Tiger without a major?

[mcfc_nick]

There is a piece on this on pgatour.com about whether Tiger's year will be a success without a win this week at Hazeltine and no major wins but with 5 tour wins and 10 top-10's on 12 events, so is it a success?

im saying that any time he wins more than 4 times a year it is a success, no matter about the majors, especially considering he's just come back from knee surgery. but i get the feeling this will be irrelevant come sunday after he wins!

[Chilli Dipper]

Tiger had five victories but no majors in 2003. Tom Watson managed the same feat twice in succession in 1978 and 1979. Johnny Miller won eight times in 1974 without finishing better than tenth at the majors. All of them still won Player of the Year honors at the end of those seasons. Unless someone else goes on a tear in the coming month, I imagine Tiger's 2009 will end in the same result.

Before world rankings and FedEx Cup points, golfers were judged by how much money they earned, and Tiger has won $2.5 millon more than anyone else on tour this year.

[iacas]

There is a piece on this on pgatour.com about whether Tiger's year will be a success without a win this week at Hazeltine and no major wins but with 5 tour wins and 10 top-10's on 12 events, so is it a success?

Not a success. Tiger cares a little about the regular PGA Tour wins, but those come rather easily compared to majors. He cares much, MUCh more about those.

So no, not a success. Not in his book. Not in mine. Nobody knows how many "Player of the Year" honors Jack Nicklaus won - those types of awards don't mean jack squat to Tiger.

[Chilli Dipper]

It would be a success for every other golfer in the world except for Tiger, such is the standard of which we (he) judge his game upon.

[shankapotamus]

It would be a success for every other golfer in the world except for Tiger, such is the standard of which we (he) judge his game upon.

This. ..........

[Cussin hacker]

Coming from Tiger today on the golf channel.

Because of the comeback from injury and time off I do think of this year as a success.

I agree with Tiger.

[iacas]

Coming from Tiger today on the golf channel.

What Tiger says to the press (because it will influence what they write) is completely different than what Tiger believes himself.

[Cussin hacker]

What Tiger says to the press (because it will influence what they write) is completely different than what Tiger believes himself.

Yes thats true in many ways. I this case though, I do believe him. He talked in length about how satisfied he was with the year. 5 wins so far in a comeback year is great even for Tiger. If he doesn't win the PGA he will be PO'ed, but looking at the year as a failure is something he won't do.

[Shindig]

Tiger had five victories but no majors in 2003. Tom Watson managed the same feat twice in succession in 1978 and 1979. Johnny Miller won eight times in 1974 without finishing better than tenth at the majors. All of them still won Player of the Year honors at the end of those seasons. Unless someone else goes on a tear in the coming month, I imagine Tiger's 2009 will end in the same result.

That depends who is holding the trophy on Sunday, too. If Cabrera wins on Sunday, even if he doesn't make another cut this year, he'll probably with POY. Same with Glover and Cink. I don't think the Miller or Watson years you mention had any multiple major winners.

Harrington's season last year looks about like what these three will have managed to pull off this year, if any of them manages to win the PGA.

[Titanfann]

I think it is bound to happen. Even to Tiger. Plus I'm sure it has something to do with the surgery. In my opinion I think he's figured out that he might play better by not taking the week off before a major. We'll find out this week.

[bogeyhitter25]

Nope. Because it isn't the money he's playing for, it's the majors. It's not like he doesn't care when he wins tournaments like the Buick/AT&T;/Memorial/etc., but his reaction after he taps in to win at a regular event isn't anywhere as big as a reaction when he wins a major (excluding Bay Hill). We'll see a big reaction, and an even bigger sigh of relief when Tiger holds the trophy up Sunday afternoon.

[Shorty]

We'll see a big reaction, and an even bigger sigh of relief when Tiger holds the trophy up Sunday afternoon.

No you won't.

Unless he does it in dramatic fashion where he has to make a sizeable putt to do it. And his reaction would be the same whether it's a regular tour event or a major. That's adrenaline and being in "the moment". No golfers carry on when they 2 putt for a win. And, it would not be very classy to have a big reaction when you've won comfortably. Despite the spitting and swearing and club tossing, Tiger has class. What he's feeling on the inside will not be visible on the outside. He didn't carry on after he beat Mediate, he carried on when he dramatically got himself in the POSITION to do it. Internally he might be fist pumping and yelling. You're right about the sigh of relief, though.

[BallStriker]

Not a success. Tiger cares a little about the regular PGA Tour wins, but those come rather easily compared to majors. He cares much, MUCh more about those.

Yes, one of the Tour's dirty little secrets (maybe not a huge secret) is that Tiger doesn't give crap-all about non-major events....

Another little secret is that the often-used phrase "winning is the only thing that matters" is a bunch of BS....there are a ton of Tour players that play very, very safely on the weekend, trying to avoid the big mistake and get a top-20 paycheck....

[Elsfan]

Not a success. Tiger cares a little about the regular PGA Tour wins, but those come rather easily compared to majors. He cares much, MUCh more about those.

Thank God. I really am happy you go against the grain on this. Yes this is against the grain, in the poll like sixty something percent considered it a success. This is by far a failure if he doesn't win this week. He is dominating regular tour events, but majors are proving difficult. The knee can not be looked at as an excuse. Tiger says it is all about the majors and half of you guys disagree with his own takes on his season. I doubt he will spend much time polishing up his Buick trophy this off season.