Will Tiger Ever Be the Same?

[allin]

Now that the seriousness of Tigers knee damage and the stress fractures has become known what does it mean.?
Will we look back and say this was his peak?
Will he be able to practice and work out like he has in the past?
Will this just spur him on to find new ways to improve?

[FlopShotArtist]

Tiger is Tiger.

He'll come back the same. Not better, but certainly not worse.

[JaY_B]

Knowing Tiger he could well come back better than before, even if the injury just encourages him to stay in the fairway he will be better.

[pinbacksc]

I think he will be just fine. He will still break the Major wins record, etc.

[Wisco-Kid]

I imagine he may be a little rusty upon return but he will get back to his incredible winning form at some point.

[kekoa]

i hear he may have to return as a lefty.

[dkm978]

i hear he may have to return as a lefty.

source?

I have to say that if anyone can, he will.

[Lemay427]

He will come back better, no doubt. I think this time off will give some much needed rest since he pretty much has dominated golf for the past 11 years. It will give him some time to enjoy his family, take the yacht out, etc.

[DavidFehertysBike]

Well despite his perception as a power player, i think Tiger has really been more a control player for some years now. I bet half the guys on tour hit a golf ball farther than he does. That said, all it should take is some time on the course to get the rythm and timing back, and should be back to his usual self around this time next year.

[Franco!]

Well despite his perception as a power player, i think Tiger has really been more a control player for some years now. I bet half the guys on tour hit a golf ball farther than he does. That said, all it should take is some time on the course to get the rythm and timing back, and should be back to his usual self around this time next year.

Driving Distance:

2008:T29 294.3 yards. 2005: 2 316.1 yards 2000: 2 298 yards Nope. He's still impressively long.

[teal]

Depends - if he can keep himself occupied I think he will be fine. Hate to think of his putting when he gets back - all he can do is putt right now I would think (can't put much of a strain on that knee/leg) Let Tiger practice putting for a year? Gonna be some insane 90 yard puts for albatross coming.....

[Ceej]

Well, as everyone on this board knows, Tiger Woods isn't a human being. He'll come back from his season ending injury better than ever. Of course, he could play the rest of the season if he wanted to, because again, he isn't a human being. There is no such thing as pain to Tiger Woods.

[on_the_green]

Tiger showed us at the U. S. Open, that he is perfectly capable of beating the majority of the tour players with what may be FAR less than his A game. The man had a bad knee (which we knew) AND a DOUBLE STRESS FRACTURE!!!!! Do you actually REALIZE what that means? On a BROKEN LEG, this guy can rise to the top of a leaderboard and walk away with a "W."
This news does NOT bode well for the rest of the tour in a few different ways...
A) If you think people are going to be watching golf on TV anymore you can forget it. The magic just isn't going to be there. Does Joe Schmoe remember when Duffy Waldorf holes a 50 footer? Or when Miguel Angel Jimenez cups it from 160 for a deuce? Nope. Not happening. The ratings WILL fall as will Tour event purses as a direct result.

B) The players on the PGA tour are now going to be in a frenzy to win Major Championships without Tiger in the field. Now that isn't such a problem...BUT, when someone wins...ALL they are going to hear/think is "But what if..."
And these guys are GOOD at brushing off the things that are said to and about them. The REAL problem lies in the fact that when they get home with their Claret Jug or PGA Championship Trophy, they TOO will question whether or not they would have won IF Tiger had been in the field. AND THEY KNOW THE ANSWER.

C) Next season, Tiger Woods will return to the Tour and MOST-LIKELY have lost his #1 World Ranking. You know what that means...WATCH OUT Tour...He can beat you with a broken leg AND rust...Don't think for ONE SECOND that he will not rise up and re-establish himself as THE greatest and STRONGEST golfer that has EVER played the game.
Bar NONE.

Thanks....
-Brandon Garcia
ON_THE_GREEN

[TigerCurtis333]

I could really see Tiger just taking a little off to take some torque off of his knee - but that would only imrpove his accuracy. He may lose 10 yards but he'll still be the best out there.

[fusioncal]

I could really see Tiger just taking a little off to take some torque off of his knee - but that would only imrpove his accuracy. He may lose 10 yards but he'll still be the best out there.

Second that. Tiger is THE god of golf. No one comes close.

[Ceej]

Second that. Tiger is THE god of golf. No one comes close.

I could really see Tiger just taking a little off to take some torque off of his knee - but that would only imrpove his accuracy. He may lose 10 yards but he'll still be the best out there.

[CoolBreeze20]

I dont think he has much to worry about as far as losing his #1 ranking goes.....unless Phil goes on a tear and wins all the remaining majors and most of the other tournaments. He has a HUGE gap to make up.

[Bo the Golfer]

Tiger showed us at the U. S. Open, that he is perfectly capable of beating the majority of the tour players with what may be FAR less than his A game. The man had a bad knee (which we knew) AND a DOUBLE STRESS FRACTURE!!!!! Do you actually REALIZE what that means? On a BROKEN LEG, this guy can rise to the top of a leaderboard and walk away with a "W."

As for section A there is no way purses will fall as these are already locked in well in advance. I also can't see Tiger losing the world ranking as it is a two year roll and Tiger has been a monster this year (although abbreviated) and last. It would take a minor miracle for someone to make up the world ranking points needed to remove him from the top spot. Tiger is my favorite golfer but some of your thoughts seem a tad overstated.