Notah says Tiger 50/50 for the Masters

[cphrey]

From another site:

 

(My thought not the site: Notah is a great guy and I really like his reporting, but man has he made a special niche by being one of Tiger's confidants. Pretty sweet for him.)

 

 

Notah Begay said that there’s a “50-50” chance that Tiger Woods will tee it up at the Masters – and those odds have improved significantly over the past few weeks.

In a phone interview with 120 Sports, the Golf Channel analyst said that Woods has shown “steady improvement” and is encouraged about the direction of his swing and short game.

“I think his golf game as a whole is in a great place,” Begay said. “I think it was good for him to stay a step back, to reassess a variety of different things and do things on his timeline.

“I think that’s very important. It’s easy to get bullied into trying to acquiesce to the media’s concerns, or the PGA Tour’s concerns, or other people’s agendas. My suggestion to him was to take as much time as he needed to just figure out this issue with his short game and also to work on or clean up a couple of things that might be a little loose with his golf swing. …

“I think things are really settling. We’ve had some good discussions over the last week or so and he feels good about it.”

As for the upcoming Masters, which Woods has missed just once in his pro career (2014), Begay said that he didn’t know definitely and it is “literally a 50-50 chance right now, from what I can tell.”

“I think that’s far better odds than what it was, say, three weeks ago. Three weeks ago I would have said there was maybe a 1-in-10 chance of him playing at Augusta.”

So what’s changed?

“Just steady improvement,” Begay said. “I don’t know that there was any one thing specifically that you can say a player looks at, but it’s simply something that a player feels when they step on the golf course. They feel like they can go out there and basically defend themselves. … If a player feels like they can do what they want, then they go out and play.”

Woods skipped last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational, a tournament he has won eight times, because he said his game is still not up to his standards. He has until 5 p.m. Friday to commit to next week’s Shell Houston Open. If he doesn’t add a tournament and decides to play the Masters, it will mark the first time that he’s entered a major while outside the top 100 in the world

[MarkCPA]

Tiger has a history of parting ways with people in his inner circle who like to talk. So, is Notah the unofficial press secretary for Tiger now?

[pappaf2]

[quote name='MarkCPA' timestamp='1427304347' post='11213699']
Tiger has a history of parting ways with people in his inner circle who like to talk. So, is Notah the unofficial press secretary for Tiger now?
[/quote]

It seems to me like since Notah has taken on the roll of "consultant" to Tiger more recently he has been giving "status updates" about him. None of them really say much but I would guess Tiger has given him the ok to do that.

[scratchswinger]

I am 50/50 on watching The Masters.

[Dave230]

[quote name='scratchswinger' timestamp='1427304690' post='11213737']
I am 50/50 on watching The Masters.
[/quote]

Good for you.

[Oldboy]

Before this last attempt at his "comeback" he said he'd hit "thousands" of chips and pitches and put a lot of work into his game and we know what came about.. With these false starts it's become hard to believe any of this talk until he shows up and walks the walk.. I hope he comes back with some game but in reality I think if and when he comes back it's gonna be a few events before we see him make cuts let alone contend and win.. The clock keeps ticking and the pressure increases with every missed event imo

[DavePelz4]

[quote name='scratchswinger' timestamp='1427304690' post='11213737']
I am 50/50 on watching The Masters.
[/quote]

I'm 50/50 on you being 50/50 on watching The Masters.

[cphrey]

[quote name='DavePelz4' timestamp='1427304961' post='11213785']
[quote name='scratchswinger' timestamp='1427304690' post='11213737']
I am 50/50 on watching The Masters.
[/quote]

I'm 50/50 on you being 50/50 on watching The Masters.
[/quote]

I am PUMPED for The Masters. If Tiger plays, I hope he can at least make the cut...and I can't believe that is the best I can hope for out of him right now.

[cphrey]

[quote name='Dave230' timestamp='1427304782' post='11213761']
[quote name='scratchswinger' timestamp='1427304690' post='11213737']
I am 50/50 on watching The Masters.
[/quote]

Good for you.
[/quote]

LOL, I like to quote my avatar for statements like these..."Far out." The Dude

[kemau]

[size=4][url="http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golf-central-blog/love-dont-count-out-tiger-just-yet/"][b][color=#000000]Love: Don't count out Tiger just yet[/color][/b][/url][/size]

[size=4][color=#000000]March 25, 2015[/color][/size]

[size=4][color=#000000]Davis Love III said that golf fans shouldn’t count out Tiger Woods “quite yet” and that the former world No. 1 still expects to make the 2016 U.S. Ryder Cup team.[/color][/size]

[size=4][color=#000000][url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02mq5f0"]Appearing this week on BBC Radio[/url], Love said that he’s been in touch with Woods more often recently than in the past few years, most likely because of their connection through the Ryder Cup task force (and now the six-man committee). Last week, Love texted Woods that he missed seeing him at Bay Hill, a place where he’s won eight times.[/color][/size]

[size=4][color=#000000]Love said that Woods still has a “good attitude” and is working toward a return to competition. [/color][/size]

[size=4][color=#000000]“He’s expecting to make the (Ryder Cup) team,” Love said, before adding: “He’s working hard, I know that. I’ve talked to a few people around him who said that he’s working very hard (and) is eager to get back. I suppose he has a plan for probably the Masters, I would think. We’re hoping to see him back soon.”[/color][/size]

[size=4][color=#000000]Love added that Woods is “anxious” to return so he can begin accruing points for not just the Presidents Cup but also the Ryder Cup.[/color][/size]

[size=4][color=#000000]“I wouldn’t count him out just yet,” Love said.[/color] [/size]

[scratchswinger]

[quote name='DavePelz4' timestamp='1427304961' post='11213785']
[quote name='scratchswinger' timestamp='1427304690' post='11213737']
I am 50/50 on watching The Masters.
[/quote]

I'm 50/50 on you being 50/50 on watching The Masters.
[/quote]

I am 50/50 on dropping a deuce.

