The strange case of Tiger Woods

[NoodleSalad]

I can't imagine the Presidents Cup distractions are helping any. He actually has to pay attention to how other people are playing. That isn't Tiger.

[wkuo3]

I wish him well !

 

A very special this past Masters weekend when we're back to sitting in front of the screen watch him on the leader board. No one could take his place at the present time. There seemed to be quite a few good players on the Tour but so far, none had generated the rave he had given, like the Nicklaus and the Arnie and the Jones did.

Whether you like him or not, the game needs him ( or someone like him ) to attract another generation of new golfers. All those kids watching him in the late 1990's through the 2010 had grown up and quite a few are on the professional tours.

[Big Ben]

> @JaNelson38 said:

> There's nothing "strange" about the case of Tiger Woods. He's over a decade past his prime, his body is broken and is basically repaired just good enough to live decently well, and he is obviously cognizant towards making sure he doesn't re-injure it again. And the media fawning over Tiger after winning the green jacket and throwing unrealistic expectations on him didn't help either.

>

> I think Tiger has the talent and will to win many more times, but his body just won't let him. It honestly won't shock me in the least to see him officially hang it up very soon and play nothing but his tournament and the majors, very similar to how Jack faded away from professional golf. He's got nothing left to prove...everyone knows he is one of the best of all-time, and he completed his comeback with a major championship. But he has everything to lose if he gives himself another debilitating back injury that destroys the quality of life with his children moving forward. I think Tiger is in a very similar spot to where Jack was after he won at Augusta in 1986...everything came together that one week, one last time. But thereafter Jack played very sparingly on Tour and when he did play, it didn't go well. We might be seeing the same thing here too with Tiger.

 

I think you are spot on, well said. He is very aware of his back injury. I mean, who would do it differently in his shoes? I sure as heck wouldn’t push it and destroy the quality of my life. He seems very into the kiddos which is probably more rewarding to him now. His Masters was a gift to them, to see Daddy win a big one. He said as much...

[Shilgy]

> @"Titleist 670" said:

> > @16kid said:

> > I adored Tiger as a kid. I just feel his win at Torrey Pines on a broken leg was way more remarkable than winning the Masters, not playing at all and then falling of the face of the earth. That’s sad.

>

> I love how people refer to it as a broken leg. Never gets old.

 

You try it, let is know how you cope.

...

Stress fractures are common in foot and ankle bones because we continually place force on them by standing, walking, running and jumping. In a stress fracture, the bone breaks but usually does not shift position (become "displaced").

[FootWedge16]

> @Pent08 said:

> It's tough to watch considering the build up and what we've been conditioned to expect. I just hope he can eclipse Snead before it's all said and done.

 

He eclipsed Snead long ago. That record is already Tiger’s.

[bscinstnct]

> @Shilgy said:

> > @"Titleist 670" said:

> > > @16kid said:

> > > I adored Tiger as a kid. I just feel his win at Torrey Pines on a broken leg was way more remarkable than winning the Masters, not playing at all and then falling of the face of the earth. That’s sad.

> >

> > I love how people refer to it as a broken leg. Never gets old.

>

> You try it, let is know how you cope.

> ...

> Stress fractures are common in foot and ankle bones because we continually place force on them by standing, walking, running and jumping. In a stress fracture, the bone breaks but usually does not shift position (become "displaced").

 

 

Was combined with a torn acl right?

 

We all like to think we have a high threshold of pain. But TWs is off the charts.

 

[ebrasmus21]

> @"Titleist 670" said:

> People are confused by this?

>

> He won the Masters and hasn't really cared to practice/play much since. Of course he isn't contending.

 

This was my point as well.

[Titleist 670]

> @bscinstnct said:

> > @Shilgy said:

> > > @"Titleist 670" said:

> > > > @16kid said:

> > > > I adored Tiger as a kid. I just feel his win at Torrey Pines on a broken leg was way more remarkable than winning the Masters, not playing at all and then falling of the face of the earth. That’s sad.

> > >

> > > I love how people refer to it as a broken leg. Never gets old.

