Tiger is WASHED UP.....................

[Mr3Wiggle]

Anyone like Steve Stricker at the US Open?

[zipazoid]

Originally Posted by Mr3Wiggle

Anyone like Steve Stricker at the US Open?

I like him a lot.

Also forgot about Scott Simpson over Tom Watson in '87.

[k-troop]

Great, great win by Tiger.  That's three wins in six months now; two of those wins required multiple birdies in the final 3 holes.  Great stuff.

After Bay Hill, the masses hung Tiger's 5th green jacket in the Butler Cabin.  Then he slogged around for a T-40 (in a field of 90).  I'll just say it:  it's going to take some time for me to love Tiger again, after all that's happened for the last 3 years.  But yesterday was completely awesome, to win that way at Jack's tourney.

Jack and Arnie's tournaments in the same year.  If he does nothing else this year, it's a great year.  It would be kinda like an homage year, where he has to pay his respects to the elders before he's allowed to wear the crown again.

[RonTheSavage]

Like the poster above stated if he does nothing else this year, it's a great year, and I agree with that. 11 tournaments, 2 wins and 3 other top 4 finishes. By "normal" standards thats a great year so far. We all know that Golf is a mean fickle game. One week you have it and the next you dont. So if he finishes outside the top 10 or heaven forbid misses the cut at the US Open ESPN and Golf Channel will be back to killing the guy again.

The guy is a victim of his own success.

[BunkerShot]

I second that feeling lets share the loot

[iacas]

It's not a great year unless he wins a major. That's my standard, his standard, and the standard of most people, I think.

[Rip24]

@ IACAS, I disagree with your opinion.  Most professionals go there entire career without even sniffing a win.  He has two wins this year.  And is on a short list of people contending for player of the year.

So its not a great year if he doesnt win a major?  Does that mean at best their are only four players that can have great years in a given season??

Does this mean Luke Donald didnt have a great year in 2011?  (becoming #1, top money lists on both tours)

Yeah I think you may want to rethink that statement there buddy...

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by Rip24

@ IACAS, I disagree with your opinion.  Most professionals go there entire career without even sniffing a win.  He has two wins this year.  And is on a short list of people contending for player of the year.

So its not a great year if he doesnt win a major?  Does that mean at best their are only four players that can have great years in a given season??

Does this mean Luke Donald didnt have a great year in 2011?  (becoming #1, top money lists on both tours)

Yeah I think you may want to rethink that statement there buddy...

I tend to agree with Erik.  What I consider to be a great round, you may not consider to be a great round.  Same for Tiger vs. other pros.  Different standards of excellence.  Over the course of his career, Tiger has shown his definition of excellence is above what other tour pros are capable of.  And therefore what he considers a good/great year should be above that which other tour players consider good/great.

[RonTheSavage]

Originally Posted by iacas

It's not a great year unless he wins a major. That's my standard, his standard, and the standard of most people, I think.

Thats a high standard. But Tiger has even said himself that he enters tournaments expecting/wanting to win. Ofcourse Majors mean the most to him, but he fist pumps just as hard on regular tour stops as well.  I think thats what makes him a beast. He wants to win everything and it's fun to watch and talk about it.

[BunkerShot]

Originally Posted by CraiginKSA

Did you hear what Jack said about that shot?!?!  Greatest shot he's ever seen given the circumstances.

That shot was an all-timer not doubt.  Tournament on the line, out of the rough, green sloping away, water (not that those guys care about that) - and he takes a full-swing cutting through the hay and lets it roll right at the hole with the perfect amount of borrow...

You couldn't ask for a better compliment from the king himself. And Jack is a guy who knows a thing or two about golf shots

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by RonTheSavage

Thats a high standard. But Tiger has even said himself that he enters tournaments expecting/wanting to win. Ofcourse Majors mean the most to him, but he fist pumps just as hard on regular tour stops as well.  I think thats what makes him a beast. He wants to win everything

I remember one of his first interviews with Curtis Strange.  Tiger told him that he expected to win every week.  Strange told Tiger that was not possible on tour.  Tiger told him second sucks.  Strange told Tiger that he'd learn.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Rip24

@ IACAS, I disagree with your opinion. Most professionals go there entire career without even sniffing a win. He has two wins this year. And is on a short list of people contending for player of the year.

