2009 PGA Championship at Hazeltine

[higdonp]

Well Tiger has too many muscles and frustration. He played horrible (for HIM!) and still finished well. If he could find peace and focus he would be so dominant it would be scary.

Congrats to YANG! He didn't waiver on hole 18, he played with no fear... awesome!

[enduro]

No one named Sylvester from Terre Haute has ever won a major, either, but should that be a big celebration for Sylvesters everywhere if it happens? Tiger's race is completely irrelevant to his resume, in my opinion. The election of Obama, to some degree, is different because it (potentially) indicated the acceptance of black people by the popular majority via an election. In that sense, his race was a possible barrier to his winning. We didn't elect Yang the winner. The only criteria was good golf. Does it really take an Asian winning for other Asian golfers to go, 'hey, he can do it, I can do it!'??

I always love it when (presumably) white males in America raise this question. As if we have absolutely any idea what it's like to not be part of a non-ruling, media dominated world. Nearly everything around us, from TV shows, to advertisements, to marketing to culture in general is directed towards white males. Read about "white male corporate oppression" and the white male patriarchy of the world. There are actually a lot of people who can create valid arguments as to how oppressive the world is to everyone that isn't a white male. Seriously, our culture has been dominated by pandering to white males for a pretty long time. So much most people don't even realize it or even know it. A lot has been written about this from various angles.

Anyways, him winning is a mile-marker for golfers from another region of the world. These people have something THEY can relate to. Because YOU can't relate to it, suddenly it's a "whats the big deal?!" thing. It shows other Asians (non-Americans in particular) that golf isn't just a white male corporate oppressor game. It's a game people that look like me can play too. You have to understand not every race, sex and nationality has the self esteem of white males from the USA. The entire world hasn't been directed towards them for their consumption and benefit. Inclusion feels good to people. So does not feeling like a second class person. It's hard for us white males to understand this.

[Dr. Manhattan]

It seemed like Tiger read too much break on almost every single putt today.

Yep, speed seemed good but he was playing way too much break on the putts.

[Kellfire]

Rory McIlroy.

[pjsnyc]

Anyone who can hit a shot like Yang's on 18 deserves to win...

Nice putt to finish!!!!!!

My sentiments exactly. Yang played his heart out over all 3 days to crawl into the final grouping. Follows that up with a final round that ties the lowest score of the day. Very very deserving and quite exciting as well! When that eagle-2 rolled in my jaw simply dropped. I'm not saying he'll ever reach Tiger-like consistency, but it was a great win for him and you could bet the farm that Korea is rockin the 'jeep' (lets see if anyone catches that one

)

If I have to hear one more statement about what a coup this is for Asian people, I'm going to throw up. They say it like being Asian is some kind of ACTUAL obstacle to playing good golf. When the first one-armed person, or legally blind person wins a major, THEN give me the personal-interest story. Just because something hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean its happening constitutes history....

No one named Sylvester from Terre Haute has ever won a major, either, but should that be a big celebration for Sylvesters everywhere if it happens? Tiger's race is completely irrelevant to his resume, in my opinion. The election of Obama, to some degree, is different because it (potentially) indicated the acceptance of black people by the popular majority via an election. In that sense, his race was a possible barrier to his winning. We didn't elect Yang the winner. The only criteria was good golf. Does it really take an Asian winning for other Asian golfers to go, 'hey, he can do it, I can do it!'??...

I don't know, it was exciting in the sense that it was anyone's match starting the last round, and totally up in the air between Yang and Woods until the last hole, but I guess I find it kind of boring when nobody makes a significant move other than backwards. I guess it was the wind or something, but in the end what, Tiger gave up a couple strokes and Yang moved up 1? No question it was hard out there, but I guess I just like to see someone go on a tear in the final round to get into contention.

I thought it was an exciting final round. 70 was the low score of the day and Yang shot it while everyone else was barfing all over the place. The man had nerves of steel and showed it. I wish him the best of luck in the future.

[Range King]

Rory McIlroy.

... also Martin Kaymer

[BASHERBAKER69]

It was great to see Yang play some great golf and not be bullied by Tiger down the straight. The hybrid he hit in to 18 made my day as he virtually stiffed it to 6 feet. To see Tiger's face when Yang drained it was a picture- Tiger tried to smile and be congratulatory but it was obviously difficult for him....I was thinking that he got what he deserved, as yo can't sleep walk your way to a major championship.

Seriously, I thought it was a great moment and it was an eye opener to see TW wilt in the heat of a final round. To see him play so tentatively and putt so poorly was surprising....a 75 in the final round was not what I was expecting. I had to laugh on 17 when he made bogey and covered his face to ennunciate a series of foul mouthed expletives.

Credit to Yang and I can see him contending again if he plays with such consistency and skill. I liked his interview afterwards when he said he can't wait to speak to all his friends on the internet!