> >

> > You try it, let is know how you cope.

> > ...

> > Stress fractures are common in foot and ankle bones because we continually place force on them by standing, walking, running and jumping. In a stress fracture, the bone breaks but usually does not shift position (become "displaced").

>

>

> Was combined with a torn acl right?

>

> We all like to think we have a high threshold of pain. But TWs is off the charts.

>

 

Off the charts? Do you watch any other sports?

 

Logan Makins, an offensive lineman, played an entire NFL season with a torn ACL.

 

Thiago Santos recently fought for the UFC 205 pound title, against Jon Jones, arguably the greatest fighter of all time. He finished the fight with tears to his ACL, MCL, PCL, and meniscus.

 

Patrice Bergeron played game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals against the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013 with a punctured lung, a broken rib, and a separated shoulder.

 

If you pay any attention to other sports, where actual contact involved, you realize that Tiger Woods isn't the God of pain threshold. His win at Torrey was obviously impressive, but those who act like it's the be all end all of being tough must only watch golf.

[bscinstnct]

> @"Titleist 670" said:

> > @bscinstnct said:

> > > @Shilgy said:

> > > > @"Titleist 670" said:

> > > > > @16kid said:

> > > > > I adored Tiger as a kid. I just feel his win at Torrey Pines on a broken leg was way more remarkable than winning the Masters, not playing at all and then falling of the face of the earth. That’s sad.

> > > >

> > > > I love how people refer to it as a broken leg. Never gets old.

> > >

> > > You try it, let is know how you cope.

> > > ...

> > > Stress fractures are common in foot and ankle bones because we continually place force on them by standing, walking, running and jumping. In a stress fracture, the bone breaks but usually does not shift position (become "displaced").

> >

> >

> > Was combined with a torn acl right?

> >

> > We all like to think we have a high threshold of pain. But TWs is off the charts.

> >

>

> Off the charts? Do you watch any other sports?

>

> Logan Makins, an offensive lineman, played an entire NFL season with a torn ACL.

>

> Thiago Santos recently fought for the UFC 205 pound title, against Jon Jones, arguably the greatest fighter of all time. He finished the fight with tears to his ACL, MCL, PCL, and meniscus.

>

> Patrice Bergeron played game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals against the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013 with a punctured lung, a broken rib, and a separated shoulder.

>

> If you pay any attention to other sports, where actual contact involved, you realize that Tiger Woods isn't the God of pain threshold. His win at Torrey was obviously impressive, but those who act like it's the be all end all of being tough must only watch golf.

 

You forgot Jack Youngblood ; )

 

I know all about it. I blew up a knee in uncle Rico football. Guy got blocked and fell right into it. POP! ! Still squatting and riding my bike now though ; ) A guy I played with played 4th q with a broken ankle. They used a lot of tape, lol. Seen a guy scream in terror when his knee blew up.

 

Yes, you are talking about playing through acute misery and pain right after an injury. Andrenaline will do that.

 

TW played through and executed a leveraged move on his front leg, swinging 120mph, dozens of times, with an acl tear.

 

That’s off the charts, right?

 

 

[farmer]

A torn acl is painful when the tear occurs, but after the swelling goes down, they are not particularly painful. I know half a dozen guys with torn acls from football 50 years ago who go about their days without issue. Stress fractures are common with cheerleaders, are painful, but not debilitating. Winning the open while injured was a great accomplishment, but it wasn't death defying. To topic, if Tiger is in such discomfort that he cannot practice, he cannot compete, and it is possible that the Master's was his swan song.

[BLF0901]

> @justasgood said:

> He’s old, surgically repaired and stupid filthy rich.......I don’t bemoan his performance.

>

> Thankful I got to watch him in his dominating prime. There will never be another.

 

Same was said about MJ, Wilt, Jack, etc., etc. There will be another.

[DatSliceDoe]

Maybe next year he'll find a way to play a better looking schedule. That's all anyone can hope for. He won the Masters, his career is basically as good as it can get. Anything from here is totally icing on a very large cake.

