Tiger's performance should scare other players for next year

[chriskzoo]

I think Tiger is going to realize that how he played on Saturday - very conservatively - is what ultimately cost him the tournament. Sure, he burned the edge on a lot of putts on Sunday, but he had a chance on Saturday of getting to 10 under or so and effectively ending things.

What does that mean? I don't think he'll make that mistake again and we might be looking at him winning a major next year like he did in 2000 - by 10+ shots.

[clubchamp]

I don't think it totally cost him the tournament but I do think the opposite of people being scared of tiger next year. I thought that Yang rattled him especially with that chip in for eagle. If you think about it tiger is used to guys folding on sunday when playing with him. Yang just wouldn't go away plus the chip in for eagle and I thought tiger started pressing. I still think tiger is the most dominating player of all time and more players will fold when playing with him. I just thought it was neat to see someone like him get rattled and Yang play so steady. It was sure great to watch

[AmenCorner]

I don't think it totally cost him the tournament but I do think the opposite of people being scared of tiger next year. I thought that Yang rattled him especially with that chip in for eagle. If you think about it tiger is used to guys folding on sunday when playing with him. Yang just wouldn't go away plus the chip in for eagle and I thought tiger started pressing. I still think tiger is the most dominating player of all time and more players will fold when playing with him. I just thought it was neat to see someone like him get rattled and Yang play so steady. It was sure great to watch

I agree in some respects. What a difference it makes when guys don't fold! Of course, IIRC, Rocco Mediate was pretty darn solid last year at Torrey so not everyone folds.

[Mitch C]

I think Tiger's normal plan would have worked fine, he just didn't execute.

It is a fact, Tiger just isn't as dominating as he used to be. Yes, he still wins, but not by the huge margins he did early in his career. And, in a way, it is even more impressive. He has become a course manager and can win even when he isn't playing his best.

This year, Tiger's game had cracks in it all year. Regardless of his recent win streak, his game is not in good enough shape to allow him to be aggressive and still win. Yesterday when he had to become aggressive on the last two holes, two bogies were the result. He does not have the distance control of his irons that he once had and he is prone to hitting some real stinkers on occassion. In a regular tournament, he can get away with the bad shots and play aggressively. In a major, the really bad shots cost you even if your name is Tiger Wods.

I doubt the other players are scared unless Tiger returns to the Tiger of very early in his career. But, I don't really think he can do that.

[Elsfan]

He got had by Yang with a two stroke lead on Sunday in a major. That inspires confidence, not fear among players. Terrible year for Tiger, one that I am sure he looks at as a wash.

[chriskzoo]

He got had by Yang with a two stroke lead on Sunday in a major. That inspires confidence, not fear among players.

LOL, he had one "bad" round - granted at the absolute wrong time on Sunday. He has still won 5 times and the last 3 weeks he has gone Win, Win, 2nd.

[MSchumacher]

He got had by Yang with a two stroke lead on Sunday in a major. That inspires confidence, not fear among players. Terrible year for Tiger, one that I am sure he looks at as a wash.

I was not even expecting him to win this year after surgery. If I was told in December '08 he was going to win 4 events and no majors I would have considered it a successful return. Now it kind of looks like a disappointing season. The expectations this guy has to meet are tough

[Elvisliveson]

LOL, he had one "bad" round - granted at the absolute wrong time on Sunday. He has still won 5 times and the last 3 weeks he has gone Win, Win, 2nd.

Kind of sounds like a 33 year old Arnold Palmer who won 7 times in 1963, but with no majors. He only won 1 more major for the rest of his career.

I doubt this will be Tiger's future, but I just threw it out there to demonstrate that the other side of the coin is not as far-fetched as you have implied.

[Herrick9]

It was a bad day in the country for Tiger (75) and only heightened by the fact that his Tee-ball woes continue in spades and he couldn't buy a putt with correct change....

All and all a very un-Tiger like performance to my eye for a Sunday. He'll still win a couple of more times this year I suspect....

[BASHERBAKER69]

Unfortunately, Tiger just did not cut it at Hazeltine. There is no guarantee that he will ever win another major.

Winning a run of the mill PGA tournament like the Buick Open is one thing, but successfully competing a against a world class international field with mountains of pressure is something entirely different to win a major. Let's not forget that Phil was not on his game for obvious reasons on a course he would contend on normally.

I don't think his performance will scare anybody, if anything it will give others heart, the fact that a minnow like Y E Yang can beat Tiger on the biggest of stages. Tiger's face when Yeng holed that putt was unforgettable.

