Will Tiger Ever Ascend to No 1 Again?

[jbishop15]

If he ever "fully recovers". We're still not even sure he was actually hurt this last week or is just finding it easier to claim injury than to justify poor play.

Time alone will tell.

I think he withdrew because he was hurting but if he was in contention I think he would've gutted it out. It's like the Barclays last year; clearly in pain, played through because he had a chance to win. Same with the US Open; if he wasn't in contention after the first two days he probably withdraws and rehabs the broken leg instead of forging ahead.

[ChrisP]

I think he withdrew because he was hurting but if he was in contention I think he would've gutted it out. It's like the Barclays last year; clearly in pain, played through because he had a chance to win. Same with the US Open; if he wasn't in contention after the first two days he probably withdraws and rehabs the broken leg instead of forging ahead.

I don't think so. He couldn't move on Sunday. As someone who knows the different levels of lower back pain, I saw in him what I've had before....he couldn't walk. At the Barclays it was painful but it didn't reach that level where he couldn't walk, probably because he took a lot of pain pills to keep him going along with a few shots. I think he was caught off guard Sunday and didn't see it coming.

I think it was just a nasty spasm....the fact he's waiting it out proves that. If there was structural damage, he'd have WD'd by now.

[tmac20]

When Tiger comes back, he won't be in top form. He has a swing that requires a strong build. With this injury, he's going to lose a significant amount of muscle mass that came from years of weight lifting and intense workouts. At 38 years old (turning 39 this year), Tiger will likely have some trouble regaining the strength he had before the injury. Not to mention, with a back injury, I'm sure his doctor is advising against heavy lifting for quite some time, especially squats. I don't think he'll do very well the remainder of this year and next season, and he'll get rid of Foley. Will he ever come back to number 1? Maybe, but not with the swing he currently has.

[quote name="iacas" url="/t/74783/will-tiger-ever-ascend-to-no-1-again#post_996350"] Filed for future #claimchowder. :) [/quote] ;-)

[Monte the Bear]

No.

He's finished. His swing is now built to protect elements of his body that break down regularly, and that syrupy Els-like swing has now disappeared, replace by a hoik that looks like a guy throwing a sack of cats off of a pier. His head bobs up and down like a Johnny Football bobblehead.

Finished. Sideshow Bob.

[iacas]

;-)

We shall see. You're comfortable betting against arguably the best ever. I'm not.

[Gunther]

We shall see. You're comfortable betting against arguably the best ever. I'm not.

Well, he's more points away from #1 than the total points he has which will keep dropping for the next 4 or 5 months. Would take 2 to 3 years to make up the difference unless he goes on a tear like 2000 out of the gate next year (not gonna happen). He'll be 39 next time he tees it up in competition. I think he'll win a few more times, might back door a major but very comfortable betting against ascension to #1.

[Zwick]

Well, he's more points away from #1 than the total points he has which will keep dropping for the next 4 or 5 months. Would take 2 to 3 years to make up the difference unless he goes on a tear like 2000 out of the gate next year (not gonna happen).

He'll be 39 next time he tees it up in competition. I think he'll win a few more times, might back door a major but very comfortable betting against ascension to #1.

Last year he had a point average of more than 14. That alone would easily be enough to get back to #1 (for comparison: McIlroy is at about 11 points right now). Next year it's unlikely that he can reach #1 (new swing and all), but he needs just two average years (by his standards) to get it back to #1. If he goes on a tear like 2000 he probably will reach close to a 30 points average.

[Gunther]

Last year he had a point average of more than 14. That alone would easily be enough to get back to #1 (for comparison: McIlroy is at about 11 points right now). Next year it's unlikely that he can reach #1 (new swing and all), but he needs just two average years (by his standards) to get it back to #1. If he goes on a tear like 2000 he probably will reach close to a 30 points average.

Not sure it quite works that way. I don't think he leapt 14 owgr points in a year. He may have gotten to 14 from 10 or 11 but it takes some time. I don't think Tiger has enough time left.

[Zwick]

Not sure it quite works that way. I don't think he leapt 14 owgr points in a year. He may have gotten to 14 from 10 or 11 but it takes some time. I don't think Tiger has enough time left.

