age was at Riviera. He shot a 72.

I wonder if the fact he believes he should do well and hasn't is in his head?

 

[Jtung230]

I always wondered why his ego did not allow him to go back to the coach / team that worked. Wasted alot of years and potential and screwing up his swing in those years.

Even Jordan needed Phil.

Phil needed Jordan more.

 

[Veiox]

Looks like another missed cut.

 

[WhiteBus]

Looks like another missed cut.

Sadly yes. Bad round so far. Like everyone today not making any putts. Driving is questionable but when he makes the fairway his swing into the green looks great. Just cant power the ball in the fairway. He still has a long way to go.

 

[knightfan7]

He's been all over the course today. 7 bogeys in his 1st 14 holes including 3 in a row.

 

[Abro1975]

Looks like another missed cut.

When was his last missed cut?

 

[WhiteBus]

When was his last missed cut?

His last Tournament. Farmers in January