You disagree with Tiger too. Tiger is not "most professionals."

Originally Posted by Rip24

So its not a great year if he doesnt win a major?  Does that mean at best their are only four players that can have great years in a given season??

Tiger holds himself to a different standard than most players. Fans and the media hold him to a different standard than most players.

For some players, simply retaining their PGA Tour card is a "great" year.

Originally Posted by Rip24

Does this mean Luke Donald didnt have a great year in 2011?  (becoming #1, top money lists on both tours)

Yeah I think you may want to rethink that statement there buddy...

You'd have to ask Luke. I do remember him saying that he'd like to win a major. But if you're asking me, for Luke, a great year. Yep.

No re-thinking necessary, thank you.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Rip24

@ IACAS, I disagree with your opinion.  Most professionals go there entire career without even sniffing a win.  He has two wins this year.  And is on a short list of people contending for player of the year.

So its not a great year if he doesnt win a major?  Does that mean at best their are only four players that can have great years in a given season??

Does this mean Luke Donald didnt have a great year in 2011?  (becoming #1, top money lists on both tours)

Yeah I think you may want to rethink that statement there buddy...

Tiger Woods is not most professionals.  My standards for other people differ from my standard for Tiger Woods in regards to a "great year."  For example, if after "choking" the Pheonix Open and losing yesterday, Spencer Levin manages a win this season, I would probably call that a great season for him.  But for Tiger Woods, it's a major (preferably multiples) or bust.

The New York Yankees are failures unless they win the World Series.  The San Diego Padres would consider it a great season if they finish over .500.

EDIT:  Sorry, didn't se Erik already said all of this while I was writing.  Which reminds me, I should probably learn how to type correctly.

[BunkerShot]

Originally Posted by Mr3Wiggle

Anyone like Steve Stricker at the US Open?

Not a bad pick, but I think Jim Furyk will be there in one of the two final pairing's

[Elvisliveson]

Originally Posted by zipazoid

Olympic is infamous for producing the wrong winner. Fleck over Hogan, Casper over Palmer, Janzen over Stewart.

I can see the last couple of holes coming down to Tiger & someone like Zach Johnson (who isn't a bad pick now that I think about it), with Johnson prevailing.

You forgot Scott Simpson over Tom Watson, probably the 2nd biggest upset behind Fleck over Hogan. Afterall, Casper and Janzen had won a US Open before winning at Olympic.  I agree that it has all the makings of Tiger finishing 2nd to someone like Mark Wilson.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rip24

@ IACAS, I disagree with your opinion.  Most professionals go there entire career without even sniffing a win.  He has two wins this year.  And is on a short list of people contending for player of the year.

So its not a great year if he doesnt win a major?  Does that mean at best their are only four players that can have great years in a given season??

Does this mean Luke Donald didnt have a great year in 2011?  (becoming #1, top money lists on both tours)

Yeah I think you may want to rethink that statement there buddy...

IACAS is right because great players are held to a higher standard. That's a great year for Steve Marino. But, we're talking about a guy who once won 3 majors in a single year. hard to get excited about not even winning that many regular events. That's how it's always been. For example, Arnold Palmer won 16 regular tour events between 1966-1971, but everyone was always asking "what's wrong with Arnie?' since he wasn't winning majors anymore.

[BunkerShot]

Originally Posted by RonTheSavage

Like the poster above stated if he does nothing else this year, it's a great year, and I agree with that. 11 tournaments, 2 wins and 3 other top 4 finishes. By "normal" standards thats a great year so far. We all know that Golf is a mean fickle game. One week you have it and the next you dont. So if he finishes outside the top 10 or heaven forbid misses the cut at the US Open ESPN and Golf Channel will be back to killing the guy again.

The guy is a victim of his own success.

Well said RTS.

[AmazingWhacker]

I wanted to add that playing along side another player who is imploding makes what Tiger did even more impressive.  A lot of players would've been effected by Fowler's struggling 84.

[turtleback]

Originally Posted by jamo

Phil Mickelson is clearly better right now.

Yeah.  But at WHAT??

Originally Posted by k-troop

Jack and Arnie's tournaments in the same year.  If he does nothing else this year, it's a great year.  It would be kinda like an homage year, where he has to pay his respects to the elders before he's allowed to wear the crown again.

If I'm not mistaken that was the 4th time he did that particular double in the same year.