[bscinstnct]

> @farmer said:

> A torn acl is painful when the tear occurs, but after the swelling goes down, they are not particularly painful. I know half a dozen guys with torn acls from football 50 years ago who go about their days without issue. Stress fractures are common with cheerleaders, are painful, but not debilitating. Winning the open while injured was a great accomplishment, but it wasn't death defying. To topic, if Tiger is in such discomfort that he cannot practice, he cannot compete, and it is possible that the Master's was his swan song.

 

Lol, farmer.

 

Do you realize how unstable your knee is after an acl tear? Even after the surgery?

 

For months, even with rehab, you are totally paranoid. You can run and pivot after like 5 months but you still have that sickening feeling lingering like your knee will collapse if someone breathes on it. It takes well over 6 months to rehab and even practice moves much less play.

 

But here’s the thing. TW tore his acl... but didn’t have it repaired for over 10 months.

 

Swinging at 120mph with a torn acl and no surgery?

 

That’s what TW did.

 

Tiger never even had the surgery for like 10 months after he tore it and won like 5 times. Then, most likely because he didn’t have the surgery and tore up the cartilage in his knee playing for months, he had surgery like 2 months before the open to remove the cartilage BUT he didn’t have the acl repaired so he could play in the us open.

 

Which he won ; )

 

 

 

 

 

 

[third-times-a-charm]

If Molinari didnt get beaten by a pine cone Tiger woulda lost

[BMC]

Karma.

[tiderider]

> @third-times-a-charm said:

> If Molinari didnt get beaten by a pine cone Tiger woulda lost

 

then i guess the italian shouldn't have let a pine cone beat him ...

[Titleist_PT23]

I just feel like the narrative around Tiger has shifted to quasi excuses (not that he needs to justify anything). I'm glad he won the Masters and hope he can win again.

 

Still, something seems off. I understand the victory lap after the Masters and not being ready for the PGA. I don't buy the year long victory lap for the two Opens. Yes, the weather wasn't great but that could have been predicted and before the tournaments everyone was basically saying he'll be ready.

 

I understand that there will be good days and bad days. It is possible that the situation is no worse than what it was late-2018 and leading up to the Masters, and that he's just not willing (right now) to fight through it. But I also can't help but think things have deteriorated as well.

 

Like everyone says, anything we get going forward is gravy. I just wonder why he even bothers to play if he's not at all ready to go (especially post-majors). I know the tour wants him to play but it just doesn't seem worth it if there are truly "only so many swings left."

[lowheel]

> @bscinstnct said:

> > @Shilgy said:

> > > @"Titleist 670" said:

> > > > @16kid said:

> > > > I adored Tiger as a kid. I just feel his win at Torrey Pines on a broken leg was way more remarkable than winning the Masters, not playing at all and then falling of the face of the earth. That’s sad.

> > >

> > > I love how people refer to it as a broken leg. Never gets old.

> >

> > You try it, let is know how you cope.

> > ...

> > Stress fractures are common in foot and ankle bones because we continually place force on them by standing, walking, running and jumping. In a stress fracture, the bone breaks but usually does not shift position (become "displaced").

>

>

> Was combined with a torn acl right?

>

> We all like to think we have a high threshold of pain. But TWs is off the charts.

>

 

and we now know how it was that high.Insane amounts of opiods.

[Niketw231]

When everyone doubted him I remained that he would get it done one more time. Always said just win one more and go out that way. Hopefully it is not over and can manage to the best. We shall see what the GOAT can do again.

[bscinstnct]

> @lowheel said:

> > @bscinstnct said:

> > > @Shilgy said:

> > > > @"Titleist 670" said:

> > > > > @16kid said:

> > > > > I adored Tiger as a kid. I just feel his win at Torrey Pines on a broken leg was way more remarkable than winning the Masters, not playing at all and then falling of the face of the earth. That’s sad.

> > > >

> > > > I love how people refer to it as a broken leg. Never gets old.

> > >

> > > You try it, let is know how you cope.

> > > ...

