The Tiger Woods Retirement Thread

[Dakota Atkinson]

To the fanboys. There was zero chance of him winning the Masters and the people who bet him down to 18-1 are the ones who are delusional. Maybe down the road when he actually logs some competition under his belt, but Sunday showed just how far away he is. Besides being lapped by the world's #!, It took him until 13 to actually hit a fairway on a course with some of the widest fairways on the planet.

The reason people are impressed with Tiger's showing isn't his score. It's because two months ago he was injured, his short game was as bad as mine, and he was missing cuts and carding 80's. A week ago we didn't think he was even going to play. Then he showed up to Augusta and ended up playing with the world #1 on Sunday and shooting 5 under par. Given the circumstances, I'd say it was a massive success.

[iacas]

The reason people are impressed with Tiger's showing isn't his score. It's because two months ago he was injured, his short game was as bad as mine, and he was missing cuts and carding 80's. A week ago we didn't think he was even going to play. Then he showed up to Augusta and ended up playing with the world #1 on Sunday and shooting 5 under par. Given the circumstances, I'd say it was a massive success.

Good post, but I fear it's wasted on the likes of @phan52 .

[Gunther]

I would not say TW didn't have a successful week. It was by his standards a success, esp when compared to where he's been the past year. My point earlier is that based on that performance, I think it's clear he will never win another major. So yes, it was successful comparatively but not enough to compete with the new studs on tour. He can't practice like he once did for fear of injury so I think what we saw was the best TW we'll ever see again and it's just not good enough anymore.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dakota Atkinson

The reason people are impressed with Tiger's showing isn't his score. It's because two months ago he was injured, his short game was as bad as mine, and he was missing cuts and carding 80's. A week ago we didn't think he was even going to play. Then he showed up to Augusta and ended up playing with the world #1 on Sunday and shooting 5 under par. Given the circumstances, I'd say it was a massive success.

Good post, but I fear it's wasted on the likes of @phan52.

Some people just can't imagine that a person could see a positive in Tiger's performance without that person having to be a "fan boy".   Most people, fans and others, weren't even picking Tiger to make the cut, much less be in the top 10 starting on Sunday.  The fact that he struggled on Sunday may have been a lapse of concentration because he really didn't have any chance to overtake the leader, and for Tiger, that's a buzzkill - simply moving up the leaderboard isn't what he sets for a goal come Sunday.

[phan52]

Some people just can't imagine that a person could see a positive in Tiger's performance without that person having to be a "fan boy".   Most people, fans and others, weren't even picking Tiger to make the cut, much less be in the top 10 starting on Sunday.  The fact that he struggled on Sunday may have been a lapse of concentration because he really didn't have any chance to overtake the leader, and for Tiger, that's a buzzkill - simply moving up the leaderboard isn't what he sets for a goal come Sunday.

More to the point, a young classy kid just won the Masters going away and is now the second ranked player in the world. Meanwhile Tiger played on Sunday with the world #1 and was spanked six ways to next Sunday. Yet all you people can talk about is Tiger.

Hell, even in the Masters thread Erik is further belaboring the threadbare "strength of field" argument which, BTW, I would suggest is . But that's just me.

[Golfingdad]

You are Drawing an awful lot of conclusions from ONE ROUND OF GOLF

Seriously.  Tiger shot a 73.  So what?

What conclusions should we draw about Bubba Watsons and Adam Scotts 74's ... the three most recent Masters Champions?  Or what about the missed cut from last years US Open champion?

@Dakota Atkinson is right:

The reason people are impressed with Tiger's showing isn't his score. It's because two months ago he was injured, his short game was as bad as mine, and he was missing cuts and carding 80's. A week ago we didn't think he was even going to play. Then he showed up to Augusta and ended up playing with the world #1 on Sunday and shooting 5 under par. Given the circumstances, I'd say it was a massive success.

[krupa]

I would not say TW didn't have a successful week. It was by his standards a success, esp when compared to where he's been the past year.

My point earlier is that based on that performance, I think it's clear he will never win another major. So yes, it was successful comparatively but not enough to compete with the new studs on tour. He can't practice like he once did for fear of injury so I think what we saw was the best TW we'll ever see again and it's just not good enough anymore.

I don't think the first tournament back is something to base future predictions on.  If he missed the cut, then maybe.  Otherwise, I don't think his potential to win more majors is clear at all.  Especially with Mickelson finishing at T2.

[Elmer]

Tiger would tell you that, partly because he has to tell himself that stuff. He'd be wrong.

Anyone who knows a bit about competitive golf would tell you this was a great step.

He finished a tournament.

He finished under par.

He didn't suffer a recurring injury.

