The Tour Championship Discussion

[Shindig]

Wait ... I'm confused. Who has more victories than Phil with Tiger in the field?

This man.

Chilli is technically correct: the best kind of correct! Tiger Woods has won 71 times on the PGA Tour, and wouldn't you know it? Every time he's done so, a certain Tiger has been in the field. I'm really splitting hairs (or is it hares? I'm not sure if it's rabbits or what in that expression), since it isn't a stat that should include Tiger as a contender anyway, so Phil is "really" #1 in that department.

[Chas]

LOL.

This means that there is someone out there who's even more of a pedant in statistical matters than I am. For this I am very grateful ....

I hereby publicly confess to having pretty much counted Phil out after his performance on Thursday - until some time on Saturday I suppose, when a turnaround began to look feasible for the big fella. He has intestinal fortitude the like of which is hard to imagine, either that or he's just a stubborn SOB


Either way it's most admirable and will have pride of place in the guy's CV.

p.s. the censor's knife was missing from Chilli's analysis. I keep mine well sharpened at all times.

[Alex B]

Chilli is technically correct: the best kind of correct! Tiger Woods has won 71 times on the PGA Tour, and wouldn't you know it? Every time he's done so, a certain Tiger has been in the field. I'm really splitting hairs (or is it hares? I'm not sure if it's rabbits or what in that expression), since it isn't a stat that should include Tiger as a contender anyway, so Phil is "really" #1 in that department.

Haha, nice! So, under that logic, here's a (semi-) legitimate question: who has won the most times with Phil in the field? Phil has 37 wins with himself in the field; I'd assume that more than 37 of Tiger's wins have come with Phil in the field, though I'm not positive.

[Shindig]

Haha, nice! So, under that logic, here's a (semi-) legitimate question: who has won the most times with Phil in the field? Phil has 37 wins with himself in the field; I'd assume that more than 37 of Tiger's wins have come with Phil in the field, though I'm not positive.

Let's back that up with some evidence!

1996 - Las Vegas Invitational 1997 - Mercedes, Masters, Byron Nelson, 1999 - Buick Invitational, Memorial, PGA, NEC, TOUR Championship, American-Express Champ, 2000 - Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Bay Hill, 3 majors, NEC 2001 - Bay Hill, Players, Masters, NEC, 2002 - Bay Hill, Masters, U.S. Open, Buick Open, American Express, 2003 - Buick Invitational, Match Play, Western Open, American-Express 2004 - Match Play 2005 - Buick, Ford, Masters, British Open, NEC, American-Express 2006 - Buick, Ford, British, PGA, Bridgestone, 2007 - Buick, CA, Wachovia, Bridgestone, PGA, TOUR Championship 2008 - Buick, Match Play, Palmer, U.S. Open, 2009 - Bridgestone, BMW Unless I miss my count, that's 53. That would mean that Tiger has won more tournaments just counting ones in which Phil Mickelson is playing than anyone else on Tour has won ignoring who else is in the field . (Also, does Phil just not play in the Memorial?) Dang. Maybe I should write a Numbers Game article or two for the site. I have a paper due for a conference on Thursday, perhaps I'll think of something to write for this site on Friday and submit over the weekend.

[Alex B]

Let's back that up with some evidence!

Wow, great work. Very impressive.

[Titanfann]

I'm just glad to see Phil do what he did. It makes me really look forward to next year. I'd love to see him win 2 majors and 8 other tournaments next year!!....go Phil!!!