I'm tired of this talk about "after" Tiger

[MrElculver2424]

I'm tired of hearing all this talk about who will be the next star to rise to the top, who's going to capture American's fans attention, who will replace Tiger, etc. How can they be so sure that Tiger is done? I know right now it seems like he might never win another major and because he has lingering injuries. But think about it--when he returns, 100% healthy, he just needs to get his game right...and don't say that will take months and months, because if you think back to Augusta you'll see he was playing pretty good golf. He tied for 4th and we saw lots of flashes of the old Tiger. Putting still needed some work, and I bet you he's been working on his putting a lot while he's had these two injuries since he can't practice his full swing. When he returns (which I think will be at Royal St. George's), I think it's only going to be 2 or 3 tournaments before he's back competing for wins again.

So basically what I'm saying is that I think it is too early to count him out and start talking about the next superstar. When he returns, he's going to have lots of very good chances at winning dozens of more tournaments and several more majors. He's still way ahead of Jack's pace to 18 majors.

All opinions are welcome, but please remember to be polite and respectful.

PS: Sorry for the typo in the poll...it's supposed to say "It's too early to count him out--he's only 35 and has a chance to come back and win a lot of more tournaments

[Harmonious]

In your poll, your only options are that Tiger will be great again, or he will be terrible.  You left out the vast middle ground where he will return and will compete, but never at the level he used to be.  That's where my vote would be.

[MrElculver2424]

Originally Posted by Harmonious

In your poll, your only options are that Tiger will be great again, or he will be terrible.  You left out the vast middle ground where he will return and will compete, but never at the level he used to be.  That's where my vote would be.

That would go under the first option...notice it says he has a CHANCE to come back and win more tournaments. If you think he will never win again, choose the second one. If you think it's too early to count him out and that he has a chance to win, or if you are sure he will have great success again, choose the first one.

[Kieran123]

He will definitely win again, no doubt. Hard to say if he will win enough majors to break certain records though. I think most people would love to see him create history. I hope he does.

Mainly to shut people up.

[The Recreational Golfer]

The era of Tiger as Golf God is over.

We'll have to wait to see if there will be an era of Tiger as Pretty Good Player. It depends on how he comes back from his injuries, if he is able to come back from them.

[cdnglf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrElculver2424

I'm tired of hearing all this talk about who will be the next star to rise to the top, who's going to capture American's fans attention, who will replace Tiger, etc. How can they be so sure that Tiger is done? I know right now it seems like he might never win another major and because he has lingering injuries. But think about it--when he returns, 100% healthy, he just needs to get his game right...and don't say that will take months and months, because if you think back to Augusta you'll see he was playing pretty good golf. He tied for 4th and we saw lots of flashes of the old Tiger. Putting still needed some work, and I bet you he's been working on his putting a lot while he's had these two injuries since he can't practice his full swing. When he returns (which I think will be at Royal St. George's), I think it's only going to be 2 or 3 tournaments before he's back competing for wins again.

This seems extremely optimistic to me.... after all, he was trying to get his game back for a year _before_ the injury. His results leading up to the Masters were pretty spotty, and it seems unlikely that he's going to simply resume where he left off after a 3 month layoff.

Unless he changes his schedule dramatically, he may only play 3 or 4 more times this year - the Open, Firestone, the PGA, and the first Fedex Cup event (if he qualifies). Without some very high finishes, he's not going to qualify for the HSBC. And I'm not sure he will even be eligible for his own Chevron Challenge event.

Quote:

So basically what I'm saying is that I think it is too early to count him out and start talking about the next superstar. When he returns, he's going to have lots of very good chances at winning dozens of more tournaments and several more majors. He's still way ahead of Jack's pace to 18 majors.

Tiger _was_ way ahead of Jack's pace, but no longer. Jack had 14 at age 35. Tiger has 14 at age 35.

[blackxpress]

Before he got injured and went through all his other problems he had already turned into a diva. His schedule was very selective. He wasn't out there week in and week out grinding it out with all the "lesser" players on tour. That's what I would like to see. I would like to see him get healthy and adopt a full schedule where he not only plays in the big name events and majors but tees it up every time he has a chance. If he could spend the bulk of his time between the ropes I have no doubt he would be a superstar again.

[B of H]

every great player goes through ups and downs it seems.  This time though he had knee surgery, a domestic issue, and an achilies injury that just prolonged the drought.  People are putting way too much into it.

[trog2233]

I'm a huge Tiger fan and I don't think he will be much of anything ever again.  If he doesn't change his swing so there isn't so much stress on his left knee he will need a new knee every year or so.  He may win another tournament or two but nothing amazing like before. Tiger is the best when he is healthy but I'm not sure he will every be healthy enough to get back to that point again.  I hope I'm wrong about this because I love seeing him dominate but I doubt it.

[MrElculver2424]

Originally Posted by cdnglf

Tiger _was_ way ahead of Jack's pace, but no longer. Jack had 14 at age 35. Tiger has 14 at age 35.

