Phils' Majors

[flash]

how many Masters can he win? I think 5or6.His wedge play is so superior to Woods.

[themasteroncbs]

I think Phil stands a real good chance at getting that third Green Jacket in April as long as he continues to refine that new swing. I think he has a chance to be a factor at all four majors next season. I think Winged Foot is hopefully a distant memory for him now.

[niblick]

  flash said:

how many Masters can he win? I think 5or6.His wedge play is so superior to Woods.

I don't doubt that Phil has the talent to win more majors, but I'd put Tiger's short game up against anyone. If Phil's is better, it's by the smallest of margins.

[crazy_horst]

  flash said:

how many Masters can he win? I think 5or6.His wedge play is so superior to Woods.

You're dreaming. There is no part of Phil's game that is better than Tiger's, not driving, iron play, wedge play, short game, scrambling, putting, course management - nothing.

The proof is in the pudding - just compare career wins/majors/Master's wins.

[dbornack]

  flash said:

how many Masters can he win? I think 5or6.His wedge play is so superior to Woods.

But on the other hand, Tiger makes putts. Phil chokes. When has Tiger choked?

[themasteroncbs]

  dbornack said:

But on the other hand, Tiger makes putts. Phil chokes. When has Tiger choked?

Phil does pretty good for someone who supposedly chokes. I mean he's won 32 PGA Tour Events including three majors. He was also second on this year's Money List.

It's unfair to Phil and every other world class golfer to be compared to Tiger. In Tiger we're probably witnessing the greatest player to have ever played the game. Tiger might not be the world's nicest guy (maybe world's most arrogant), but his accomplishment's are truly astounding. P.S. I don't think there's any other player in the world with the short game touch of Mr. Mickelson, truly a magician around the greens.

[iacas]

  dbornack said:

But on the other hand, Tiger makes putts. Phil chokes. When has Tiger choked?

I can think of a few times. They're not outright gags, but they're "chokes" if you judge them by Tiger's standards. Heck, the first two majors of 2007 you could say he choked (again, by his standards - by anyone else's he was simply beat).

One I'd call a choke by anyone's standard was his missed 4- or 3-foot putt against Nick O'Hern in the match play.

[crazy_horst]

  iacas said:

I can think of a few times. They're not outright gags, but they're "chokes" if you judge them by Tiger's standards. Heck, the first two majors of 2007 you could say he choked (again, by his standards - by anyone else's he was simply beat).

Of that there can be no doubt; however, it speaks to how high our expectations of Tiger have become - we literally expect him to win

every time . It's pretty amazing if you think about it. On the other hand, you've got 13-for-13 with a lead going into the final round of a major for Tiger, and despite his 3 majors, the 72nd hole at Winged Foot can never be forgotten for Phil. For the record, I think Phil will win more majors, but I don't think he'll ever win the British or the U.S. Open.

[flash]

The one deal T.W. cannot close,YET, is a major win from behind.Through all his accomplishments I think he feels that every time he is behind going into the final round he is thinking"can I do this?" I am sure he win do it soon and then..... oh boy maybe 30 majors? heck,why not. He ceases to amaze!

[themasteroncbs]

  crazy_horst said:

Of that there can be no doubt; however, it speaks to how high our expectations of Tiger have become - we literally expect him to win

I'd be very suprised if Phil doesn't win two or three more green jackets before all is said and done. I think he'll eventually win a U.S. Open, maybe even in his backyard this coming June at Torrey Pines. I'd also be slightly suprised if he ever became "the champion golfer of the year," the British Open just hasn't ever suited his game.

[countjyro]

One thing with Phil, and please correct me if I am wrong, is that he will show up to a tournament and look like he doesn't even want to put the effort in. It seems like a couple times when watching the Thursday and Friday rounds, he doesn't even care to be there. How can you win if you show up not caring?

[Alex B]

Tiger also "choked" in the two US Opens he's played at Pinehurst (1999 and 2004). In both, he missed some short putts on Sunday's back nine.

He also infamously putted a ball into Rae's Creek during the first round of the 2005 Masters. I wouldn't call this a "choke," but it was certainly a large mental error.

Nevertheless, he only "chokes" about 2% of the time, so I shouldn't nitpick him.

[Clubswinger21]

Phil is without a doubt the 2nd best player in the world. Lets not forget about his injury last year which derailed his chance at any of the latter majors. Id say 4 or 5 more wouldnt be out of his league.

[themasteroncbs]

  countjyro said:

One thing with Phil, and please correct me if I am wrong, is that he will show up to a tournament and look like he doesn't even want to put the effort in. It seems like a couple times when watching the Thursday and Friday rounds, he doesn't even care to be there. How can you win if you show up not caring?

I saw some of that last season with him, but I think he was more motivated this season to prove all the doubters wrong after the Winged Foot debacle. He has to at least care a little to have won 32 tournaments, that's a ridiculous number of wins for a man who's yet to turn 40. He could very easily win at least 20 more times before all is said and done.

[golfchief]

I think you guys are miss reading Phil on thur&fri; play. Every tournament he expects to win. Your in trouble if you show up on thursday and have to start grinding from the first hole. Playing your game and staying with the leaders is the name of the game the first two days then Saturday is call moving day to get as close or be leading and trying to close it Sunday.
You just can't play great four days in a row week after week all year long, this is what all the new young guns are learning now.

[crazy_horst]

  golfchief said:

You just can't play great four days in a row week after week all year long

Don't tell Tiger that - in 230 career events, he has 190 top 25's.

[golfchief]

  crazy_horst said:

Don't tell Tiger that - in 230 career events, he has 190 top 25's.

Tiger will tell you he does't play great four days in a row week after week, if he did he would have won the 230 events.

[themasteroncbs]

  crazy_horst said:

Don't tell Tiger that - in 230 career events, he has 190 top 25's.

I think Tiger's most underrated strength is the fact that he's able to avoid the big numbers even when he's playing poorly. He seems to be able to find a way to turn a round that could easily be a 77 or 78 into a 72. That's the reason why he's able to win so many tournaments and post so many top 10's.

However, I'd rather watch one of Phil's rounds over Tiger's, you never know what you're going to see with Phil. Phil is probably the most exciting player in the world to watch.