[Elsfan]

LOL, he had one "bad" round - granted at the absolute wrong time on Sunday. He has still won 5 times and the last 3 weeks he has gone Win, Win, 2nd.

LOL all you want, but don't judge the best player in the world by Briny Baird standards. He could care less about 5 wins. Its all about the majors, especially to a guy that just collected his 70th win.

[Elsfan]

Its all about the majors when you see an entire season go by in your prime, and fail to add at least one to the Jack chase.

[deronsizemore]

I don't see how Tiger has one bad round and all of a sudden this whole year is a wash. I mean the guy hasn't finished outside the top 10 the whole year besides The Open, right? That's some great golf. Everyone gets so hung up on him not winning tournaments like he did in 2000. The other players have gotten better since then, that's all it comes down too. I don't think Tiger was playing conservative this past Sunday either. He was going for pins all day it seemed like (which would equate to being aggressive), his distance control just wasn't on and those few shots that he missed, really hurt him.

Even though he's not winning tournaments by huge margins, Tiger is still a much better player now than he was in 2000. His numbers say it and even Tiger himself says it.

Tiger will rebound and be fine and everyone else will be just as scared playing against him as they normally are. The man is human after all and one loss isn't going to do much to hurt his image in the eyes of other players. I'll be willing to bet you won't hear anyone on tour refer to Tiger as "beatable."

[senorchipotle]

I'm going to make the prediction that tiger will win all four majors next year. hear me now, tiger will not rest until he is feared again. tiger's just like michael jordan, zinedine zidane, jim brown, pete sampras, michael johnson, wayne gretzky... if he's no longer winning championships, or in his case major championships, then he will no longer play. none of these men were content with anything less than being the best, and that means winning the most important matches. if you notice these men all quit at a relatively young age for their sports. they were not merely content with being good or being great, they needed to be the greatest. moral of story: if tiger is no longer winning major championships, he will no longer be playing professional golf.

[chriskzoo]

I'm going to make the prediction that tiger will win all four majors next year. hear me now, tiger will not rest until he is feared again. tiger's just like michael jordan, zinedine zidane, jim brown, pete sampras, michael johnson, wayne gretzky... if he's no longer winning championships, or in his case major championships, then he will no longer play. none of these men were content with anything less than being the best, and that means winning the most important matches. if you notice these men all quit at a relatively young age for their sports. they were not merely content with being good or being great, they needed to be the greatest. moral of story: if tiger is no longer winning major championships, he will no longer be playing professional golf.

I don't know if I'd go so far as saying all 4, but I would bet on him winning 2.

[BASHERBAKER69]

Its all about the majors when you see an entire season go by in your prime, and fail to add at least one to the Jack chase.

In the eyes of Tiger, this season has been a disappointment, but as has already been said, to a run of the mill tour player, it would be a dream. Tiger does not care about pga tour events (he's already got a colossal amount of money), only majors, so therefore to him this season has been a write off, or a 'wash' as ElsFan describes it. If Tiger knew he would never win another major, he would quit now (seriously), as he does not want to be remembered in the shadow of the greatest, The Golden Bear.

[Elsfan]

I'm going to make the prediction that tiger will win all four majors next year. hear me now, tiger will not rest until he is feared again. tiger's just like michael jordan, zinedine zidane, jim brown, pete sampras, michael johnson, wayne gretzky... if he's no longer winning championships, or in his case major championships, then he will no longer play. none of these men were content with anything less than being the best, and that means winning the most important matches. if you notice these men all quit at a relatively young age for their sports. they were not merely content with being good or being great, they needed to be the greatest. moral of story: if tiger is no longer winning major championships, he will no longer be playing professional golf.

Love your post an am really close to buying what your selling. I do agree he has to win to keep playing but it would be hard for him to ever walk away so close to Jack, even if he didn't believe he could do it.. The pressure of this major chase is really on now, pressure is double in just having to win and also having Jacks number in the back of his head. One thing is for sure, if he passes Jack, he will without question be the best. Jack didn't face the additional pressures Tiger is facing. It is still a tall order to pass Jack. I could see Tiger winning 2 more totaling at 16 and not making it. Making it to seventeen and not passing Jack would almost be to Hollywood.

[zeg]

zinedine zidane

Well, let's keep this guy out of the list of comparisons. I didn't see Tiger take a cheap shot head butt on Yang after the approach shot on 18...