Predict Tiger's 2018 Season

[Ty_Webb]

Money where mouth is. How about this:

if Tiger plays at least 15 official PGA Tour events in 2018 while healthy, he wins at least two of them. That’s my bet. If he doesn’t play 15 events or gets injured again before 15 events then nothing. If he plays 15 events healthy and wins one or none then i lose. If he wins 2 or more no matter how many events he plays then I win. 

What odds will people offer me on that? I will put up three pro v1s.  

actually let’s save shipping. I’ll PayPal $12 to spend on balls if I lose. If @iacas is willing he could act as escrow. We both PayPal him our stake. Then he sends the winner the pot (or returns the funds if tiger gets injured or plays fewer than 15 events. 

I’m only going to take the bet once so whoever offers the best odds gets it and after that first come first served. 

In the event of something happening that is not explicitly described here I will accept a reasonable interpretation of the bet. @DaveP043 or @iacas if Dave takes the bet can adjudicate that, because I trust them to be reasonable about rules interpretations ;)

Oh and if no one takes it and some joker offers less than evens I reserve the right to decline the bet. 

Edited January 5, 2018 by Ty_Webb
Clarification

[No Mulligans]

Tiger announced he's playing Torrey.  I don't think it's the best place to start because of how severe the rough can be.  I hope he doesn't take any big swings that risks his back.

 

[iacas]

5 minutes ago, No Mulligans said:

Tiger announced he's playing Torrey.  I don't think it's the best place to start because of how severe the rough can be.  I hope he doesn't take any big swings that risks his back.

His back is fine.

I feel like people still don’t understand the type of surgery he had.

He has won seven or eight times at Torrey.

[Ty_Webb]

50 minutes ago, iacas said:

His back is fine.

I feel like people still don’t understand the type of surgery he had.

He has won seven or eight times at Torrey.

Seven times in this event, plus the '08 US Open for 8 total. I think he's also won 8 times at Bay Hill and quite a few at Firestone too.

[RussUK]

14 hours ago, Veteran Golf Fan said:

You Brits are something else. .

Yep, we're amazing aren't we, cheers old bean

Look, Tiger's comeback is important but more for him than the world of golf. Its a chance for him to do 2 things. 1) To prove he can still compete and 2)A chance to take back control of his career. What would you rather do, bow out due to injury and for people to remember you for the last thing major they heard in the news or to be able to choose when you call time on your career? I for one hope he carries on into his 50's and plays the seniors tour. Majors galore there.

On another note, this whole GOAT, i've never understood how we can claim anyone is the greatest of all time. Technically speaking the only way anyone could really be GOAT is if a) the claimant is Nostradamus and has seen the future or b) Golf is banned worldwide and no one can have a go at beating him or something like that. Who knows who may come along in the the next 10 or 15 years. Greatest of his generation? for sure i agree with that fully.

[Veteran Golf Fan]

5 hours ago, RussUK said:

Yep, we're amazing aren't we, cheers old bean

Look, Tiger's comeback is important but more for him than the world of golf. Its a chance for him to do 2 things. 1) To prove he can still compete and 2)A chance to take back control of his career. What would you rather do, bow out due to injury and for people to remember you for the last thing major they heard in the news or to be able to choose when you call time on your career? I for one hope he carries on into his 50's and plays the seniors tour. Majors galore there.

On another note, this whole GOAT, i've never understood how we can claim anyone is the greatest of all time. Technically speaking the only way anyone could really be GOAT is if a) the claimant is Nostradamus and has seen the future or b) Golf is banned worldwide and no one can have a go at beating him or something like that. Who knows who may come along in the the next 10 or 15 years. Greatest of his generation? for sure i agree with that fully.

I recommend you Google Tiger's records.  I believe it is around 40 records, many of them will not be equaled.  To name a few, how about 683 weeks at #1 in the world?  How about 142 straight made cuts?

[RussUK]

1 minute ago, Veteran Golf Fan said:

I recommend you Google Tiger's records.  I believe it is around 40 records, many of them will not be equaled.  To name a few, how about 683 weeks at #1 in the world?  How about 142 straight made cuts?

Yep, he's also 2nd in wins on the PGA with 79 and 3rd on the European Tour with 40. He also won twice on the Japanese tour and once each on the asian and Australasia tours. So like i said best of his generaton and best historically up to the present day. Who knows what will happen in the future. So, and this is just me, i dont refer to sports people as GOAT.

