SirSaxa
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TIger
May 13, 2013 7:23:34 GMT -5
Post by SirSaxa on May 13, 2013 7:23:34 GMT -5
Tied for the lead with Tiger Woods at the 17th tee, Sergi-OhNO! Garcia, proceeded to hit his next two shots in the water, and added a third on the 18th for good measure, to choke away his chance at the TPC Championship - one of the most highly regarded non-major events on the PGA tour.
A fitting end for the guy who blamed Tiger for his poor second shot on the second hole the day before.
Whether or not you like Tiger, the guy is fascinating to watch and is back on top of his game...winning 8 of his last 22 events. All that remains is to add his 15th Major.
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Boz
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TIger
May 13, 2013 8:49:13 GMT -5
Post by Boz on May 13, 2013 8:49:13 GMT -5
I think a very interesting part of Tiger's career is coming up.
I have always contended (well, always in the last several years) that we'll probably never again see the Tiger Woods of the late 90s early 2000s. I think that's still a fair statement, simply because we may never see such dominance again from any player.
However, it appears as though Tiger's personal life has settled down, his injuries are not bothering him, and he is, as mentioned, back on top of his game.
But we all know, Tiger's goal is not 15 majors, or even the Players. It's 19 majors. This is his own standard, the goal HE wants to reach.
And here's the part where I think it gets interesting: - On the one hand, you have the best golfer of his generation, hands down, trying to reach a goal that would crown him the GOAT. - On the other hand, Tiger is not too far from 40. And even though he's healthy, settled and focused, that is an obstacle that many can't overcome.
Looking at all of the major champions recently and over the years, yes, you get your Ernie Els and Darren Clarkes and Hale Irwins (and Golden Bears, of course) in there from time to time, but, for the most part, they are a lot younger than their late 30s.
Do I think Tiger Woods is finished as a major champion? I do not. He's got more left in him. He probably should and would have won the Master's this year if not for a really pointless rules violation. But does he have 5 more left in him? Honestly, if he can accomplish something like that at this advanced stage of his career, not even the biggest Tiger hater could deny that he would be the greatest ever.
Which is why I think the next few years in the majors are going to be very interesting.
I am not Tiger's biggest fan, but there is no question that it is always more interesting when he is in the mix on Sunday. So, that's a good thing for golf.
As for Sergio, meh, I have very little use for him. I think what Tiger did was probably a minor breach of etiquette, but a completely unintentional one. Sergio's not the first to blame others for a bad shot on his part (including Tiger himself), but I think if he was a better player, he wouldn't have latched onto that like he did.
As for his other comments about Tiger, he's probably right that he's not the easiest player to be paired with. But Sergio, until you can beat him, you really can't say much of anything. Guess what? You're not the easiest player to play with either. There's a reason "Hit the damn ball, Sergio!" is a common exclamation across golf courses around the world.
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hoyainspirit
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TIger
May 13, 2013 13:26:39 GMT -5
Post by hoyainspirit on May 13, 2013 13:26:39 GMT -5
Personally, I took great delight in witnessing those three splashes, as I switched back and forth between the TPC and the Golden State-San Antonio game.
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tashoya
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TIger
May 13, 2013 14:11:20 GMT -5
Post by tashoya on May 13, 2013 14:11:20 GMT -5
That was hilarious. Sergio, though improved, is still painful to watch. Plus, he's a whiner. That was just good fun.
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SirSaxa
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TIger
Jul 16, 2013 17:03:43 GMT -5
Post by SirSaxa on Jul 16, 2013 17:03:43 GMT -5
Scotland - Golf's ancestral home.
Will this be the place where Tiger finally completes his comeback by winning his 15th major? He's done everything else. Started winning regularly on the tour once again. Won some prestigious tournaments. Back on top as #1 in the world.
But, he has yet to achieve what he really wants - to prove he can still win majors. Until -- and unless -- that happens, his comeback will not be complete. He's just another really good player on the tour. He is still in that post-scandal, car incident, Elin's 9 iron debacle era.
