Is 2014 a make or break year for Tiger?

[colin007]

Extra zero there. :)

DEFCON 1 is the highest state of alert. DEFCON 5 js the lowest state of readiness. :)

you know, when i typed that, i had no idea so i just went with the highest number because im 'Merican and bigger is always better...  :)

[ScouseJohnny]

Quote:

...and we see Greg Norman and Tom Watson in contention in their mid to late 50's, anyone saying that Tiger will never win another major are just silly.

I don't know whether or not he'll win another major, but I don't see any likely comparison at all between Tiger Woods and other golfers who stuck around and came close to winning a major in their 50s, (such as Norman at the 2008 Open, Watson at the 2009 Open, Floyd at the 1990 and 1992 Masters, etc).

Look at Norman's and Watson's records from 2000 onwards. OK, Watson has had great success on the Champions' Tour during that time, but his last PGA Tour win was in 1998. Apart from the couple of high spots already mentioned, both Watson's and Norman's major results post-2000 have been a mixture of missing the cut, not playing at all, or finishing very low down the field. Which is understandable, given their ages. Nice to see them turn out to play, and I was rooting for Tom Watson to win at Turnberry in 2009.

My point: if he's not playing competitive golf, and either winning or placing high up the leaderboard on a regular basis , I don't see Tiger turning out to play in the hope of sneaking another major. Something tells me the Champions' Tour wouldn't be his cup of tea, either. And we're never going to have the spectacle of a middle-aged Tiger turning up to the Masters and posting double-digit over par scores à la Woosnam, Lyle, et al.

When he stops being as competitive as he'd like, my guess would be he'll retire and carry on as the incredibly successful businessman he already is.

[Maddog10]

I think it's safe to say Tiger has already "made" it. In terms of winning more majors though, the hourglass is certainly dropping sand. I don't know that 2014 is the year that he HAS to get it done, but it's definitely not getting any easier, especially with some of these young guys coming in looking so polished.

[Jakester23]

I'd say he has some time but he has to get to 15 by the end of 2015.

[ChrisP]

To be the best that ever lived, he has to get to 18. And that's not the media's words.......those are straight out of Tiger and Jack's mouths, and those are the ones that matter the most.

I personally think he has to win one this year. I know a lot of people are saying he has still has like 44 more tries til he's 50, but you have to keep in mind his body may not be healthy for half of those majors. You can just see since the knee injury in 2008 how many majors he's either missed or played banged up. And if he misses substantial time, it takes a while to get back to full strength. Not to mention, he's going to probably undergo one more major swing change in the next few years, which also takes a while to adapt.

There's also the fact the field is not getting any weaker. It's getting deeper and stronger. I just don't know how many he's going to win in his 40s. I think he'll get maybe a couple, but he's already almost at that age.

[iacas]

To be the best that ever lived, he has to get to 18. And that's not the media's words.......those are straight out of Tiger and Jack's mouths, and those are the ones that matter the most.

FWIW, many disagree with you: .

I personally think he has to win one this year. I know a lot of people are saying he has still has like 44 more tries til he's 50, but you have to keep in mind his body may not be healthy for half of those majors. You can just see since the knee injury in 2008 how many majors he's either missed or played banged up. And if he misses substantial time, it takes a while to get back to full strength. Not to mention, he's going to probably undergo one more major swing change in the next few years, which also takes a while to adapt.

There's also the fact the field is not getting any weaker. It's getting deeper and stronger. I just don't know how many he's going to win in his 40s. I think he'll get maybe a couple, but he's already almost at that age.

I agree with that stuff.

[Spitfisher]

2008's major has been a while, the dominance of 2000-2006 has been a while, the shocking behavior, aldultery and lying has been a while, the sudden departure of Haney, the injuries since 2009, the swing change part I, part II and now Part III has all been a while. Although the irratic wedge & iron shots seems to have been corrected, the putting at times has improved and other times appears lost. But be that as it may, is this year make or break? No, but this year is a concern for the tiger camp if one major is not won......in my opinion

[ScouseJohnny]

At the risk of being obvious, it is the gap between majors that must make it statistically unlikely, especially if a golfer is aiming for five more of them before retiring.

Excuse the source, but it is interesting to look at the date ranges for majors won: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_men%27s_major_championships_winning_golfers

I didn't have time to go through all of them, but Hale Irwin's 11 years between majors struck me as the likely record in the modern era? And, of course, the 1990 US Open was Irwin's last major victory.

No doubt this has all been discussed ad nauseam in the Jack vs Tiger thread, but I simply can't comprehend how anyone is basically going to equal, say, Seve's total haul of majors, but commencing at the age of 38.

But as that seems to be his acknowledged aim, I'd say every year is now a make or break year...

[Jakester23]

Johnny not to be rude to Seve but Tiger is miles ahead of Him. We have never seen someone as dominant as Tiger. I don't think its unreasonable to think he will have a longer career than the players in Jack's. Due to modern medicine physical therapy ect.. Im still not sure if this is a make or break year for him. Phil and Ernie just won in their early to mid 40's so what would make me think Tiger can't do the same.

[iacas]

No doubt this has all been discussed ad nauseam in the Jack vs Tiger thread, but I simply can't comprehend how anyone is basically going to equal, say, Seve's total haul of majors, but commencing at the age of 38.

Phil Mickelson has five majors.

So there are two ways to look at that:

- How could someone effectively have Phil's career from age 38 onward?

- The guy's already had almost THREE TIMES Phil's career already, so if anyone can add a fourth… who else is more likely to do it?

But I don't think he gets them. Heck, I voted that he's done period in the other thread.

[Conrad]

Based on the venues and the current state of the game its definitely much more toward make or break than just another year for Tiger. The clock isn't going to stop ticking and the longer he goes forward without a major win the heavier that monkey on his back gets.

I've never once doubted Tiger with my rooting interests and his own expectations. He's proved a lot of people wrong just by coming back and winning regular tour events after the scandal/injury hiatus. Most guys careers would have been over. It took a lot less to get David Duval back to base camp never to scale the mountain again. Tiger is motivated by the doubters, haters and media a like that all basically declared him dead and gone.

Will he win a major this year? I'd say yes. The Master's will always stand to be his best chance till he hits his mid 40's. The Open Championship seems more likely than the US Open for him now and the PGA is always there.

Will he pass Jack? I'd say his chances would go up exponentially with a major win this year and go down dramatically if he didn't.

It's probably the biggest year for his career post scandal but make or break for an athlete whose made a career out of doing the impossible seems a bit steep.

[Jakester23]

Well put Conrad. I do think he will have a lot more chances but how many wins that leads to who knows. Look at all the 2nd's Phil has at the US open hes been there a lot but that just shows how hard it is to get one. Let alone 19. Im still leaning towards him winning at least a few more but 5 just looks so daunting.

[albatross]

It's irrelevant, because now that Patrick Reed is on the scene, no one else will win a major for the next decade.  At least!

[Jakester23]

It's irrelevant, because now that Patrick Reed is on the scene, no one else will win a major for the next decade.  At least! :-)

Haha. I think Reed is solid but lets not get to carried away. I do think Tiger has a good shot at the Masters this year if hes healthy but that's a big if.