Tiger skipping the US Open

[Kieran123]

Originally Posted by Varsity_Golf

Why?  I think it's good that Tiger won't be in the field.  I'm not bashing Tiger, but It'll be a "Different experience."

Just because I like watching him play mainly

[HAVOC]

he wont be missed

[iacas]

Originally Posted by The Recreational Golfer

Can anyone name a golfer who came back from knee surgery to be his former self?

Tiger in 2008? Won a 91-hole U.S. Open despite injuring it worse in the time he took off from Augusta to the Open.

Tiger in 2009? After taking 8+ months off, he won, what, six times or something on the PGA Tour?

Plus, this one isn't surgery.

In 2008 he took off from Augusta to June, then knew he was taking eight months off AND knew that he couldn't really further injure himself. That situation is both worse and different than this one. This is a less severe injury, but one to which he can cause further damage.

[hokiebound]

I really wish he'd play. But even if he isn't I'm still going to watch.

[TourSpoon]

How many times can you injure your knee before it really becomes an issue?  It seems that it is becoming an issue. Tiger playing like Tiger seems to only aggravate the condition. He needs to stay out of competition until it is fully healed before he attempts a comeback of any kind. I can see him really scaling back to majors and big events only in the near future. As far as this year's US Open goes, I will still watch with as much interest as ever before.  US Open golf is one-of-a-kind, just like the Open and the Master's. You can keep the PGA.

[jamo]

Originally Posted by The Recreational Golfer

Can anyone name a golfer who came back from knee surgery to be his former self? Not Ernie Els or Brad Faxon, to give recent examples. Throw in the Achilles tendon injury and it doesn't look like a bright future for Woods.

Els and Faxon haven't won 14 majors. I'm not saying Tiger will ever be his old dominant self again, but if anyone could do it, it would be Tiger Wood.

Originally Posted by Varsity_Golf

Why?  I think it's good that Tiger won't be in the field.  I'm not bashing Tiger, but It'll be a "Different experience."

Eh. I'll always take having the top players in the field against not. Always more interesting that way.

[Chilli Dipper]

I'm wondering how long Tiger is going to stay on the sidelines this time. He says he wants to be ready for the AT&T; National on Fourth of July weekend, but I think he may miss the British Open, either. My prediction is we won't see Tiger on the course again until Firestone in August, if at all in 2011.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by Varsity_Golf

Why?  I think it's good that Tiger won't be in the field.  I'm not bashing Tiger, but It'll be a "Different experience."

We've been experiencing that difference a lot over the past two years.  It would be nice to have him back to form.

Brandon

[TourSpoon]

The golf channel said that everyone has agreed (players, fan, sportswriters) that it is "The smartest decision Tiger has made in a long time". As patronizing as the statement sounds, I have to agree on a few different levels, especially as it relates to possible playing longevity.

[shades9323]

He should pull a Crosby and take the rest of the season off to fully recover.

[Bananarama]

Originally Posted by HAVOC

he wont be missed

I miss him already...

[Elvisliveson]

It's a wise move on his part. Allow yourself to fully recover physically, make sure the swing changes you made with Foley have become automatic and then make one final push torwards breaking Jack's record.  To continue to limp along and play at a rather pedestrian pace, hoping to catch lighting in a bottle is not the way to go. However, to me, when he does come back, it will be his putter that determines whether he finally does it.

[deasy55]

It's nice to know that some people on here are saying 'he won't be missed' about a person that changed the face of golf. We are all lucky to have him and him playing can only be a good thing.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by deasy55

It's nice to know that some people on here are saying 'he won't be missed' about a person that changed the face of golf. We are all lucky to have him and him playing can only be a good thing.

I'm pretty sure I won't miss him, but that's easy to say before the event. If it's a snoozefest, even people who enjoy cheering against him will be missing that part of the event. Tiger might be done and he might come back next year as strong as ever, but while he's on the sidelines there's a kind of hollow feeling to all the OWGR #1 rankings and major count discussions. When the best player of any generation starts to fight age and injuries, it can make even the anti-Tiger fans feel older and closer to death.

[JoelCochran]

We've seen a lot of great golf without Tiger this last year, so I don't worry it won't be interesting.  That being said, I think everyone watched Sunday at the Masters on the edge of their seats.  Even seemingly out of contention he still brings a ton of excitement to the game.

I've said many times that Tiger winning the 2008 U.S. Open is the greatest achievement in sports history.  It also may have been his last hurrah, because we really don't know what he sacrificed to pull it off.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by JoelCochran

We've seen a lot of great golf without Tiger this last year, so I don't worry it won't be interesting.  That being said, I think everyone watched Sunday at the Masters on the edge of their seats.  Even seemingly out of contention he still brings a ton of excitement to the game.

You're on the money there - I smiled when those last couple putts missed the cup, but I was still glued to the set.

[MrKadash]

I think it's more of an issue of him turning 36 (pertaining to his body) this December than anything else.  The clock is ticking now.  It wasn't in 2008, or seemingly not like today.

[topspin4hand]

I have tickets to the US Open and while I'm still looking forward to attending in person for the 1st time, I have to admit that Tiger's absence dampens the excitement for me a little.