How nice would it be to win The Players Championship and Tour Championship before turning 27? Adam Scott knows how that feels now, yet he is still considered an underachiever by golf fans worldwide, including myself. The young Australian burst onto the scene a few years back and was quickly labeled the next Tiger Woods. That was unfair to Scott, but it’s just part of the game.
Adam Scott’s golf swing is very similar in mechanics to Tiger’s old swing, but that’s about all the two have in common. Scott is laid back and never seems to change emotion, while Tiger lets the world know what he is thinking throughout his rounds. In the grand scheme of things, Tiger had eight major championship victories before turning 27 compared to Scott’s zero.
The golf media doesn’t care about top-10 finishes on the money list when it relates to young superstars like Adam Scott. Major championships is what defines great golfers, and the young Australian is still searching for numero uno. His win at The Tour Championship this past weekend will certainly put him on the right track once again, but will it be enough to put him over the hump? That’s something only Scott can answer, while the media will have to wait and see.
The talk about Adam Scott being the next to challenge Tiger Woods is understandable because we all know everyone else has been unsuccessful. It might as well be Scott right? That’s a fair assumption, although he isn’t the only great young golfer with a chance. I’m now referring to this process as The Tiger Challenge, and I’m not quite sure if anyone is actually worthy of the challenge or not. I’ve already talked about Scott, but I’ll also list a few others possibly on Tiger’s radar screen.
Just for the record, no golfers above 30 are on my list. These guys have been whipped by Tiger too many times to count and will never be able to pass The Tiger Challenge.
Sergio Garcia
Contrary to many in the golf world, I’m not giving up on Sergio Garcia yet. Even though Garcia has given everyone plenty of reasons to give up on him, I’m not taking the bait just yet. The young Spaniard is still too young and talented to become yesterday’s news.
Garcia hasn’t won a PGA Tour event since mid-2005, and he missed out on The Tour Championship this season. Nonetheless, he still remains a threat in every big tournament, including the majors. Garcia was whipped by Tiger at Hoylake and wilted once again at The PGA Championship. However, he continued to bounce back and put himself in contention time and time again. That showed me a lot of grit and determination, and that’s why I haven’t lost complete hope.
I’ve mentioned recently that 2007 is a make or break season for Sergio. He is on this list for the final time, so he better get things right next season. Garcia has already mentioned how excited he is for The FedEx Cup, and I think that will bring him to the United States even more than before. He has played well as of late in Europe (even though he hasn’t won anything), and this will hopefully give him some confidence heading into next year.
Sergio’s time in the spotlight has almost gone dim, but he still has a chance to step up and challenge Mr. Woods. It might be his last legitimate chance, but it’s a chance nonetheless. We have been hearing about him since 1999, and it’s time for him to take the next step and win some majors. I have faith, even though I might be the only one.
Trevor Immelman
Can you name the last guy to beat Tiger in a stroke-play event? It was Trevor Immelman way back at The Western Open four months ago. That victory was Immelman’s first on the PGA Tour, but it certainly won’t be the last. There is no doubt the young South African will be the next great golfer from his home country. He will follow the path set by Gary Player, Ernie Els, and Retief Goosen, among others.
Immelman isn’t great in any one category, but he did finish the PGA Tour season ranked ninth in the all-around ranking. That means he does about everything above average. Also, It never hurts to battle Tiger on a Sunday and come out on top. That win elivated him to new level and will surely give him confidence for the future. Immelman finished seventh on the PGA Tour money list and is currently 13th in the world rankings.
The South African has a ton of upside, and his 2006 season was much like Geoff Ogilvy’s 2005 season. Ogilvy picked up his first PGA Tour win last season, and he went on to win two big events this season, including the U.S. Open at Winged Foot. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if Immelman takes the same path in 2007. A major championship is definitely in this golfer’s future, but can he elivate his game enough to take The Tiger Challenge? He might be the “sleeper” in the group of young guns, but you bet he can!
Ryan Moore
I can’t make this list without mentioning at least one young American golfer. If I had one golf wish, my wish would be for one of the young American golfers to step up and challenge Mr. Woods. There is no telling how great that would be for the game of golf, especially here in the United States. Once Tiger packs it up and heads home for good, some people will lose interest if there isn’t another golfer ready to take the torch. Who in the world has what it takes though?
The answer is simple: Ryan Moore. I didn’t say he was going to take the torch, but he has what it takes without a doubt. Moore was the first guy since Tiger to earn his PGA Tour card after turning professional late in a season. He also has a U.S. Amateur Championship title in his trophy case as does Woods (Tiger has three). The one thing Ryan Moore hasn’t picked up as early as Tiger is a PGA Tour victory. Woods won a couple months after turning professional, while Moore has gone a little over a year without getting to the winner’s circle.
It’s not my style to make excuses for a golfer, but I’m doing it anyway. Moore hasn’t been 100% healthy since early in 2006. He was bothered by a wrist injury all season, but he still managed to finish around the top 80 on the money list and move up to 70th in the world rankings. Next season will be a huge one for Moore because he will be expected to perform at the highest level on a week-to-week basis.
Ryan Moore has that “next Tiger” pressure already, but he is one guy that can handle the hype and do great things in the process. I’m not ready to give the young gun a major championship yet, but he has a good chance to win some tournaments next season. It may be 2008 or 2009 before he actually steps up to take The Tiger Challenge, but he has all the tools to knock Mr. Woods off his throne. And besides, can you name any other young Americans with a better chance?
The Final Say
Some people may wonder why Luke Donald was left off the list. Donald will be very consistent for years to come, but he doesn’t have what it takes to go head-to-head with Tiger on a week-to-week basis. Distance off the tee isn’t everything, but these others can at least get the ball out in Tiger territory. After awhile, the distance difference adds up. That’s nothing against Donald though, and he will win a major championship or two in the future. He just can’t knock Tiger off his pedestal.
There is a good chance Scott, Garcia, Immelman, and Moore can’t knock Tiger off his pedestal either. Woods has shown time and time again how much he loves a challenge, so these guys stepping up their respective games might take Eldrick to a level we haven’t seen yet. Eventually someone will bring Tiger down to their level though, and these are the guys that have the best shot at doing so. It’s just the way the golf world works.
It’s your turn to let me know what you think about the future of golf as it relates to The Tiger Challenge. Is Adam Scott the next golfer in line to give Tiger a run for his money? Also, do any of the others I listed have a shot at becoming Tiger’s top competitor? Finally, are there any other golfers I’m forgetting about that have a better chance to be the next big thing? If you have anything to add, feel free to comment below or discuss it in the forum. Thanks for reading this week’s Thrash Talk!
Photo Credits: © Streeter Lecka/Getty Images, © John Mummert/USGA.
Cody – Good article. I like all of the picks although Garcia needs to putt like he did earlier in his career if wants to have any chance of competing with Tiger. And you right about Ryan Moore, he’s it for young American golfers right now.