Tiger and Watson to play in US Open

[RichF]

The only way he gets his driving fixed is to play more tournaments.

Unless he gets the driver tee-shot going, not only is he not going to win at Pebble Beach, but he isn't going to win at St Andrews or Whistling Straits either.

And consequently, that 18+ majors target is looking smaller and smaller...

[FX(TM)]

If he plays some more tournaments between now and then, and sorts out that driver, he has every chance of winning it. Even if his driving is off, I think he'll find a way to be up there, such as sticking his driver back in the bag?

[Zeph]

He was 5 shots off the winner at The Masters, with a driver he hit all over the place and a 3 wood he hit fat. Doesn't take a whole lot of adjustment before he's on top.

[FX(TM)]

He was 5 shots off the winner at The Masters, with a driver he hit all over the place and a 3 wood he hit fat. Doesn't take a whole lot of adjustment before he's on top.

That's the thing people are talking about though. If he hits that driver all over the place, the water is going to gobble it up at Pebble Beach.

[iacas]

That's the thing people are talking about though. If he hits that driver all over the place, the water is going to gobble it up at Pebble Beach.

He doesn't need driver at Pebble. It's a short course and it'll be firmer in the summer than it is in February. And the rough will be like it always is - fairly tall. Though perhaps a tad shorter this year with the groove rule... tempting more guys to go for shots.

[FX(TM)]

He doesn't need driver at Pebble. It's a short course and it'll be firmer in the summer than it is in February. And the rough will be like it always is - fairly tall. Though perhaps a tad shorter this year with the groove rule... tempting more guys to go for shots.

Oh I know. I was merely saying what the rest were saying about his problems. If you look at my post 1 above his, you'll see I have full confidence that Tiger will find a way to win, and if it means leaving the driver in the bag, then so be it.

[Divot Tool]

I'll say it right now: Tiger Woods has no chance at victory on a US Open setup, especially not at Pebble Beach. . .

Oh c'mon. NO chance? . . .now that's just downright laughable. I do recall a T2 at Oakmont (2007), a victory at Torrey Pines in 2008 on a bum knee and a T6 at Bethpage last year. You might want to rethink that. I think it's safe to say he'll contend. :)

. . . He won by 15 strokes, the largest margin of victory in the history of major championships. His total 272 strokes ties the all-time low in the US Open, and his -12 is the only double-digit under par score in US Open history. While he might not "own" Pebble, he has won both US Opens he's played at there. He'll be on the top page of the leader board, if not hoisting the US Open trophy on Sunday.

Indeed success breeds success. He'll be confident knowing he's won there before.

[Chas]

I give Tiger a 98% chance of winning, Phil 1% and the field gets 1% .

Hilarious.

[Go Tom!]

[Clambake]

That's the thing people are talking about though. If he hits that driver all over the place, the water is going to gobble it up at Pebble Beach.

Pebble is pretty forgiving for water. The only realy ocean threats are a tee shot on Par 3 #5 pushed well right if the pin is back right, maybe #10 if you really hit the drive way way right, and of course #18. Other holes along the water like #9 aren't much in danger as the tee shot angle is going more inland so the water is largely out of play. On #8 the only water danger is hitting the tee shot too long, but any of these guys know their distances well enough. In general, the water just isn't that scary at Pebble. Of course 18 is a whole story by itself due to the OB right and Stillwater Cove on the left making for what looks like a very narrow margin of error when you stand on that tee box. I'd sure hate to have to pull off that tee shot with a 1 shot lead on the final hole.

The big dangers on Pebble are the rough, the small greens, and the wind. Tiger may find his tee shots in the rough a lot, but he's probably the best at getting it out of there. But personally, I don't think Tiger will be too strong of contender. The Open requires a mental focus more than almost any other tourney, and Tiger doesn't seem to have it together yet - look at his mental lapses at Augusta and that when the pressure was really on he once again became the ill-tempered player of the last couple years.

[Shindig]

He won by 15 strokes, the largest margin of victory in the history of major championships. His total 272 strokes ties the all-time low in the US Open, and his -12 is the only double-digit under par score in US Open history. While he might not "own" Pebble, he has won both US Opens he's played at there. He'll be on the top page of the leader board, if not hoisting the US Open trophy on Sunday.

He's only played one U.S. Open there: 2000. His other U.S. Open victories were at Bethpage (2002) and Torrey Pines (2008). Interesting side-note: he's never won a U.S. Open at a private course. However, he won twice at Pebble the year he won the U.S. Open -- a feat that's only been done four times, and he was two of those (the others were Hogan and Nicklaus, and all four were in California).

However, he's not the only T.W. to win a U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, and only one U.S. Open at Pebble has been won by someone whose name doesn't begin with a 'T'.

[dhanson]

He's only played one U.S. Open there: 2000. His other U.S. Open victories were at Bethpage (2002) and Torrey Pines (2008).....

Sorry, you're right.

[RemyM]

I'm utterly thrilled to hear this news, going to be attending Saturday and Sunday at the US Open this year. First golf tournament I've been to, and I was really dreading the possibility that Tiger wouldn't show. To have Watson there as well is icing on the cake.

Just because they're playing Thursday and Friday doesn't mean they'll still be around for the weekend.

[zeg]

Just because they're playing Thursday and Friday doesn't mean they'll still be around for the weekend.

True, true, but I think the odds that Tiger misses the cut are pretty remote. Harder to say for Watson, but the way he's been playing lately I think it's a good bet he'll be around.

[RemyM]

True, true, but I think the odds that Tiger misses the cut are pretty remote.

A lot of people felt the same way when the Open was at Winged Foot, but it happened.

[Tiger Spuds]

It's a long course anyway, and it'll probably be set up a little longer for the U.S. Open, so I can't see Tom Watson being around at the weekend unfortunately.But he could surprise people.

[FX(TM)]

A lot of people felt the same way when the Open was at Winged Foot, but it happened.

Yea, but it's still a remote chance of him missing the cut. You can't deny the odds are always against a Tiger Woods 2nd round exit.

[ET-Taylor]

Yea, but it's still a remote chance of him missing the cut. You can't deny the odds are always against a Tiger Woods 2nd round exit.

He went out at turnberry after 2 rounds

[Shindig]

He went out at turnberry after 2 rounds

Yes, it seems we've quoted two of the five times in his professional career he's made an early exit. And we've exhausted the list of times he's done it at a major.