2018 Northern Trust at Ridgewood CC

[KillerPenguin]

It's Cant-lee now. He's had the pronunciation changed since he shagged someone in 2016.

Yeah, 2016 was a wonderful year.

[redfirebird08]

Tiger seems to have figured out something with the driver, but not scoring very well. Iron game seems off this week. Putter seems a bit off too.

[WidespreadPanic]

I'd like to see a stat for how many times DJ has switched putters this year. He's got like 4 in his rotation, and it seems like he goes through at least 2 of them per week.

[stanger37]

I'd like to see a stat for how many times DJ has switched putters this year. He's got like 4 in his rotation, and it seems like he goes through at least 2 of them per week.

 

I am sure it is somewhat of an easy find with the winners WITB, but I am interested to see over the last 3 years with him winning 3x in those years, how many putters were used. probably the most wins with the most putters used.

[bscinstnct]

Apologies, thought it was intended differently and I apologise if I came off hostile, I was surprised to see you back to be honest. We actually were finding a lot of common ground when you last posted if I remember correctly.

 

A lot has changed with Tiger since we last spoke. Do you still think he will never win again or has he convinced you more? What do you think of the putter change as well?

 

I'll try my best not to get to argumentive this time, it's just golf.

FIRs&GIRs&3-Putts

"Do you still think he will never win again or has he convinced you more? What do you think of the putter change as well?"

……………..

 

As I promised, here's my thoughts to your 2 fine questions.

 

Firstly, I'm a Tiger fan but I tend to be brutally honest in my evaluations and I've always been one who has little time or inclination to sugar-coat anything or get overly romantic of the past - I like living in the present, but I'm curious and welcome the future.

 

As for Tiger's season so far, from the context of where he's come from 2 years ago when questioning if he'd ever physically be able to play the game competitively again - it's been outstanding. But to your specific question "Do you still think he will never win again or has he convinced you more?" Yes it's possible he could win again (given the right conditions / setup / course / strength of field / and his mental & technical vulnerabilities improve) but even then it won't be easy and it's no way a certainty either. Let me explain a little more.

 

As I've touched on before, due to the huge evolution and professionalisation of the game over recent times, the quality, competition and depth of talent today is far higher than it's ever been and as a result far more difficult to win (this is widely acknowledged) and mentally Tiger is well aware of this reality too. Tiger also knows players today are no longer afraid of him, in fact they actually look forward to going against him and taking his scalp. Tiger in his peak years used his massive distance over the field as a huge advantage, today that's all gone and now he's only about 35th in distance with relatively poor accuracy. Compare him to DJ, Brooks, JT etc, he can't live with them and they all hit irons and wedges close and putt lights out too. Tiger even spoke to this sobering reality at the PGA when saying "He [@BKoepka] is a tough guy to beat when he's hitting it 340 in the air ... @DJohnsonPGA's done it, now @McIlroyRory's doing it, Brooksy does it." - TigerWoods

In many ways Tiger has helped create the very fields he's struggling to win against today, a bit like the old adage of the student evolving and surpassing the master (and his has nothing to do with surpassing his records btw).

 

I also acknowledge Tiger is almost 43yrs old and despite being fully fit and healthy again (which is great news), mentally he still looks vulnerable out there as pressure increases, and we've seen this throughout most of the season. But lets be fair, Tiger has had a few great chances this year to seal a win but as I've already pointed to, in the key pressure moments he's been found wanting. I actually believe the longer he fails to close out these winning opportunities, the harder mentally it will become for him to get one over the line in todays climate.

 

So in a nutshell, if Tiger's putter can stay reliable, if he can ever sort out his erratic driving so it becomes a weapon not a worry, and if he can become better mentally under pressure - then with some luck against the right SOF, on the right course, with the right conditions & setup, yes I think it's possible he can win again. But that's a lot of 'if's that need to align.

 

That's my brutally honest (and impartial as can be) assessment.

 

I think it's a fair assessment apart from a couple things.

 

I would presume by right SOF you mean it would need to be on the weaker end? I don't really see where this would come from, his three best chances to win came in 2 majors and the Valspar this year, Valspar is obviously not a great field, a good finish at API and a finish at Memorial which I think everyone can agree he played better than, a good Players Championship as well (not saying he was close to winning them but he had good performances in really tough fields).

 

Also the whole struggling under pressure thing, I can see where it comes from but I can't agree with a lot of it. Normally people point to the back nine scoring average and yes I won't deny it's way worse than the front but I've noticed a different trend which is more good nine/bad nine, he plays the back nine of rounds well when he has a poor front nine and vice versa, R1 of Quicken Loans (this was less extreme), PGA and Memorial to blame a few. This is still a concern to me obviously because he's struggling to put a full round together, I put it down to him just not being what he once was and I'm doubtful he'll be able to consistently put it all together for a round, closest we've seen was final round of Bellerive. I can't comment on the open to be honest, I was at there for 6 days including Sunday so I still don't really know a lot about how people really played, with Spieth and Tiger being my two favourite players I didn't want to dwell that much on the Open, lol. PGA was interesting, I understand why people called the drive on 17 a choke but I think I disagree on what a choke is in the first place, to me a choke is when pressure causes you to do something you wouldn't normally do - so a really bad putter missing an important 7 footer isn't really a choke to me but a historically good putter missing an important 7 footer I could consider a choke (there are obviously a lot more variables here but I'm already getting taken away to the land of hypotheticals, lol) so I wouldn't consider Rory's poor wedge into 18 at Carnoustie a choke (I could hear the groans even from the 17th green) as he isn't exactly the world's greatest wedge player. So it's hard for me to call Tiger missing the fairway with a driver a choke (I realise that you didn't say that, I'm just going with what people have typically said).

