2009 PGA Championship at Hazeltine

[ezmoney5150]

I think the Poa did Tiger in. Made him second guess his putting.

Tiger did seem to be more conservative. Just waiting for Y.E. to choke so he could just stride to victory.

That didn't happen.

[AmenCorner]

I've never seen Tiger putt that poorly. He struck the ball rather well all day it seems. Usually he makes at least one decent putt but today he made zero.

Props to Yang, aside from that 3 jack on 17 he was really solid. Good for him.

My prediction sure looked good on Friday, but boy did it blow up!

[wolverine_man]

Good post, just want to correct you on one thing...

I noticed that too. Nice correction.

[wolverine_man]

I was sitting in a bar with my cousin after we finished a round today and I totally called the chip in by Yang. We were both pulling for him.

On the equipment front, I haven't seen a ton of tour events this year, but I gotta believe not too many were won with a TM ball. Kinda interesting. Tiger needs to spend more time on the putting green, that's for sure. Maybe he should get a Bettinardi or maybe a White Hot. lol

[iWALK18]

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

[SpacklersEdge]

I wonder if this means he won't be playing conservative golf on weekends with the lead anymore. Maybe we'll even see a return to his attempts at big margins again - something like what Brian Gay pulled off earlier this year, or Phil did a few years ago.

AMEN. The first 9 he shot for the middle of every green, and I kept saying how I thought he was playing like such a p****. He needs to find a middle ground between young Tiger and this new overly conservative Tiger.

[sonicblue]

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.

And, FTR, Tiger played like a chump, IMO (hey, he set a standard, I'm holding him to it). His putts were timid, over and over. I know the greens were a bit slick but... Seems his mind was never made up on a lot of rolls, very unlike him.

[ufbchang]

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.

Nobody's saying him being Asian is an obstacle, it's just never been done. If that's not the definition of history, (something that's never been done), then WHAT IS? I guess Obama or Tiger are not history!

[enduro]

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.

I think you mean well but you're missing the point.

It's a big deal because this creates a level of inclusion that a few billion people can identify with from that region of the world. It's sort of a mile-marker for the game that the global level of competition is such that players from all over are really becoming competitive. Also, from a business sense it's huge since this may open a lot of doors to marketing golf in Asian countries. It means the game is becoming more accessible to more people in that region. I don't think anyone was implying that it's an obstacle to golf if you're an Asian or from that region.

[enduro]

Good post, just want to correct you on one thing...

Lol, you beat me to it!

[Three Putt]

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.

I agree 110%, Yang is former military so toughness is no issue for him. And if I remember Tiger is 50% Asian also.

Golf is a sporting competition of skill, where physical prowess does have some advantage more often than not. But plenty of Fat, Short, Unhealthy, Unatheltic guys have won majors also.

[ufbchang]

I agree 110%, Yang is former military so toughness is no issue for him. And if I remember Tiger is 50% Asian also.

Tiger being half Asian is a whole different thing than Yang winning.

[sonicblue]

Nobody's saying him being Asian is an obstacle, it's just never been done. If that's not the definition of history, (something that's never been done), then WHAT IS? I guess Obama or Tiger are not 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 just think it's all another example of what a lousy job we do, when we're supposedly trying to eliminate racial/cultural lines, but at every chance we get, we point them out ad nauseum. I mean, if I ever won, would they make some huge deal about my being from New Jersey?

[ufbchang]

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!'??

Dude, what is your problem with letting Asians get some pride out of this? It's not every day an Asian wins a Major for God's sake. If the PGA tour gets to be like the LPGA, where Koreans dominate, THEN I see your point. But this is a first on the PGA tour and it should be noted.

[zeg]

I think you must have been watching something else, imho! The whole thing was very exciting, I thought.

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.

[AlCzervik]

just would like to say congrats to yang. I really like seeing the underdog win in any sport.

[senorchipotle]

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!'??

actually, tiger's ethnicity added a LOT to his resume. growing up, i was one of the only black kids aside from my cousin i knew that played golf. you do realize that in a lot of courses in the south, and all across the country for that matter did not allow blacks to play. they were caddies, bag boys, etc. the fact that tiger went to the bastion of wealthy, white, old southern, good ole boy society and beat their pants off by ten strokes most definitely does a lot for his resume.

apparently you've never been black and played at country clubs where the only people who look like you are parking cars and serving food, and looking at you as if you're some uncle tom for playing on the course which they work. or having old white men telling you to clean their clubs or shine their shoes when you're just as much a member as they are. as a kid, tiger gave me something, someone to relate to. something to aspire to. and because of tiger, there are so many kids who would not have otherwise picked up a club playing golf. as much as i hate the fact that skin color matters in the world, i'd be dishonest if i said it didn't.

[kafka01]

Does it really take an Asian winning for other Asian golfers to go, 'hey, he can do it, I can do it!'??

Of course it does - its the same in every sport - when Boris Becker and Steffi Graf became successful in Tennis, the sport started booming in Germany. Same goes with Bernhard Langer winning a Major, which triggered a small boom in the golf industry.

Where do you think all the LPGA south korean gals all of a sudden come from - due to a south korean being successful on the LPGA in earlier years. But european culture by far is not so "idolized" like it is in Asia, so when we talk about "boom", just imagine what that looks like in Asia... And its not, as if this go unnoticed, the asian TV coverage already is HUGE compared to what we have in Europa or even in the US.