[DavePelz4]

[quote name='scratchswinger' timestamp='1427306002' post='11213941']
[quote name='DavePelz4' timestamp='1427304961' post='11213785']
[quote name='scratchswinger' timestamp='1427304690' post='11213737']
I am 50/50 on watching The Masters.
[/quote]

I'm 50/50 on you being 50/50 on watching The Masters.
[/quote]

I am 50/50 on dropping a deuce.
[/quote]

Hopefully that's on a par 5...Albatross for Scratch!

[kemau]

[quote name='scratchswinger' timestamp='1427306002' post='11213941']
[quote name='DavePelz4' timestamp='1427304961' post='11213785']
[quote name='scratchswinger' timestamp='1427304690' post='11213737']
I am 50/50 on watching The Masters.
[/quote]

I'm 50/50 on you being 50/50 on watching The Masters.
[/quote]

I am 50/50 on dropping a deuce.
[/quote]

the albatross has been en vogue lately

[ethanlculver]

Notah's words: "His golf game as a whole is in a great place."

Really? I find it hard for anyone to believe this after what's happened the past year. I really hope it's true, but my goodness...he had to use the word "great" THIS soon?

I think TW will play the Masters since he's 50/50 right now. But no one knows what his 50/50 means. If he feels like he will be bordering around the cut line, then he absolutely should not play.

[joey2aces]

[quote name='DavePelz4' timestamp='1427306049' post='11213955']
[quote name='scratchswinger' timestamp='1427306002' post='11213941']
[quote name='DavePelz4' timestamp='1427304961' post='11213785']
[quote name='scratchswinger' timestamp='1427304690' post='11213737']
I am 50/50 on watching The Masters.
[/quote]

I'm 50/50 on you being 50/50 on watching The Masters.
[/quote]

I am 50/50 on dropping a deuce.
[/quote]

Hopefully that's on a par 5...Albatross for Scratch!
[/quote]

nope... ace on No 11. White Dogwood.... playing into the wind....

[Playaway]

I think Tiger playing in the Masters this year will be like that flight on the tarmac that is waiting to taxi to the runway.

They say it looks like 15 minutes and we will push back from the gate.

20 minutes later they say it looks like another 20 minutes because of weather in DFW.

15 minutes goes by. We should be pushing back in another 20 minutes. Looks like any minute now . . . . .

Folks this is the captain. Looks like that flight to Augusta will be delayed indefinitely.

Next flight will be to Seattle in June. So far, that flight remains on time.

[hogans71]

[quote name='scratchswinger' timestamp='1427304690' post='11213737']
I am 50/50 on watching The Masters.
[/quote]

I'll pick up the slack...

[imakaveli]

Notah is the Ringo Starr of golf

[Binary]

Wow Notah, don't stick your neck out too far.

[thekru]

He goes and plays a couple of practice rounds then WD's.

[alittleoverpar]

At this point I would have to think that he is playing. How well he plays will be the question.

[legitimategolf]

[quote name='imakaveli' timestamp='1427307492' post='11214153']
Notah is the Ringo Starr of golf
[/quote]

Wow, high praise! Ringo, one of the greatest drummers in the history of music.

[jons1]

a 50/50 Tiger will not contend in a major, so if he plays or not it's pointless.

[cphrey]

[quote name='legitimategolf' timestamp='1427312270' post='11214719']
[quote name='imakaveli' timestamp='1427307492' post='11214153']
Notah is the Ringo Starr of golf
[/quote]

Wow, high praise! Ringo, one of the greatest drummers in the history of music.
[/quote]

John Lennon may or may not have said, "Ringo isn't even the best drummer in the Beatles..." Or it could've been a British comedian back in the 80s, but still, LOL!

[Loki]

[quote name='scratchswinger' timestamp='1427304690' post='11213737']
I am 50/50 on watching The Masters.
[/quote]

I'm 100% that you should get your GolfWRX membership revoked.

[cardoustie]

[quote name='legitimategolf' timestamp='1427312270' post='11214719']
[quote name='imakaveli' timestamp='1427307492' post='11214153']
Notah is the Ringo Starr of golf
[/quote]

Wow, high praise! Ringo, one of the greatest drummers in the history of music.
[/quote]

I was thinking Notah is more like Yoko Ono .. and curses, now I have that BareNaked Ladies song in my head

[putts4bogey]

Tiger and his agent are masterminds at keeping his name relevant even when he is absent from the game for awhile. 50/50 is a great way to get and keep the interest built up between now and then. If he decides to play but doesn't play well, OK, he was only 50/50 to play in the event to begin with. If he decides to play and plays well, even if he doesn't win, it will be the dominant story and coverage. 50/50 is smart, because it is a win/win either way.

I think he will play and play well.

[UCBananaboy]

If he plays -- those first couple of missed greens will be testy

[mosesgolf]

Holy cow. Can't someone of his caliber just come back and play some GOLF. It's like he's made a mountain out of an ant hill and has to reassess every facet of his game. Jack could go out and shoot 68 at any era into his late 50s. Remember his top 10 finish at Augusta at the age of 58? Geesh just go out and PLAY. I guess that' what happens when someone has 3858 pieces of info that needs to be processed in a golf swing and chipping technique. So lame.

[Matt J]

Calling something 50/50 is exactly the equivalent of saying nothing, an option Notah should have considered.