But Jack didn't win his 15th major until he was 38, so Tiger is still ahead of the pace until he turns 38 and hasn't gotten his 15th yet.

[MrElculver2424]

Originally Posted by trog2233

I'm a huge Tiger fan and I don't think he will be much of anything ever again.  If he doesn't change his swing so there isn't so much stress on his left knee he will need a new knee every year or so.

Not sure what "swing" you are referring to. He has changed his swing to take the stress off the left knee...the new swing with Foley is less hard on his body.

[topspin4hand]

Several of the TV swing gurus say there's still a heckuva lot of stress on his left knee w/ his new swing. Although I attribute his latest injury not to his swing generally but the particularly stance he had while swinging from under that tree at the Masters.  I'm a right-handed golfer in my 30's who's had 1 left ACL surgery and 1 left Achilles surgery so I know how little it takes to tweak those repaired body parts.

Originally Posted by MrElculver2424

Not sure what "swing" you are referring to. He has changed his swing to take the stress off the left knee...the new swing with Foley is less hard on his body.

[cdnglf]

Quote:

But Jack didn't win his 15th major until he was 38, so Tiger is still ahead of the pace until he turns 38 and hasn't gotten his 15th yet.

If you drew a chart plotting age vs majors, they'd both be on 14 at 35 - that is, on the same pace. Tiger only gets ahead of Jack's pace if he wins another major before turning 38. And he only gets "way ahead" if he wins 2 or 3 more majors before turning 38.

[MrElculver2424]

Originally Posted by topspin4hand

Several of the TV swing gurus say there's still a heckuva lot of stress on his left knee w/ his new swing. Although I attribute his latest injury not to his swing generally but the particularly stance he had while swinging from under that tree at the Masters.  I'm a right-handed golfer in my 30's who's had 1 left ACL surgery and 1 left Achilles surgery so I know how little it takes to tweak those repaired body parts.

There is stress on your left leg with every swing. I have bad knees (naturally) and sometimes after a lot of swings my left knee hurts. You keep your foot perpendicular to the target while twisting that let towards the target. Every golf swing in the world does that.

I think Foley's swing is putting less stress on his left leg than his swings with Butch and Hank did.

[tristanhilton85]

Tiger will win again, I have no doubt of that... He probably will win another major or two as well.  I just think that Tiger may be done being the Tiger that we all watched in the early 2000s; he is no longer going to be that guy where it is him and then everybody else.  Because of that it can be fun to speculate who will be the guy who will rise to the top and kind of take his place as the dominate golfer (if anybody even will).

[MrElculver2424]

Originally Posted by tristanhilton85

Tiger will win again, I have no doubt of that... He probably will win another major or two as well.  I just think that Tiger may be done being the Tiger that we all watched in the early 2000s; he is no longer going to be that guy where it is him and then everybody else.  Because of that it can be fun to speculate who will be the guy who will rise to the top and kind of take his place as the dominate golfer (if anybody even will).

Oh, I agree that he will never be what he used to. Even without the scandal, I don't think he would be as good now as he was 4, 5, 6 years ago. He's past his prime...most golfers peak between the ages of 26 and 33, or something like that.

But I still think it's possible to catch and pass Jack, even not being in his prime.

Just look at the next few years' majors and locations

2011 British Open.....................Royal St. George's

2011 PGA Championship..........Atlanta Athletic Club

2012 Masters...........................Augusta National

2012 U.S. Open........................The Olympic Club

2012 British Open.....................Royal Lytham & St. Annes

2012 PGA Championship...........Kiawah Island

2013 Masters...........................Augusta National

2013 U.S. Open........................Merion Golf Club

2013 British Open.....................Muirfield

2013 PGA Championship...........Oak Hill Country Club

2014 Masters...........................Augusta National

2014 U.S Open.........................Pinehurst #2

2014 British Open.....................Royal Liverpool GC, Hoylake

2014 PGA Championship...........Valhalla GC

2015 Masters...........................Augusta National

2015 U.S. Open.......................Chambers Bay

2015 British Open.....................St. Andrews

2015 PGA Championship..........Whistling Straits

2016 Masters..........................Augusta National

2016 U.S. Open......................Oakmont CC

2016 British Open...................?

2016 PGA Championship.........Baltusrol GC

....and that's just until he's 40.

[Tiger Spuds]

Golf is a sport. Thus, it's played with your body. Tiger's body is wrecked. He is an old, old 34.

5 surgeries on that knee alone? Sorry, but that's never going to be the same again.

I'd fancy him to win 5 - 8 more times on Tour before he retires, weeks where perhaps his knee isn't bothering him so much. I'd maybe include 1 more Major in that.

Personally I feel Jack's record isn't attainable for him given the injuries, body wear, and ever stronger Fields of competition.

[makaveli]

I don't think Tiger will ever win another major, golf is a sport mainly played in your head, and Tiger has shown to have a very fragile personality... we will miss him!