Muirfield... should be a very interesting weekend. Like him or hate him, Tiger is good for TV.
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hoyainspirit
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TIger
Jul 17, 2013 9:27:40 GMT -5
Post by hoyainspirit on Jul 17, 2013 9:27:40 GMT -5
At the beginning of the year, the Open was the major I thought Tiger would win first. Eagerly looking fwd to watching golf this weekend.
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Boz
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TIger
Jul 18, 2013 19:02:09 GMT -5
Post by Boz on Jul 18, 2013 19:02:09 GMT -5
Muirfield... should be a very interesting weekend. Like him or hate him, Tiger is good for TV. Tiger and Lefty going head to head on Sunday would be even better for TV. Aaaaaand, of course, now that I've said that, one or both of them will blow up and shoot a 80 in one of the next two rounds (most likely Phil).
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Nevada Hoya
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TIger
Jul 21, 2013 20:30:45 GMT -5
Post by Nevada Hoya on Jul 21, 2013 20:30:45 GMT -5
Lefty won in a great Sunday comeback.
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SirSaxa
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TIger
Jul 22, 2013 9:55:59 GMT -5
Post by SirSaxa on Jul 22, 2013 9:55:59 GMT -5
Lefty won in a great Sunday comeback. Quite a remarkable performance by the 43 year old Californian. Congrats to him. As for Tiger, we still can't say he's completely back. Winning tournies like the Players is great. Winning 7 in the last 15 months is amazing. Being # 1 on the money list is impressive. But.. for Tiger, until he proves he can once again win a major? It's disheartening. He has already achieved pretty much everything there is to achieve in golf. Even Sam Snead's record for most lifetime PGA victories seems within easy reach for Woods. Still, the thing he values most is winning majors. It has been 5 years since his last one. Only if/when he is able to win his 15th major will he really be back.
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prhoya
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TIger
Jul 22, 2013 10:42:03 GMT -5
Post by prhoya on Jul 22, 2013 10:42:03 GMT -5
I like the balance in the game (oh, and Lefty winning majors).
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Boz
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TIger
Jul 22, 2013 11:13:13 GMT -5
Post by Boz on Jul 22, 2013 11:13:13 GMT -5
I thought yesterday was great TV. One of the best final rounds I've seen in a while. It was not really diminished by the fact that Tiger's wheels had come off (mainly because as bad as he was playing, he was still right in it for most of the day). OK, maybe diminished by the lack of drama at the very end, but there was plenty of drama leading up to that.
You had surges by great, accomplished players, major winners (and one noted great non-major winner) only to see them come back to the field. And you had the unlikeliest of rounds by Phil, who by his own admission, didn't think he could pull this off.
I have a soft spot for Lefty because, well because he's a lefty, but I was having fun watching everyone try to manage a course that was getting the better of all of them.
But hey, you shoot a 66 on a Sunday when almost no one else can even get under par? You birdie four of the last six? Yeah, you've earned it.
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hoyarooter
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TIger
Jul 22, 2013 13:07:29 GMT -5
Post by hoyarooter on Jul 22, 2013 13:07:29 GMT -5
Big props to Hefty. This has to ease the pain of his latest US Open debacle. And I'm with you, Boz, also like Hefty because he's a lefty. Charter member of the Hefty/Bubba fan club.
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Nevada Hoya
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TIger
Jul 22, 2013 13:46:28 GMT -5
Post by Nevada Hoya on Jul 22, 2013 13:46:28 GMT -5
For you golf fans, what are they talking about when they say the British Open at Muirfield was played on a links course. And Phil finally mastered the "art" of playing a links course.
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prhoya
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TIger
Jul 22, 2013 13:51:13 GMT -5
Post by prhoya on Jul 22, 2013 13:51:13 GMT -5
For you golf fans, what are they talking about when they say the British Open at Muirfield was played on a links course. And Phil finally mastered the "art" of playing a links course. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Links_(golf)Different strategies involved; one shot could be played with 3 different clubs and have success...
