probably why there will be only 1 tiger woods ever....

[itzzzberny]

Believe it or not, I've never seen the movie. Just pulling old golfer names out of the mist. Could've just as easily said Arnie, Lee or Gary I suppose.

i was just wondering cause you mentioned jones and walter (hagen).

not trying to argue...

[sonicblue]

The fuzziness in comparing TW to other great athletes in other sports is, golf is much more an individual sport. Whether you win a tournament has a lot to do with how everyone else plays, but everyone else can't affect your play. Much different than basketball where, yeah, it's great if you can score 50 a game from outside, but if the opposing defense sucks, you can score your 50 from layups. This my main Wilt Chamberlain argument - dude had NO ONE who even nearly sized him up; he scored and rebounded over guys he dwarfed. Tiger is torching the majors on courses that people are DESIGNING to stop him, and it's not working. Would Wilt score 50 points against a Shaq/Alonzo double-team all night?

You can never cross-compare athletes, though, too many variables. All I know is, MJ played in an era of a lot of good players, and he made people look like they should be playing a pick-up game at the Boise YMCA, and he did it all: defense, outside shooting, finishing in the lane, passing, dunking. However, he played a game that you can adapt (jumpshot's off, then drive all day, e.g.). Tiger plays a much more unforgiving game. You don't get a roll of the front rim/cup. The wind never blows, rain never falls and the sun doesn't scorch in an arena. Four other people don't play some of your golf shots. It's one guy, one ball, each hole, every hole, every day. A "blowout" in a golf tournament is like 4-5 shots out of 280, not even 2%, whereas a normal basketball game might end up a 5-10% spread between winner and loser.

Golf is the most exacting sport on the planet, IMO, and Tiger is a microsurgeon at it right now, and the rest of the PGA tour - the best 200 golfers in the world - are comparatively playing with two left hands and no thumbs.

[Divot Tool]

I believe it was Bobby Jones who said it best "It is human, I suppose, for every man to think that his days were the best."

I too agree, there will only be one Jack, one Ben and indeed one Tiger. I can't pass judgement on Nicklaus, Hogan and Jones (the list goes on) as they were unfortunately before my time. But Tiger, wow....when he is in command, there is no other like him. I believe there may be players on tour who are equal to Tiger in ball striking, but nobody comes close in the mental aspects of the game. His mental focus is second to none and it is that element which elevates his putting and short game.

After watching him last year dominate, more specifically at Royal Liverpool hit iron after iron. This year at the Bridgestone on Sunday when paired with Rory. Rory disappeared in the Tiger mob, while Tiger was on a whole different level. And Friday at Southern Hills he just seemed to pull away and then put it into cruise control. How he can elevate his game when he needs to is unfathomable. When he is in contention, he's always a threat and when he's leading the others seemingly have no chance. I'm truly grateful to have lived in this era, to have witnessed such greatness.

[dmz]

has anyone ever considered how hard it is to win 1 major let alone multiple majors. anyone who wins one major is a great player, but there will only be one tiger woods, but some one will be better...someday

to those of you brining in the whole MJ/kobe/lebron arguent...it is impossible to compare golf to other team sports because this is an individual sport.

[WilsonWedgeMan]

Tiger has a gift, that thru hard work,diligence,and committment...he became the #1 golfer in the world. I applaud his successes,regardless of who his dad /mom was... BUT, I also believe that ALL the other players, upon seeing his name on the board, automatically,sub-conciously look @ NOT being able to win...when I see a man from another country,OLDER man..Angel C., beat Tiger in a Tourney...there's NO excuse for the younger golfers HERE, not giving Tiger a better run for the $$...sorry.. they all reserve themselves to the fact that 2nd place is the best they're gonna do...

[itzzzberny]

has anyone ever considered how hard it is to win 1 major let alone multiple majors. anyone who wins one major is a great player, but there will only be one tiger woods, but some one will be better...someday

kobe and lebron are no where near MJ status... out of the 3... 1. MJ 2.Kobe 3.LeBron

[JKilgore44]

There can never be another "Tiger", maybe a lion or a bear, but definitely not a Tiger... I do think that there will eventually be a better golfer than him. Maybe 15 years from now, but once he takes the record, somebody else will eventually do the same. That's the beauty of it.

[nykfan4life]

it is impossible to compare golf to other team sports because this is an individual sport.

Bingo too short

[Leek]

at this rate though; jack, bobby and walter would be like...

I think Jack, Bobby, Hogan etc. would still be equals as they dominated the people they played against, just like Tiger, if he can stay there.