[Cussin hacker]

Tiger got to watch himself (Yang) play the last nine in a major. TW has had people play him down to the wire in the past, but not catch and pass him like he wasn't there. Yang played Tiger like and it was clear that it threw Tiger off his game. Good for Yang and good for golf as it will be all the more interesting from now on.

[MSDOGS1976]

If I have to hear one more statement about what a coup this is for Asian people, I'm going to throw up. They say it like being Asian is some kind of ACTUAL obstacle to playing good golf.

Yeah. I wonder why it hasn't been an obstacle for the women. They dominate the LPGA. I guess we have that to look forward to with the men.

If Tiger plays like he did over the weekend, it may take sometime for him to over take Jack.

[PrairieParson]

I thought it was a great tournament. Sunday was a tough day to play on that loooooong course and the stiff winds. Not surprising many faded. I thought Tiger played a good strategy. His putter just failed him. He was probably just reading too much break as many of those short putts he missed to the high side. Yang is a true champion. The man earned it all the way. Another great finish in a major tournament.

PrairieParson

[Chilli Dipper]

Tiger Woods had been basically perfect for his entire professional life leading into Sunday (the only other time he had given up a final-round lead was in his second or third start on tour), and that sort of streak had to end sometime. Maybe this means he'll finally win a major the same way he has won more than half of his PGA Tour victories...from behind.

Really, Tiger didn't play too bad yesterday. He started out playing a little conservatively, but after passing up his bread-and-butter 5-wood approach on #7 to only manage par by playing safe, he stepped it up. He didn't get in trouble off the tee all day, and most of his approaches were only a few feet from being in perfect position. With the course setup and the wind being what it was at Hazeltine, those few feet always meant being on the wrong side of the hole, or on the wrong tier of the green, or hacking out of the rough from 25 feet away. He just couldn't convert the opportunities he gave himself. Tiger almost had a great round, but almost great just wasn't enough, especially since Yang did play a great round. That's all.

[nevets88]

Transcript of Yang's post round interview:

http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=58539

I thought his comment on it's not like he's stuck in a cage and Tiger's trying to whack him with a 9 iron was right on the mark. The "range" he started on was a poor one indeed, only went back 60 yards to a net.

[golf_junkie27]

Tiger's race is completely irrelevant to his resume, in my opinion.

Tiger's race is completely irrelevant? You're kidding, right? Please tell me that you are. People that look like him are still being denied access to golf courses and country clubs all over the country. The fact that he won his first major at a place that changed the qualification standards to deny a black golfer entry speaks volumes. Furthermore, Tiger's success has brought more people into golf either because of race and/or because of where he grew up playing: public courses.

As for Yang's winning inspiring other Asian golfers, see Tiger's success. All it takes is for someone who reminds you of yourself to inspire you to achieve. Those type of people have a name: role models.

[BASHERBAKER69]

Tiger's race is completely irrelevant? You're kidding, right? Please tell me that you are. People that look like him are still being denied access to golf courses and country clubs all over the country. The fact that he won his first major at a place that changed the qualification standards to deny a black golfer entry speaks volumes. Furthermore, Tiger's success has brought more people into golf either because of race and/or because of where he grew up playing: public courses.

I don't think race is as big a problem as you are presenting it. Of course, in years is gone by, people were not allowed to do certain things due to racial bigotry, but nowadays I don't think that there is much of an issue. I think that people have a complex about discrimination due to the past but race is now no longer an obstacle to being a member of a country club. Denying access on the grounds of skin colour is unconstitutional in the USA or unlawful in the UK.

[kafka01]

... also Martin Kaymer

He is leading the European money list now with his solid finish at Hazeltine!

[SubPar]

Tiger Woods had been basically perfect for his entire professional life leading into Sunday (the only other time he had given up a final-round lead was in his second or third start on tour), and that sort of streak had to end sometime. Maybe this means he'll finally win a major the same way he has won more than half of his PGA Tour victories...from behind.

I had a dreadful feeling after he missed the birdie putts on the first two holes. If he had made half the putts that burned the edges, he'd have won by 2-3 shots. He had a off day with the putter. It happens.

Woods is no doubt disappointed to not win, but he knows history. Jack won 18 majors and was runner-up 19 times. You don't win a lot of majors without a number of close losses. You could still give most of the pros half of Tiger's 2009 performance to date and it would be their dream season. SubPar

[Range King]

He is leading the European money list now with his solid finish at Hazeltine!

solid? splendid!

[Range King]

I don't think race is as big a problem as you are presenting it. Of course, in years is gone by, people were not allowed to do certain things due to racial bigotry, but nowadays I don't think that there is much of an issue. I think that people have a complex about discrimination due to the past but race is now no longer an obstacle to being a member of a country club. Denying access on the grounds of skin colour is unconstitutional in the USA or unlawful in the UK.

There is a difference between being admitted and being welcome. Racism comes in a lot of facets.