You can check the points for every player for every week for the last 30 or so years (http://www.owgr.com/en/Ranking/PlayerProfile.aspx?playerID=5321# --> player's ranking history at the bottom right of the page).

At the beginning of 2013 Woods was at 8.4 points, in April he was at over 14 points. At the end of 2012 (that year was as bad as 2014) he was at 2.5 points, at the end of summer he was back at 9.7 points. This just goes to show how fast a few wins result in quite a big jump in the rankings. Like I said, two average years (say 4-5 win each, which is even below average for him in injury-free years) probably put him pack on top.

[Gunther]

You can check the points for every player for every week for the last 30 or so years ([URL=http://www.owgr.com/en/Ranking/PlayerProfile.aspx?playerID=5321#]http://www.owgr.com/en/Ranking/PlayerProfile.aspx?playerID=5321#[/URL] --> player's ranking history at the bottom right of the page). At the beginning of 2013 Woods was at 8.4 points, in April he was at over 14 points. At the end of 2012 (that year was as bad as 2014) he was at 2.5 points, at the end of summer he was back at 9.7 points. This just goes to show how fast a few wins result in quite a big jump in the rankings. Like I said, two average years (say 4-5 win each, which is even below average for him in injury-free years) probably put him pack on top.

Yeah, I guess most of his wins are the big ones with the strongest fields, albeit, no majors, so worth more owgr points than a random Byron Nelson. I can see how 3 big wins would result in a big jump but again, really don't see that happening for him. Would be pretty amazing to reach #1 at 40 for what, the 5th time in his career?

[Mulligan Jeff]

Tiger will ascend to number one in the world only under one condition: Butch Harmon caddies for Tiger and gives tip, anecdotes and off color jokes (Tiger loves them) between holes.

[Lihu]

I put yes, but there are lots of really good players out there.

[Gunther]

Got to thinking about this again. Tiger will fall out of the top 50 soon and if he hangs it up this year will end up close to 1000 as his wins from '13 fall off. I suggested that he never would sniff #1 again, that ship has sailed. But, surprisingly, 65% of our members believed that he would reach the top spot again. I wonder if some of those folks would like to re-think that?

[JonMA1]

Got to thinking about this again. Tiger will fall out of the top 50 soon and if he hangs it up this year will end up close to 1000 as his wins from '13 fall off.

I suggested that he never would sniff #1 again, that ship has sailed. But, surprisingly, 65% of our members believed that he would reach the top spot again. I wonder if some of those folks would like to re-think that?

It wouldn't have surprised me if had come back and challenged for #1 once more. Having seen him tweak his back last weekend certainly makes it a longer shot. I believe his health is the only thing that can get in his way of becoming competitive once again. Aside from that, I think he still has the drive and he would eventually figure out the mechanics.

I'm sorry, he made it look easy in 2013. I'm guessing there were just as many folks back then thinking he couldn't do it as there are now. I don't know how much money I'd put on him winning a major or getting to the top spot, but I wouldn't bet a ton against him.

I haven't been following professional golf very long so I'm a bit ignorant regarding the history of older players staying competitive. But as athletes go, you have to admit he is a bit different.

[inthehole]

In a word .... NOPE

[9iron]

Since the thread has been resurrected, no chance he is ever #1 again. Too brittle.

[phan52]

Got to thinking about this again. Tiger will fall out of the top 50 soon and if he hangs it up this year will end up close to 1000 as his wins from '13 fall off.

I suggested that he never would sniff #1 again, that ship has sailed. But, surprisingly, 65% of our members believed that he would reach the top spot again. I wonder if some of those folks would like to re-think that?

I'm sure most of them voted around the time that you started the thread and, yes, they probably would like to re-think it.

I think Rory will be the world #1 for a long time and Tiger won't compete enough to catch him, even if he regains some of his game.

[ChrisP]

#1 again? I think the more burning question is whether he'll ever be relevant again as a golfer. There's a chance that he could fall the way Seve Ballesteros did in his 40s and just play and miss cuts. I think he's going to have a very hard time trying to change his swing now to something that doesn't put stress on the back and it could cripple his game altogether. I hope I'm wrong on that because obviously having Tiger at the top is good for the game, but I have my doubts big time.