> > > Stress fractures are common in foot and ankle bones because we continually place force on them by standing, walking, running and jumping. In a stress fracture, the bone breaks but usually does not shift position (become "displaced").

> >

> >

> > Was combined with a torn acl right?

> >

> > We all like to think we have a high threshold of pain. But TWs is off the charts.

> >

>

> and we now know how it was that high.Insane amounts of opiods.

 

 

Lowheel! Hope the summer is bein fantastic.

 

If TW can make those eagle putts on sat and this putt on 18 on Sunday

 

On opioids, well,

 

Te salut, Don Coleone ; )

 

Cool shot of the putt here

 

 

 

[Pent08]

> @FootWedge16 said:

> > @Pent08 said:

> > It's tough to watch considering the build up and what we've been conditioned to expect. I just hope he can eclipse Snead before it's all said and done.

>

> He eclipsed Snead long ago. That record is already Tiger’s.

Sure, only for those of us who know the history.

[lowheel]

> @bscinstnct said:

> > @lowheel said:

> > > @bscinstnct said:

> > > > @Shilgy said:

> > > > > @"Titleist 670" said:

> > > > > > @16kid said:

> > > > > > I adored Tiger as a kid. I just feel his win at Torrey Pines on a broken leg was way more remarkable than winning the Masters, not playing at all and then falling of the face of the earth. That’s sad.

> > > > >

> > > > > I love how people refer to it as a broken leg. Never gets old.

> > > >

> > > > You try it, let is know how you cope.

> > > > ...

> > > > Stress fractures are common in foot and ankle bones because we continually place force on them by standing, walking, running and jumping. In a stress fracture, the bone breaks but usually does not shift position (become "displaced").

> > >

> > >

> > > Was combined with a torn acl right?

> > >

> > > We all like to think we have a high threshold of pain. But TWs is off the charts.

> > >

> >

> > and we now know how it was that high.Insane amounts of opiods.

>

>

> Lowheel! Hope the summer is bein fantastic.

>

> If TW can make those eagle putts on sat and this putt on 18 on Sunday

>

> On opioids, well,

>

> Te salut, Don Coleone ; )

>

> Cool shot of the putt here

>

>

>

>

 

pretty much, he made a lifetime of putts in those 5 days. It helped him then wrecked him later... These threads are always hilarious though. Guy comes back from serious back surgery plays a full schedule. Makes a few runs at a major wins tour championship. Then this year starts off slow and really becomes very mindful/ careful of his schedule and how he feels. Wins Masters and now suddenly hes not motivated anymore!! guys sore so cant practice and hes paying for it with bad scores.it happens to everybody. Once you lose an edge on tour your 70-71s become 74-75s overnight. Tiger is who he is right now.Hes not lazy or content just a soon to be 44 year old.I suspect after playoffs he hangs up the clubs for a solid 2-3 months and rests the body.I suspect he will play well next year on the florida swing when things warm up.

[wfrogge1]

He is one of the GOATs of golf and by far my favorite player over the past 20 years. With that said its more than obvious something is wrong but I am not sure he is hurt. I think his motivation was to return to the top and win another Major.... He did just that. Heck in his post round interview today he doesn't look as fit as he did back in April of this year. Feel its a combination of age and not having the same Tiger "fire" as he did in his 20s and 30s........ Still would not surprise me if he gets a wild hair up his arse before the Masters next year and wins another but for this year its pretty much over

[rafal]

His backing up into the Masters was a very strange case indeed.

[Need4spd]

I take nothing away from him, he beat the rest of the field at The Masters fair and square. That said, is there another course anywhere on tour where experience makes more of a difference? I think that’s what got lost in all this.

[ebrasmus21]

> @lowheel said:

> > @bscinstnct said:

> > > @Shilgy said:

> > > > @"Titleist 670" said:

> > > > > @16kid said:

> > > > > I adored Tiger as a kid. I just feel his win at Torrey Pines on a broken leg was way more remarkable than winning the Masters, not playing at all and then falling of the face of the earth. That’s sad.

