2018 Masters Tournament Discussion Topic

[Shorty]

2 hours ago, GrandStranded said:

Is this the Masters Discussion thread or the All Things Tiger thread? Jeez, it's nothing but Tiger can, didn't, has to, or still could, blah blah blah... He's in what, 29th place? Yet he's all you guys talk about. I hate to break it to you, but it's 2018, not 2008. So many guys have an A game as good or better then Tiger does now, and he's trailing a boat load of them.  

So true - if only the telecasts this year would focus on the really exciting players like William McGirt, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar and Jimmy Walker. That will get the needle moving. 

They have no right to mention Tiger unless he is winning or has won. The dreadful ratings this year when he has played prove that there is no interest in him. 

I challenge you to name 2 guys whose A game is better than Tiger's current A game. Not counting McIlroy.

And that's not saying that guys like Stenson or DJ are unstoppable when they're hot. There are a dozen or so really fantastic players out there. None of them are as good as Tiger Woods when he is at his best. You don't have to be a Tiger fan to think that.

 

Edited April 6, 2018 by Shorty

[onthehunt526]

1 hour ago, GrandStranded said:

We can both mail him a Gold star! LOL You'll be pissed if you jinxed him..

Still don't think he misses the cut. I said it earlier, however I was joking.

I'll be eating a whole bag of mini donuts on Saturday if he misses the cut.

[b101]

5 hours ago, HJJ003 said:

I think I read somewhere that the last 12 masters champions were in the top 10 after day 1. I think Spieth would have the best bet (at this course) than any of the other guys in the top 10 currently. I think Rory is more talented but is more inconsistent. 

I used to think that, but it depends how you define talent. Spieth's ability to get the ball close to the hole consistently (which is golf) is better than Rory's. Yes, Rory has the picture-perfect swing and can smash it a mile, but I'd take Spieth's approach game in a second.

2 hours ago, No Handicap said:

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2018/04/03/masters-2018-tiger-woods-news-odds-updates/

CBS is drooling about Tiger. But Tiger is 29th and +1 on Thursday. I don't mind Woods, but the media falls all over itself and makes him their #1 priority which isn't fair to other players. I guess it's unavoidable since the media and sports love any player who is not the status quo, aka white male and boring.

Not sure about this - I actually think it takes the hype off a lot of players. Very few people were talking about Jordan, Rory and the Career Slam, DJ and injury etc. before this weekend, which can only help.

42 minutes ago, FinTurma said:

Sergio saying that he made a 13 without missing a shot. I like the guy, but that sounds a bit weird.. At least one of the shots looked pretty awful and if not bad shots, they were definitely stupid, trying the same shot all over again and expecting a different result!

Genuinely, I think he hit the shot he wanted to hit every time apart from the last when he pulled it right. He just chose the wrong shot with the flag at the front and refused to learn from it. DJ had the same one later on and played a lower trajectory, one hop and stop shot which landed in the same spot as Sergio's and finished about two foot away. Sergio just didn't adapt.

15 minutes ago, Shorty said:

I challenge you to name 2 guys whose A game is better than Tiger's current A game. Not counting McIlroy.

Spieth, DJ, Rahm, Noren, Stenson, Thomas, probably Bubba from the WGC. 

[onthehunt526]

It won't happen, but I will eat my shoe if Sergio makes the cut after making a 13 on 15.

 

25 minutes ago, Shorty said:

So true - if only the telecasts this year would focus on the really exciting players like William McGirt, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar and Jimmy Walker. That will get the needle moving. 

They have no right to mention Tiger unless he is winning or has won. The dreadful ratings this year when he has played prove that there is no interest in him. 

I challenge you to name 2 guys whose A game is better than Tiger's current A game. Not counting McIlroy.

And that's not saying that guys like Stenson or DJ are unstoppable when they're hot. There are a dozen or so really fantastic players out there. None of them are as good as Tiger Woods when he is at his best. You don't have to be a Tiger fan to think that.

 

We need Tiger's A game the next three rounds.

[FinTurma]

24 minutes ago, b101 said:

Genuinely, I think he hit the shot he wanted to hit every time apart from the last when he pulled it right. He just chose the wrong shot with the flag at the front and refused to learn from it. DJ had the same one later on and played a lower trajectory, one hop and stop shot which landed in the same spot as Sergio's and finished about two foot away. Sergio just didn't adapt.

Yea I guess, but that's just crazy! I guess he went to some kind of a meltdown mode and wasn't thinking clearly. You should know from at least the two first shots that he is playing the wrong shot. It's like hitting five drives to a water hazard that is 320 yards from the tee and saying that I didn't miss a shot. Poor thinking

[Shorty]

1 hour ago, b101 said:

 

Spieth, DJ, Rahm, Noren, Stenson, Thomas, probably Bubba from the WGC. 

Really?  I wouldn't rate any of their A games as being anywhere near Tiger's. But that's just me.

[b101]

1 minute ago, Shorty said:

Really?  I wouldn't rate any of their A games as being anywhere near Tiger's. But that's just me.

Tiger's A game now or in his day? 