 

Since I mentioned last time that I don't think Tiger can win another major, I thought I'd say that I would still be surprised if he gets 15 but he's got a significantly better chance than he did before the Open.

 

Thank you for the response.

 

TW is #19 on the money list and, more interesting, #8 in money per event. That's a guy who can win anytime. And as you said, he hasn't even put 4 really good rounds together and yet has finished 2nd 3 times this year. Imagine if he gets "hot" and goes on a little tear?

 

If the back cooperates, I would expect him to win 2x next year and a really good shot to win a major in 2020.

 

I know TW fans have are very tentative to anticipate any sort of success but, to me, him winning again is a probability not a "could/might".

[QuigleyDU]

Anyone find this slightly funny..

[Marco]

Tiger seems to have figured out something with the driver, but not scoring very well. Iron game seems off this week. Putter seems a bit off too.

 

he said he was in between clubs a lot yesterday for irons.

 

btw, dont know if posted yet, but spieth putting is good LMAO

 

[jdl]

Koepka linebacker comparison - drink!

[DatSliceDoe]

First words I hear when I tune in are about Koepka being a linebacker again...this is getting OLD.

[SilverBullets]

Anyone find this slightly funny..

 

Could the Playoff format actually be working?

[seve1972]

Rich Lerner’s comment on BK..”he wouldn’t look out of place with the linebacker crew at the combine”...I’m hoping he was kidding....

[seve1972]

Not really liking the no intermediate rough at this course ....either fairway or....dig

[carrier street]

Not really liking the no intermediate rough at this course ....either fairway or....dig

 

I like it. I don't think the rough is crazy, but it's definitely a penalty if you hit it in there.

[redfirebird08]

Lovemark is on fire!

[lowheel]

Tiger seems to have figured out something with the driver, but not scoring very well. Iron game seems off this week. Putter seems a bit off too.

 

The course is forcing him to swing within himself and that shaft although not the longest is very stable at the tip. Im loving watching pros not being able to reach the green from 180 out in this rough.Old school golf course. You can score but smaller greens and thick rough will force alot of these guys to take their medicine

 

Not really liking the no intermediate rough at this course ....either fairway or....dig

 

really? i think its awesome.

[lowheel]

DJ continuing his prime Phil ways... 2 triples and still 4 under... lol

[WidespreadPanic]

Paul Casey, the apparent "quintessential journeyman", is once again on the first page of the leaderboard in a big event.

[ebrasmus21]

Paul Casey, the apparent "quintessential journeyman", is once again on the first page of the leaderboard in a big event.

 

Meh. I'll take Fleetwood of Nazareth any day.

[buckeyefl]

Rich Lerner’s comment on BK..”he wouldn’t look out of place with the linebacker crew at the combine”...I’m hoping he was kidding....

 

He's not. He did one of his sickening, syrupy, over the top intros a couple of weeks ago and showed several players and noted the position they would play in a weak attempt at comparing the two sports. It was so bad I turned the channel for 15 minutes.

[MountainGoat]

Rich Lerner's comment on BK.."he wouldn't look out of place with the linebacker crew at the combine"...I'm hoping he was kidding....

 

I heard that, too, and it's just so stupid. If Brooks is 6' 205lbs, he matches the profile for a Low FCS/High D2 college linebacker. He'd get run over at the combine.

 

(ref: https://www.gobigrecruiting.com/recruiting101/football/positional_guidelines/linebacker)

[snizzle]

Good to see at least some of you are actually watching this...

The Fedex playoffs just seems like a pure money grab to me.

[QuigleyDU]

Anyone find this slightly funny..

 

Could the Playoff format actually be working?

 

your missing the joke. at least what i think is funny.

 

 

#F.....UP

[redfirebird08]

Good to see at least some of you are actually watching this...

The Fedex playoffs just seems like a pure money grab to me.

 

It is a pure money grab, but so are all the other tournaments in golf. I just view it like a tour event with a lot of big names in the field. Seems pretty harmless to me.

[North Butte]

The Fedex playoffs just seems like a pure money grab to me.

 

[the bishop]

Good to see at least some of you are actually watching this...

The Fedex playoffs just seems like a pure money grab to me.

Nothing wrong with a good ole money grab IMO

[redfirebird08]

625 in two shots with no roll. Very impressive stuff from Koepka.

[MattyO1984]

Really shouldn't be surprised by the long hitting of these guys anymore but Koepka just hit a 3 wood - 308 yard carry from the deck. I'm not sure I can even compute that.

[WidespreadPanic]

Really shouldn't be surprised by the long hitting of these guys anymore but Koepka just hit a 3 wood - 308 yard carry from the deck. I'm not sure I can even compute that.

I don't understand it. He just carries his driver 312 downhill, so essentially the same. I've gotten used to the driver distances, but the 3 wood off the deck numbers blow my mind.

[redfirebird08]

DJ is -6 overall with 2 triple bogies on the card. Crazy stuff lol

[snizzle]

Good to see at least some of you are actually watching this...

The Fedex playoffs just seems like a pure money grab to me.

 

It is a pure money grab, but so are all the other tournaments in golf. I just view it like a tour event with a lot of big names in the field. Seems pretty harmless to me.

 

Yeah probably so. Guess I prefer events that have a little more prestige or history. It's not like Arnie or Jack were out there in their prime chasing fedex points and dollars but it's a different era controlled by the sponsors.