> > > >

> > > > I love how people refer to it as a broken leg. Never gets old.

> > >

> > > You try it, let is know how you cope.

> > > ...

> > > Stress fractures are common in foot and ankle bones because we continually place force on them by standing, walking, running and jumping. In a stress fracture, the bone breaks but usually does not shift position (become "displaced").

> >

> >

> > Was combined with a torn acl right?

> >

> > We all like to think we have a high threshold of pain. But TWs is off the charts.

> >

>

> and we now know how it was that high.Insane amounts of

 

Hey hey hey hey hey, hey, hey..... easy now.

[grm24]

> @lowheel said:

> > @bscinstnct said:

> > > @lowheel said:

> > > > @bscinstnct said:

> > > > > @Shilgy said:

> > > > > > @"Titleist 670" said:

> > > > > > > @16kid said:

> > > > > > > I adored Tiger as a kid. I just feel his win at Torrey Pines on a broken leg was way more remarkable than winning the Masters, not playing at all and then falling of the face of the earth. That’s sad.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > I love how people refer to it as a broken leg. Never gets old.

> > > > >

> > > > > You try it, let is know how you cope.

> > > > > ...

> > > > > Stress fractures are common in foot and ankle bones because we continually place force on them by standing, walking, running and jumping. In a stress fracture, the bone breaks but usually does not shift position (become "displaced").

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > Was combined with a torn acl right?

> > > >

> > > > We all like to think we have a high threshold of pain. But TWs is off the charts.

> > > >

> > >

> > > and we now know how it was that high.Insane amounts of opiods.

> >

> >

> > Lowheel! Hope the summer is bein fantastic.

> >

> > If TW can make those eagle putts on sat and this putt on 18 on Sunday

> >

> > On opioids, well,

> >

> > Te salut, Don Coleone ; )

> >

> > Cool shot of the putt here

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

> pretty much, he made a lifetime of putts in those 5 days. It helped him then wrecked him later... These threads are always hilarious though. Guy comes back from serious back surgery plays a full schedule. Makes a few runs at a major wins tour championship. Then this year starts off slow and really becomes very mindful/ careful of his schedule and how he feels. Wins Masters and now suddenly hes not motivated anymore!! guys sore so cant practice and hes paying for it with bad scores.it happens to everybody. Once you lose an edge on tour your 70-71s become 74-75s overnight. Tiger is who he is right now.Hes not lazy or content just a soon to be 44 year old.I suspect after playoffs he hangs up the clubs for a solid 2-3 months and rests the body.I suspect he will play well next year on the florida swing when things warm up.

 

After the FEC is done his next scheduled events are the skins game and new PGA Tour event in Japan. I wonder if he still plays those.

[dlygrisse]

The Masters was really cool! Tiger is done. Cooked. Finished. Broken. The fact that he won the Masters after what he has been through is remarkable. But he just can’t put in the work to maintain what he needs to compete any longer. Having a bad back sucks. Just appreciate what he did and move on.

[Golfjack]

I think he just needs to take time off and play 1 maybe 2 majors a year. If his body can't even handle that then...

Right now he's not even contending. You can tell there's something wrong but he isn't quite going about it correctly. He's just toughing it out but I'm concerned about long term effects and the point of that if he can't even contend. I think after this year he'll look back and readjust the way he will go about it. Sometimes you don't know until you've tried. Doesn't work so try some other way. I don't think he expected his body to deteriorate that quickly. If he can find a way that works, can see him winning another major if he gets lucky. He doesn't even need to try the tour championship with his current body. Even if he lucks into the final round he would be done by then.

[bscinstnct]

> @dlygrisse said:

> The Masters was really cool! Tiger is done. Cooked. Finished. Broken. The fact that he won the Masters after what he has been through is remarkable. But he just can’t put in the work to maintain what he needs to compete any longer. Having a bad back sucks. Just appreciate what he did and move on.

 

Yeah, but there were thousands of these exact posts like just over a year ago ; )

 

I’m thinking I agree but this guy is like a Phoenix.