[boogielicious]

6 hours ago, GrandStranded said:

Is this the Masters Discussion thread or the All Things Tiger thread? Jeez, it's nothing but Tiger can, didn't, has to, or still could, blah blah blah... He's in what, 29th place? Yet he's all you guys talk about. I hate to break it to you, but it's 2018, not 2008. So many guys have an A game as good or better then Tiger does now, and he's trailing a boat load of them.  

By my count, in the last 6 pages, there have been a lot of Sergio, Spieth, Rory posts too. But, 3000 people weren't following them on their practice rounds Tuesday and Wednesday.  So, the GOAT does move the needle.

I am disappointed in Bubba and JT. I thought they would have played better. Their form coming in was good. I didn't see JT at all in the masters.com feed.

 

[GrandStranded]

Are you talking about Tiger's 1998 or 2008 A game? Because these young guys, like Spieth and Thomas are phenomenal. You mentioned DJ and Rory. Rose and Stenson aren't young, but I think better now then Tiger. Then there are a bunch of guys like Reed, Fleetwood, Day, etc. The thing is, we don't know, we might have seen Tiger's A game already this year. As far as the needle, he definitely is. But the storyline will die out if he doesn't start winning by the end of this year I think.

[Dr. Manhattan]

1 hour ago, boogielicious said:

 

I am disappointed in Bubba and JT. I thought they would have played better. Their form coming in was good. I didn't see JT at all in the masters.com feed.

 

 

Bubba in particular. 2 very recent wins on Tour and of course 2 green jackets in the not so distant past. Very surprised to see him post 73 in the first round. 

[Zeph]

Die out? Come on. As long as Tiger is playing, he's a storyline. He is the best player of this era, and one of the best (GOAT by many) of all time. He will always be a point of interest. I think he would retire before ending up playing the tour with poor enough results that it's extremely unlikely he will win (missing cuts, finishing outside of top 50 on a regular basis). He's not out there to have a job or make an income, here's there primarily to win majors. The indications so far is that he's got the game and health to win, so he will keep playing and people will keep following him. I don't see him losing his swing or talent, so barring an injury, he will be there and he will be the most popular player on the tour.

[GrandStranded]

24 minutes ago, Zeph said:

Die out? Come on. As long as Tiger is playing, he's a storyline. He is the best player of this era, and one of the best (GOAT by many) of all time. He will always be a point of interest. I think he would retire before ending up playing the tour with poor enough results that it's extremely unlikely he will win (missing cuts, finishing outside of top 50 on a regular basis). He's not out there to have a job or make an income, here's there primarily to win majors. The indications so far is that he's got the game and health to win, so he will keep playing and people will keep following him. I don't see him losing his swing or talent, so barring an injury, he will be there and he will be the most popular player on the tour.

I agree with what you said,  Sure, the real golf fans will always be interested in what he's doing, but with his recent return interest in him is really high. Do you think casual or even non golf fans (their renewed interest is what's moving the needle) will stay that way if he doesn't start winning at some point this year?

Edited April 6, 2018 by GrandStranded

[Dr. Manhattan]

4 minutes ago, GrandStranded said:

I agree with what you said,  Sure, the real golf fans will always be interested in what he's doing, but with his recent return interest in him is really high. Do you think casual or even non golf fans (their renewed interest is what's moving the needle) will stay that way if he doesn't start winning at some point this year?

So you think if he doesn’t win this year they will tune out forever? What if he wins next year? The guy is Top 5 in scoring average. At some point he will put it together and win something...if he stays healthy. 

[Zeph]

7 minutes ago, GrandStranded said:

I agree with what you said,  Sure, the real golf fans will always be interested in what he's doing, but with his recent return interest in him is really high. Do you think casual or even non golf fans (their renewed interest is what's moving the needle) will stay that way if he doesn't start winning at some point this year?

Yes I do. How many golfers can people that aren't golf fans name? And how many would name Tiger first?

Also, how much is the world of golf driven by people that aren't golf fans? The people who watch golf, go to tournaments and read about golf online are primarily golf fans or people interested in golf. I don't agree that casuals or non-golf fans are what the needle is moved by.

The attention will naturally be high at the beginning of his comeback, but if he keeps playing well and content for majors, that will make sure he's the most talked about golfer out there.

[GrandStranded]

I saw this last night, and thought it was pretty cool. The last 2 winners at Dubai won the Masters the same year. Willet 2016, and Sergio in 2017. The Chinese kid, Li, won it this year.

[skydog]

6 hours ago, onthehunt526 said:

 

I'll be eating a whole bag of mini donuts on Saturday if he misses the cut.

Emotional eating or because you would lose a bet? :/

[GrandStranded]

2 minutes ago, Zeph said:

Yes I do. How many golfers can people that aren't golf fans name? And how many would name Tiger first?

Also, how much is the world of golf driven by people that aren't golf fans? The people who watch golf, go to tournaments and read about golf online are primarily golf fans or people interested in golf. I don't agree that casuals or non-golf fans are what the needle is moved by.

The attention will naturally be high at the beginning of his comeback, but if he keeps playing well and content for majors, that will make sure he's the most talked about golfer out there.

Yes, but your "if" in your last sentence is what I'm asking about. What if he only contends, but doesn't win for a year or so?

[skydog]

It’s probably premature but I’m starting to feel like Spieth might be to Augusta what Rafa Nadal is/was at the French open. I think he could win a boat load of green jackets.