Im a huge rally fan and at one point Tommi Makinnen was thought to the be the best with 4 titles, along comes Sebastien Loeb with 7 on the trot. Surely he is the greatest rally driver ever? Along comes Sebastien Ogier who is already on 5 titles and 40 wins and is still to reach his peak.

I agree that Tiger is one of the greatest in history. But there is always the chance someone will surpass him.

[Veteran Golf Fan]

11 hours ago, Ty_Webb said:

Seven times in this event, plus the '08 US Open for 8 total. I think he's also won 8 times at Bay Hill and quite a few at Firestone too.

Ty, you are quite right.  For years, he was criticized for playing courses he has won on multiple times.  I see no problem with winning.  We aren't tired of winning.

12 hours ago, No Mulligans said:

Tiger announced he's playing Torrey.  I don't think it's the best place to start because of how severe the rough can be.  I hope he doesn't take any big swings that risks his back.

 

By all means, let's not have Tiger play any events where there is rough.  Perhaps he should only play Augusta with no rough and he will not risk his back.

[Veteran Golf Fan]

20 minutes ago, RussUK said:

Yep, he's also 2nd in wins on the PGA with 79 and 3rd on the European Tour with 40. He also won twice on the Japanese tour and once each on the asian and Australasia tours. So like i said best of his generaton and best historically up to the present day. Who knows what will happen in the future. So, and this is just me, i dont refer to sports people as GOAT.

Im a huge rally fan and at one point Tommi Makinnen was thought to the be the best with 4 titles, along comes Sebastien Loeb with 7 on the trot. Surely he is the greatest rally driver ever? Along comes Sebastien Ogier who is already on 5 titles and 40 wins and is still to reach his peak.

I agree that Tiger is one of the greatest in history. But there is always the chance someone will surpass him.

The young guys will not play as long or play as well to touch his records.  Take that to the bank.

15 hours ago, Wally Fairway said:

Pebble US Open by 15, 18 years ago
Bested Bob May PGA Championship, 18 Years ago
Torrey broken leg US Open, 10 Years ago

I'm not saying he can't do it, but you are bringing up events from a really long time ago.
The game has changed, the courses have changed and the competition has changed since then - hell Spieth, Thomas, Rahm were 7 or 8 years old when he won the Tiger Slam.
I'm with Dave, I'm going to have to see him contend in some full field events before I believe the magic has returned.

 

I was responding to another poster about Tiger's putting.  You may have noticed at the Hero last year that he led the field in birdies made even though he was hurt.  He also did very well putting at this year's event.  I, for one want to see him play Torrey this year and Riviera.  I think the game is in good enough shape to contend and he does love POA Annua greens.

[RussUK]

Just now, Veteran Golf Fan said:

The young guys will not play as long or play as well to touch his records.  Take that to the bank.

You'll have to let me know where you got your crystal ball from . No one knows what will happen including you and me both, thats just a fact.

I'm a fan of Tiger, its because of the Tiger Woods video games that i really wanted to try real golf. Probably the same as many who grew up in the 90's and 00's who now play golf. But i know there is more to golf than one man, no matter how good that man was at his peak.

Its good that you belive in Tiger so much. I just dont share that belief.

[Secretmove]

Tigers swing requires a lot of timing moves, and when he was winning, he outworked people, the guy was beating balls till dark when I watched him win Doral last time, long after everyone had left.  I remember thinking, he can't possibly sustain that.  It looked like desperation/obsession to me. 

I predict 0 wins, because he can't possibly practice that much anymore, and that's all he knows, and he can't control himself.    I say he injures himself again trying to relive his glory days.  Plus, with half a billion and 2 kids in Sweden, and who knows what tail he's chasing nowadays, too much distraction and conflict. 

With that kind of money and fame, I think its pathetic he sticks with golf, he could foster 500 homeless children, change their lives from nothing to something.  So many things to do out there, why can't he walk away with dignity and take up something else?  Become a forest ranger.  Actor.  Author.  Doctor.  Lawyer.  Artist.  Musician.   Move to Africa and become a warlord with 20 wives and an army.  Start a religious cult.  Work to reverse climate change. 

I guess once your a rock star, you're always a rock star.  I can't picture Keith Richards as anything but Keith Richards. 

 

[Veteran Golf Fan]

15 hours ago, onthehunt526 said:

Earlier in the thread, I predicted 2 Tour wins and 0 majors. I honestly am going to stick by this. If he is driving the ball reasonably well, hitting GIRs, and putts reasonably well, he can win again. 