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SirSaxa
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TIger
Jul 22, 2013 14:12:17 GMT -5
Post by SirSaxa on Jul 22, 2013 14:12:17 GMT -5
ExcerptThe style of play on a links golf course is considerably different from the style of play on other types of courses. The challenges of links golf fall into two categories: Firstly the nature of the courses themselves, which tend to be characterised by uneven fairways, thick rough and small deep bunkers known as "pot bunkers"; and secondly, due to their coastal location and lack of trees, many links courses are frequently windy. This affects the style of play required, favouring players who are able to play low accurate shots. As many links courses consist literally of an "outward" nine in one direction along the coast, and an "inward" nine which returns in the opposite direction, players often have to cope with opposite wind patterns in each half of their round. As a result, successful links golfers learn to control the trajectory of their shots by playing a lower ball flight. Greens on links courses tend to be free of fronting hazards, allowing golfers to bounce the golf ball into the green rather than hitting high approach shots with strong backspin. ---------------------
Links courses are generally seaside. The grass is tougher, rougher. Winds are much more frequent and intense. Trees are smaller of non-existent. As a result, golfers want to hit their drives lower - like a line drive, rather than higher where the wind comes into play more. The fairways are not as lush and green. It is harder to hit the ball in such a way as to create backspin. On a typical course, when approaching the green, it is common to use a wedge or 9 iron - a club with a steeper angle on the club head - that creates more loft and backspin. Those high shots Arc toward the green and land or plop onto the green. They don't roll much once on the green, and can even roll backward with enough backspin if that is desired. But on a Links course, that isn't possible. Instead, approach shots come in at a lower angle and will roll more when they hit the ground. That is an amateur's nutshell of the basic difference. Perhaps we have some golfers on the board who can add more.
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Nevada Hoya
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TIger
Jul 22, 2013 15:47:01 GMT -5
Post by Nevada Hoya on Jul 22, 2013 15:47:01 GMT -5
Thanks guys. It seems as if the golf course scenery has to be boring. The overhead shots made it look like a BMX course. But yes now I see how the game changes on the links course. It is a bit confusing since when you say you are going to hit the links, you mean that you are going golfing.
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2ndRyan
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Post by 2ndRyan on Jul 24, 2013 5:21:06 GMT -5
The game of golf was born on so-called linksland, windswept open spaces that "linked" the land and the sea. The soil was too poor to farm, so the Scots grazed sheep on it. Bunkers were originally formed by the animals sheltering out of the wind. The Scots eventually began to hit feather-filled balls across the open land. The sheep didn't mind.
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Boz
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TIger
Jul 24, 2013 8:54:57 GMT -5
Post by Boz on Jul 24, 2013 8:54:57 GMT -5
The game of golf was born on so-called linksland, windswept open spaces that "linked" the land and the sea. The soil was too poor to farm, so the Scots grazed sheep on it. Bunkers were originally formed by the animals sheltering out of the wind. The Scots eventually began to hit feather-filled balls across the open land. The sheep didn't mind. Also, they called it "goff" without the L.
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Jack
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TIger
Jul 24, 2013 14:05:22 GMT -5
Post by Jack on Jul 24, 2013 14:05:22 GMT -5
Thanks guys. It seems as if the golf course scenery has to be boring. The overhead shots made it look like a BMX course. The overhead shots may not be much to look at, but from the grounds eye view the scenery can be quite spectacular. Of course you have ocean views all over the place, but you also get undulations, tall grass, wild flowers, and often some spectacular dunes. This is even more true at some of the links on the west coast of Ireland such as Lahinch or Ballybunion, which are visually stunning and brilliant tests of the game, but often in remote villages that could never support the infrastructure required for a major golf championship. Rosses Point, in Sligo, has dramatic elevation changes (you essentially hit off a cliff on the third tee), and views of the surrounding mountains, including the legendary Ben Bulben of Yeatsian fame.
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