He was on a leaderboard on Sunday (though nobody outside of two or three others had a chance to win).

His full swing was much improved.

His short game was not just improved, but GREAT.

It was a great step in the right direction. It's a building block.

Cant disagree with you that it is a step and a step in the right direction. If it pays off in the end finishing top 20 with all the above is a major step.

But yes Tiger needs to win majors, and I would bet he would have been willing to take 2 steps back if it meant he could have won a major!

I wonder is taking all those steps would have been better served at any other tournament to better enable him to be more competative for the masters?

Or maybe the Masters just worked into his building block schedule.

[Gunther]

I don't think the first tournament back is something to base future predictions on.  If he missed the cut, then maybe.  Otherwise, I don't think his potential to win more majors is clear at all.  Especially with Mickelson finishing at T2.

I hear you and I've been wrong before but what I saw was Tiger wilt in the 4th round. Possibly because he knew he couldn't win but that's not a quality he's exhibited before so I'm perceiving it as a sign. I think he'll win a few more tour events but I truly do not believe he can win another major in the environment that exists today. The guns don't fear him. Although Sergio still does.

[oregongolfguy]

I wouldn't say that he can't win another major.  But at least for the time being I would lump him in with a group of other players that "could" win a major.  And probably not the very top group.  That's really the difference.  If I was to guess Tiger is going to be just one of the many very good players on tour, not one of the Greats...Not a top pic...but a guy that will be around and could get hot and make it happen....hmm....feels weird just typing it.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Some people just can't imagine that a person could see a positive in Tiger's performance without that person having to be a "fan boy".   Most people, fans and others, weren't even picking Tiger to make the cut, much less be in the top 10 starting on Sunday.  The fact that he struggled on Sunday may have been a lapse of concentration because he really didn't have any chance to overtake the leader, and for Tiger, that's a buzzkill - simply moving up the leaderboard isn't what he sets for a goal come Sunday.

More to the point, a young classy kid just won the Masters going away and is now the second ranked player in the world. Meanwhile Tiger played on Sunday with the world #1 and was spanked six ways to next Sunday. Yet all you people can talk about is Tiger.

Hell, even in the Masters thread Erik is further belaboring the threadbare "strength of field" argument which, BTW, I would suggest is . But that's just me.

Um.... this is the Tiger Woods Retirement thread.  Why would we not be discussing Tiger in this thread?

Quote:

Originally Posted by krupa

I don't think the first tournament back is something to base future predictions on.  If he missed the cut, then maybe.  Otherwise, I don't think his potential to win more majors is clear at all.  Especially with Mickelson finishing at T2.

I hear you and I've been wrong before but what I saw was Tiger wilt in the 4th round. Possibly because he knew he couldn't win but that's not a quality he's exhibited before so I'm perceiving it as a sign.

I think he'll win a few more tour events but I truly do not believe he can win another major in the environment that exists today. The guns don't fear him. Although Sergio still does.

He may not have exactly wilted in the past, but it is significant that he has never managed to come from behind on the last day to win a major.  This year was no different in that respect.

[Rick Martin]

Any news on TW's dislocated wrist? Everything I've read, a dislocated bone in the wrist requires pretty immediate surgery and is no way similar to a chronically dislocated shoulder which can be "popped" back in even without sedation.   If it truly was a dislocation, I don't see him coming back anytime soon - until well after Jack's tourney.

[tmac20]

Any news on TW's dislocated wrist? Everything I've read, a dislocated bone in the wrist requires pretty immediate surgery and is no way similar to a chronically dislocated shoulder which can be "popped" back in even without sedation.   If it truly was a dislocation, I don't see him coming back anytime soon - until well after Jack's tourney.

He didn't dislocate his wrist. There is no way he would have been able to play 9 holes with a dislocated wrist.

[Phil McGleno]

My point earlier is that based on that performance, I think it's clear he will never win another major. So yes, it was successful comparatively but not enough to compete with the new studs on tour. He can't practice like he once did for fear of injury so I think what we saw was the best TW we'll ever see again and it's just not good enough anymore.