I think a big key for him will be how he plays at Torrey Pines (where he's won 7 times + a U.S. Open) and Riviera (where he's never won)... I'm not saying he'll win either of those, but a couple decent weeks, (maybe sneak a Top-15 or so) will do numbers for the rest of the year. 

I do think he will contend in at least one major, maybe even back door a win... Perhaps the Masters or the PGA at Bellerive depending on the status long game and his health. 

I can see a healthy Tiger winning another major or two eventually, in the next few years. 

Jack's record might stand. Sam's will not.

Snead got credit for 4 ball wins. Tiger has already exceeded him with individual titles.  Perhaps he should grab a good partner and go play New Orleans and win and get credit for it on the total.

[Secretmove]

14 hours ago, Ty_Webb said:

if Tiger plays at least 15 official PGA Tour events in 2018 while healthy, he wins at least two of them. That’s my bet. If he doesn’t play 15 events or gets injured again before 15 events then nothing. If he plays 15 events healthy and wins one or none then i lose. If he wins 2 or more no matter how many events he plays then I win

man up.  the bet is if he wins or not  in 2018.  you can't twiddle around about his health. 

I say no wins in 2018 on the PGA tour.  Regular events, not some invite like Hero. 

Another bet would be does he injure himself again 2018 and have to quit the game again.  I say yes. 

Another bet would be, does he get sued for shagging 50000 women?  I say yes. 

[Veteran Golf Fan]

13 minutes ago, Secretmove said:

Tigers swing requires a lot of timing moves, and when he was winning, he outworked people, the guy was beating balls till dark when I watched him win Doral last time, long after everyone had left.  I remember thinking, he can't possibly sustain that.  It looked like desperation/obsession to me. 

I predict 0 wins, because he can't possibly practice that much anymore, and that's all he knows, and he can't control himself.    I say he injures himself again trying to relive his glory days.  Plus, with half a billion and 2 kids in Sweden, and who knows what tail he's chasing nowadays, too much distraction and conflict. 

With that kind of money and fame, I think its pathetic he sticks with golf, he could foster 500 homeless children, change their lives from nothing to something.  So many things to do out there, why can't he walk away with dignity and take up something else?  Become a forest ranger.  Actor.  Author.  Doctor.  Lawyer.  Artist.  Musician.   Move to Africa and become a warlord with 20 wives and an army.  Start a religious cult.  Work to reverse climate change. 

I guess once your a rock star, you're always a rock star.  I can't picture Keith Richards as anything but Keith Richards. 

 

Take a chill pill Secret.  You started out ok until your got to the third paragraph.

[Ty_Webb]

1 minute ago, Secretmove said:

man up.  the bet is if he wins or not  in 2018.  you can't twiddle around about his health. 

I say no wins in 2018 on the PGA tour.  Regular events, not some invite like Hero. 

Another bet would be does he injure himself again 2018 and have to quit the game again.  I say yes. 

Another bet would be, does he get sued for shagging 50000 women?  I say yes. 

I believe I can do anything I like. Take it or leave it. 

[Veteran Golf Fan]

21 minutes ago, RussUK said:

You'll have to let me know where you got your crystal ball from . No one knows what will happen including you and me both, thats just a fact.

I'm a fan of Tiger, its because of the Tiger Woods video games that i really wanted to try real golf. Probably the same as many who grew up in the 90's and 00's who now play golf. But i know there is more to golf than one man, no matter how good that man was at his peak.

Its good that you belive in Tiger so much. I just dont share that belief.

Then we can agree to disagree.  Don't let the facts get in the way of your belief.

[RussUK]

Just now, Veteran Golf Fan said:

Then we can agree to disagree.  Don't let the facts get in the way of your belief.

The bold is fine with me. If you want to believe he's this invincible player who no one will ever surpass then fine. Hell, that might be the case but no one can know for sure and we may no longer be around when (or if) it does happen .

Another thing im sure we can agree on is that its going to an interesting season with him back on tour.

[Moxley]

The GOAT thing is a bit like Pele vs Messi. Messi had the potential to be the greatest of all time,  and during his peak he looked like the greatest, but at 30, it now looks unlikely that his record (especially at the international level) will match up. 

Same with Tiger, what counts is majors, and he's still 4 short.

Edited January 5, 2018 by Moxley