Why is Tiger no longer dominating like he used to?

[retexan599]

At the moment he is leading the AT&T; by a stroke in the 2nd round...and he usually plays even better on weekends...

[PEZGolf]

At the moment he is leading the AT&T; by a stroke in the 2nd round...and he usually plays even better on weekends...

So--you are saying that he is not dominant. And you are right. A five shot lead is dominance. A one shot lead is parity.

[PEZGolf]

You can be #1 and not be dominant. In 1990, Greg Norman was #1 and was NOT voted Player of the Year by his peers on the PGA Tour. Wayne Levi, with four wins, at the Western, the Canadian Open, the Hartford, and the Atlanta was elected, by a wide margin. Nick Faldo, who won the Masters and the Open Championship at St. Andrews, over Payne Stewart, was not a member of the PGA Tour and was ineligible.

[iacas]

You can be #1 and not be dominant. In 1990, Greg Norman was #1 and was NOT voted Player of the Year by his peers on the PGA Tour. Wayne Levi, with four wins, at the Western, the Canadian Open, the Hartford, and the Atlanta was elected, by a wide margin. Nick Faldo, who won the Masters and the Open Championship at St. Andrews, over Payne Stewart, was not a member of the PGA Tour and was ineligible.

Yeah yeah, we get it, you dislike Tiger and think he's over-rated. Enough, PEZ, your opinion is well and widely known.

And Greg Norman didn't go two years without finishing outside the top 10, either.

[gohardorgohome]

I recall someone saying that his lack of multishot victories was due to Tiger playing more conservatively. Once he gets a lead of a couple of strokes he stops taking the risky shots and just plays conservatively. Earlier in his career he would keep the pedal down to bury the field. In other words Tiger realized that a win by one or two strokes is as much of a win as a win by eight. Why take the risk by continuing to play the hero shots when they aren't needed?

Anyone think there could be truth to this?

[jonnythan]

That's a great point.

[PEZGolf]

I recall someone saying that his lack of multishot victories was due to Tiger playing more conservatively. Once he gets a lead of a couple of strokes he stops taking the risky shots and just plays conservatively. Earlier in his career he would keep the pedal down to bury the field. In other words Tiger realized that a win by one or two strokes is as much of a win as a win by eight. Why take the risk by continuing to play the hero shots when they aren't needed?

You are absolutely correct and that is because of two reasons: 1. Tiger is a more mature golfer. He really thinks his way around the golf course. 2. He took a page from a textbook written my multiple authors: Bobby Jones, Harry Vardon, Walter Hagen, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Gene Sarazen, Lee Trevino, Hale Irwin, and other great thinkers.

[golf_junkie27]

I recall someone saying that his lack of multishot victories was due to Tiger playing more conservatively. Once he gets a lead of a couple of strokes he stops taking the risky shots and just plays conservatively. Earlier in his career he would keep the pedal down to bury the field. In other words Tiger realized that a win by one or two strokes is as much of a win as a win by eight. Why take the risk by continuing to play the hero shots when they aren't needed?

This formula works. Of the 37 tournaments he's led at the midway point, he managed to win 31 of them. 31 out of 37 when leading after the 2nd round. That is truly amazing. I'm not the biggest fan of Tiger, there are plenty of things he does and says that I deplore but I give him his due. He's a freak of nature.

[mcfc_nick]

i actually cant wait for tomorrow! AK, Tiger final group! lets see if tiger can dominate tomorrows round with some young gun hunting flags!

[Kingm91]

I recall someone saying that his lack of multishot victories was due to Tiger playing more conservatively. Once he gets a lead of a couple of strokes he stops taking the risky shots and just plays conservatively. Earlier in his career he would keep the pedal down to bury the field. In other words Tiger realized that a win by one or two strokes is as much of a win as a win by eight. Why take the risk by continuing to play the hero shots when they aren't needed?

I totally agree, Tiger now sits back on a lead and says to the field, "Come and take it from me" He takes the pressure off of himself and puts it on his competition.

[trumps4]

Some of you guys are getting pretty offended at this question and putting words in other people's mouths. No one is saying he's washed up, or that he's not as good, or that he needs to win by more, or anything like that. It's just a simple question.

+1

Tiger lovers crack me up sometimes. Nobody said he wasn't still the best ever or that 14 majors wasn't enough. Where are the double-digit beat-downs we used to see IS a legitimate question. Some of you are arguing that 5 wins by a combined 5 strokes is just as "dominating" as 5 wins by a combined 25 strokes. To me, that's silly. Now that that's cleared up, I'll chime in..... I believe Tiger raised the bar in his early days. As such, "the field" began the process if stepping it up. I think the answer is that they simply narrowed the gap. The Tiger of today is marginally better than the Tiger of 1998, but the random tour player of today is MUCH better than that of 1998. He is still the best, but by a smaller margin. He is kinda a victim of his own success in that he inspired players like AK and Hunter Mahan to do what they have done. I think of him as the Michael Jordan of golf. He completely changed the way the game is played.

[Dugie]

he won, yesterday??? I think the field is better and he is got other things going on (family)

[shankapotamus]

+1

A win is a win. He doesn't want to take risks just so he can win by five. So he is still dominate, but the field did get better, and he is more conservative.

[hammock3]

he is getting older

[SubPar]

Tiger is not dominating?

While Els is "still recovering from knee surgery" done four years ago, Tiger came back after 8 months off due to knee surgery and a stress fracture and...

Above average driving, above average greens in regulation, above average scrambling, scoring leader, FedEx Cup leader, money leader, has won 37.5% of his full field events this year, 8 for 8 top tens in full field events.

You could take half his accomplishments for the year and give them to most other tour players and it would be their career best season.

He's only begun to "dominate".

SubPar

[Prairie Golfer]

I've seen this cartoon. Tiger is about to go BEEP! BEEP! and leave everyone else in the dust.

Again.

[SubPar]

Eight full field events, eight top ten finishes with three wins. If that is not dominance, what is?

Based on his finishes, he's beating about 96% of the field on average.

SubPar

[lobsterzilla]

Finals Stewart Cink 8 & 7

... pretty dominant :x


if tigers winning percentage was his batting average he'd be in the mlb hall of fame... that's pretty much my point all wrapped into one