Ha ha ha. What a short memory people seem to have. Tom Watson was an up-and-down from winning a major at the ripe old age of 59. Maybe he will-maybe he will not win another major. I just find the confidence to say one way or the other incredible given the history of golf the history of Tiger and even recent older players to have won or contended in majors despite not having the game Tiger has proven to have. For the first time in a long time things are looking UP For Tiger Woods. [quote name="Rick Martin" url="/t/79927/the-tiger-woods-retirement-thread/288#post_1129129"]Any news on TW's dislocated wrist? Everything I've read, a dislocated bone in the wrist requires pretty immediate surgery and is no way similar to a chronically dislocated shoulder which can be "popped" back in even without sedation. If it truly was a dislocation, I don't see him coming back anytime soon - until well after Jack's tourney. [/quote] Everything you've read?-Someone responded to you right here on TST to say that he's dislocated a joint in his wrist or hand and that he could pop it back in and feel nearly immediate relief. Here is another one - I have done just what Tiger says. Small bones in your hand and wrist can be moved slightly and are tremendously painful and you can pop them back in. The bones move like a quarter inch (maybe the pain makes it feel like that and it is actually less). We are not talking about Mel Gibson smashing his shoulder against a wall to put it back in place after all. I guess you will fail to read this too so that you can continue to kid yourself that everything you read says what you think is true and not what is actually true. Googling also says that minor dislocations can be "popped back" in just as he said. Plus what @tmac20 said. You @Rick Martin deny all sorts of statements to you to continue pushing your agenda. Why change that up for this topic?

[dkolo]

He didn't dislocate his wrist. There is no way he would have been able to play 9 holes with a dislocated wrist.

Will Carroll, the sports injury expert, passed along on Twitter last night a suggestion that Tiger may have meant what he said in a chiropractic sense, rather than that he actually had a dislocated joint in the orthopedic sense. Makes as much sense to me as anything.

[Pretzel]

On the topic of minor dislocations, I've dislocated my knee a number of times (including once on the golf course) and have never required medical assistance or sedation to pop it back in. It hurts like heck, but it can be done without too much trouble, especially if you've done it before.

[Rick Martin]

Will Carroll, the sports injury expert, passed along on Twitter last night a suggestion that Tiger may have meant what he said in a chiropractic sense, rather than that he actually had a dislocated joint in the orthopedic sense. Makes as much sense to me as anything.

thanks for clarifying ----- he's probably hurting now - usually the day after a sprain/strain, he'd feel it the following day.....wrist injuries seem to be a common injury among pros  (Horschel, Rose, Charley Hoffman) but not surprising with the amount of swing speeds they're generating.

[QuantFx]

This thread brought me here, LOL!

It is amazing to me how far people are willing to go with collective amnesia.  I guess, if one is suffering from either amnesia or collective cognitive dissociation, then proffering ideas about the premature retirement of the best professional golfer since Jack Nicklaus, before Jack's all-time record has been broken, probably seems "par for the course."

What too many people seem to have suddenly forgotten is that Tiger, while not having played nearly up to his standards over the past couple years, has also not had a single season without debilitating injury in at least as much time.  And, even when he was suffering from serious injury a few years ago, he was still able to win more golf tournaments in a single year, than 99% of everybody else on tour - just not timely enough to win a Major in the same period.

Any talk about "retirement" at this stage in his career, can only come from those who really don't know Tiger, or what it means to be as talented as Tiger, as capable as Tiger and as close to establishing Golf History, as Tiger.  He's no closer to retiring now, than I am to making my debut on the PGA Tour.

Now, I absolutely know that there are plenty of people who don't want to see Tiger, make history by eclipsing Jack, but that's all just a matter of time and it always has been.  You have no idea what's about to happen in the world of Professional Golf, do you?  You ain't seen nothing yet.  Tiger, is going to make the run on Jack's record, more spectacular than the run on his previous 14 Major wins. Tiger, was The One, from day one, to beat Jack's record and there is nobody on the horizon right now even remotely close to removing Tiger, from being The One.

Tiger, is progressively getting back to a more "freely releasing" golf swing.  It will be the closest thing he has to his 2000 swing.  Astute listeners and astute people in the game, hear him talking about "trusting the release."  Anyone knowing anything about golf, knows that "trusting the release" is the final step in making swing changes permanent.  That's how close he is.

Once he gets back to something he can "trust," then you will see his strategic mindset came back into tournament play.  Whenever Tiger, is able to effectively combine a "trusted" swing with his mental game, he's never been beatable.  Those are the two things that have been missing from Tiger's game since the SUV crash and for good reason.  He got some of it back in 2013, but that was a modified version of a swing designed to take pressure away from a physical problem - yet, he adapted to it well enough to win five (5) times.

The new swing has taken longer to set-up because the old "pain relieving swing" took so much energy to evolve and lock down.  Once the "release" has been solidified, he'll naturally begin producing far more birdie opportunities and that will allow him to refocus on the one thing that made him better than everyone on Tour, putting and scoring.

It is a progressive series of events that have to take place and you are watching the final block being put into position right now with the "release."  He's almost twirling the club again after teeing off - but not quite there yet.  When he's fully confident in the "release" and the 'twirl' comes back on the tee box, look out Jack.