Tiger is back as if he never left
Tiger Woods won The Memorial two weeks ago, shooting 65 on Sunday and birdieing the last two holes to win by one shot. He hit every fairway on Sunday and proved to everybody that he once again is the heavy favorite heading into the US Open at Bethpage Black this week.
Despite already winning his second tournament in just seven events this year, people seemed to be dismissing Tiger as too rusty and not healthy enough to realistically win a major right now. Those people are nuts. Tiger might have taken time off to heal from his torn ligament and broken leg, and he might not have been able to practice fully until very recently, but he is more than poised to win his 15th major this week in New York.
Even though Tiger has won twice this year in just seven events, he hasn't quite dominated the way we all expect. He's set the bar so high that people just assume if he is playing he'll win. It's not realistic, but Tiger is Superman - or at least he plays him on the golf course.
The numbers don't lie. He's ranked 94th in driving accuracy, 73rd in greens in regulation, 43rd in putting and 87th in sand saves this year. You can see it with your own eyes. Tiger is wilder off the tee than usual. He's not putting the way we expect. Remember when he didn't three-put all week at the Masters in 2000?
The most amazing stat of all though is that despite all his struggles this year, who do you think is #1 in scoring average? That's right Tiger at 68.88. Despite driving it poorly and putting way below average, he's still #1 in scoring. This guy is unbelievable. That's why him hitting all 14 fairways on Sunday should give everybody playing this week at the Open chills. If Tiger's driver is under control, he could run away with this Open the way he did at Pebble Beach.
If he's wild off the tee, he's still probably got a better than 50% chance to win this week. He's only been able to play 13 events in 2008 and 2009. In those 13 events he's won 6 of them. Nobody wins 6 of 13. Except Tiger. He's got 12 top 10's in those 13 tourneys. In his other event he finished in the top 25. Tiger is a machine. He's missed one cut in his last 43 events. And that was at the Open following his father's death. It's the only time he has appeared human.
Phil Mickelson will be the feel good story of the week. Everybody can relate to his wife Amy's battle with cancer. And Phil has a track record of playing well at Bethpage. He finished tied for second there in 2006. Plus he's won twice this year too. Brian Gay is hot and won his second tournament last week in Memphis also. But make no mistake, even though Tiger is only eight tournaments into his comeback from a broken leg and knee surgery, he is the overwhelming favorite to kiss the trophy on Father's Day. Again.
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Categories (click for archive)Eric Bickel | Junkies |
Tiger is the God of golf. Even when he sucks, he is still the most dominate golfer in the world. Even though golf is a game where the players actually do not play against each other, but rather the course, no one can tell me that when Tiger is in the hunt on Sundays, the leaders are scared of him.
Worst. Post. Ever.
Airwick,
you need to teach baby to be good golfer like tiga woods daddy did when he was little boy. Maybe not how you putt, but you best ball striker in the world rememba? you want egg roll for dinner? call me upstairs on house phone 30 minute before you done playin poka and i'll start cookin. bye hero
Don't mean to club you, but Tiger is actually driving the ball as well or better than usual. He is generally in the bottom half of Tour guys in accuracy so being 94th out of close to 200 isn't bad. And Phil has a good track record at Bethpage? I mean he was 2nd in the single event he's played there 3 years ago. Since when does one event establish a track record? Just because a big zombie Yeti hooks it on his parents' deck once back in the day it doesn't mean he's an established exhibitionist. That was probably the last time he got cised.
Did you guys fire JP yet?
How is Cancer a "feel good story"??!! I think you mean sympathy, rick...
Personally, I think that Tiger should just put the driver away completely. He'd walk all over the field at Bethpage, because he's the best fairway player out there. If he stuck to his three wood and two iron to play the long holes, I think he would be more dominating.
tiger does drive the ball well ...but not as well as my new buick enclave that eric bickel from the junkies used to drive....sillllly
"Brian Gay is hot...." Oh really? How about Tiger takes his millions, his perfect family and his teeth and disappears for the next 50 years. Who cares about golf. Let's talk about real men like Buddy Wooters (look it up, Ricky).
Thanks for reminding me that Tiger is good...stick to where your bread is buttered, sucking up to local poker players.
nice post dude. i was entertained and i dont even follow golf ;)
Nice Post Bickle....Tiger is truely the best in the game and anyone who sees differently doesn't understand the game.
EB, you pwn Tiger on the course of life. You beat him 3 and 2. You have 3 kids, he has 2!!!
EB:
Do you seriously just write a blog saying Tiger is good at golf? Way to root for the overdog. Very original, RICKY. Who's your favorite hoopster, Michael Jordan? Do you root for Brad Pitt to get laid, too? You're an effin donk. Too much MSG.
Airwick,
I think you are forgetting that I regularly shoot 3 or 4 holes in one per round. Better get that straightened out.
Interesting post but your facts and conclusions are simply not that entertaining to me. Next time, please write about something truly interesting - like how many miles JP ran or how much lifting he did. Oooh, better yet, do a post about JP's youth soccer coaching exploits. He keeps me on the edge of my seat when he regales us with those stories on-air...
I am in a bit of a vacation box. Can someone else please post a new blog. Please.