By the way, in basketball some folks might tell you MJ was great, but the Big O was better. Averaged a triple double for a year! Others might take Wilt.

[olive]

Tiger is a wonderful golfer but, I feel his largest impact may be off the golf course. What he is doing for kids via his foundation and learning centers is nothing short of remarkable. At his age to have set up the infrastructure to get that effort off the ground is amazing. You just do not see that often in this day and age.

[Lemay427]

tiger made golf "cool". plain and simple. i started playing like 2 years before he went pro. I was in middle school and every one of my friends was like, wtf, why are you playing golf. they only knew golf as a lazy mans sunday game. tiger changed that perception. if tiger wasnt on tour, you wouldnt have them testing for performance enhancing drugs. sure there would be some people that would stay fit, but just like tiger said, when he first came on tour, he was one of the only guys in the pga gym at a tourney. now it is packed. j

ack and arnie were great. they just didnt change the face of the game like tiger did. who is better out of them? you have to go with jack until tiger breaks his record.

i dont see anyone in the near future having that much of an impact on golf and the sports world in general. tiger is going to be the first billion dollar athelete, they say. to me that can mean only one thing: he influences everyone, considering most of that money is endorsements. i wont lie, i model my pre shot routine from him. i want to model my fitness game after him. he is really a true class act for the sports world.

[gbk56]

The fuzziness in comparing TW to other great athletes in other sports is, golf is much more an individual sport. Whether you win a tournament has a lot to do with how everyone else plays, but everyone else can't affect your play. Much different than basketball where, yeah, it's great if you can score 50 a game from outside, but if the opposing defense sucks, you can score your 50 from layups. This my main Wilt Chamberlain argument - dude had NO ONE who even nearly sized him up; he scored and rebounded over guys he dwarfed. Tiger is torching the majors on courses that people are DESIGNING to stop him, and it's not working. Would Wilt score 50 points against a Shaq/Alonzo double-team all night?

I agree Tiger is one of the best and you really can't compare his performance in golf to team sports, but I do not agree with the analysis. First, I am not sure you can clasify golf as a sport. Second, I would agree that it may not be reasonable to compare an individualized activity like golf to a team sport. In an individualized activity like golf you only have to worry about yourself. In a team sport like basketball, if you want to be a champion like MJ and the likes you must not only prepare yourself, but also motivate an entire team to play at peak performance. I think being a champion in a team sport is much harder when you are the star and responsible for your performance and everyone else's performance. Look at Kobie. Great individual talent, but he must learn to get along with teamates and win more championships before he can be considered one of the greatest. If he was a tennis player or golfer he would probably be better off. Third, "Would Wilt score 50 points against a Shaq/Alonzo double-team all night?" Tell me would Tiger win as many tournaments if he competed against some of the golf greats like Jack and Arnie in their prime? No one is sizing up Tiger either. I just don't agree with this analysis.

[geezer]

First, I am not sure you can clasify golf as a sport.

Well I don't think american football or baseball should be classified as a sport either, but somehow I get the opinion that Americans will disagree.

[themasteroncbs]

When will Tiger be up for canonization? He's obviously a Saint that can walk on water and heal the sick and give to the poor. At least the way people talk about him you would think that was the case.

[erniebanks]

Sport: Physical acvitity engaged in for pleasure (Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary)

I can think of hundreds of "sports" by this defination. Golf certainly qualifies,as does football, baseball and sex.

[funnyguy]

Compared to other sports, golf is unique in that an overweight , out of shape smoker can occasionaly win a champanionship. I can't really think of another professional sport where this can happen. However, Tiger is consistantly in the money not only because he's probably the most talented, practices the longest hours, but he's the most fit guy out there. The rest of the field is going to have to face up that they're going to have to make physical fitness part of their game plan if they want to beat Tiger. Frankly, I don't have the time or the energy.

[themasteroncbs]

Compared to other sports, golf is unique in that an overweight , out of shape smoker can occasionaly win a champanionship. I can't really think of another professional sport where this can happen. However, Tiger is consistantly in the money not only because he's probably the most talented, practices the longest hours, but he's the most fit guy out there. The rest of the field is going to have to face up that they're going to have to make physical fitness part of their game plan if they want to beat Tiger. Frankly, I don't have the time or the energy.

I think alot of the guys on tour now are pretty physically fit. I mean look at Vijay, Adam Scott, and Camillo Villegas. I even think Phil is starting to get into the act now. There are much fewer Tim Herron types than there used to be that's for sure.

[funnyguy]

You're right, Tiger raised the bar in more ways than one. He's been the best thing to happen to the sport in a long time. He even got my wife interested in golf, for heaven's sake.