Well, it's time to begin the annual "Tiger Woods Watch", as Tiger strolled off the Blue Monster at Doral with yet another World Golf Champsionship Sunday, winning by two strokes.
Tiger played a relatively uninspired final round, but by the tenth hole he had distanced himself from everyone else that the final eight holes turned into another victory lap. The only challeneger was someone named Brett Verriger (SP), a one time winner on the PGA tour. This was just another case of some no name (Bob May, anyone?) who stepped up where the bigger names failed to push Tiger just enough to keep him from taking a nap long about the sixteenth tee.
As seems to be the case these days, the only drama left in these tournaments is just how far left or right Tiger's ball will go when he pulls out his driver. But, he is able to work magic with his irons and putter enough to recover, and the other guys on tour don't have it in them to challenge Tiger even when his putter fails, as it did several times yesterday.
For those keeping score at home, the win yesterday gives Tiger thirteen world championships to go with his twelve major wins. Currently, there is no other golfer within sight of that record. Also, he becomes the only player to win five different tournaments three consecutive times.
When will this onslaught on the PGA record books end?
There is the hope here that it continues for quite awhile, and there is the belief here also that it will. There aren't any players on the PGA tour right now who have the mental or emotional makeup of Tiger. They have all but conceded the position of "This generations greatest" to him, and all seem quite comfortable taking home somewhere in the neighborhood of $800,000.00 to finish second, and the greater prize of walking the final eighteen holes on Sunday with arguable the best golfer ever.
This season's four majors are beginning to take on the look of tournaments that will do nothing but add trophies, money, and more legacy to Tiger's career.
It's not just the talent gap that is so evident that separates Tiger. There seems to be a huge emotional and mental gap as well. Tiger has the championship shots in his bag, and even in rounds like Sunday, where the going gets tough for him and his putts aren't dropping, he still manages to get the victory. He doesn't surrender leads, as we all know. But more importantly, he doesn't surrender his "swagger" (god, how I hate that word, but what else can you say), or his presence in the back of every other golfers head. Even if they mount a challenge, they never seem to be able to do enough to scare Tiger, and to mount that challenge, they must have the run of their lives. As we have seen so many times, even when playing the best golf the other tour members can, when Tiger is the target, it is usually not enough.

So I watched a bit of the US Open yesterday, and I was extremely perplexed.

On one hand, I can't stand Tiger (mostly due to all the hype, but he's annoying too), but the thought of Manu Ginobili watching that shit and being happy about his countryman winning the trophy was pissing me off too.

I don't really care who won, to tell you the truth, but I'm sure Tiger was consoled by the fact that he went out afterwards and cut some glass with his nipples.

Anybody see those things?!

Glenn and the rest of you guys who've come to love this thread:
Read tomorrow's constitutional.
If you don;t consider it "Frame and Hang on the Wall" worthy, I just might consider giving some of you 100 million dollars.

Zip,

Did you see them, though?

Don't tell me I'm the only one.

Hell yes I saw his nipples, and I was hot and bothered by it until about five minutes ago.

Wait a minute Senior Danzig, you did a good job of explaining/defending the 'mancrush' thread, but now its not ok for Tiger to show off his nipples?

Men have nipples too, you know.

Seriously, Tiger has a really nice build. He is no longer a bean pole. That shirt definately showed it off.

BTW Congrats to Tiger and his wife on their healthy girl. Samantha?

No Woods at the Buick Open this year.

They should have to take down all of those goddamn billboards with his teeth, I mean face, on them.

Tiger has a sizeable lead in points. With Phil taking a couple of weeks off it won't hurt him.

Great tournament this weekend. No Tiger, no Phil, Jim F or any other usual names but it was a great finish nonetheless.

Anyone here ever play Warwick Hills?

This is 2 weeks in a row for great golf without Tiger.

Good tournament. Honoring all the service men and women. 30k tickets were made available to them and I think all were used.

Tiger's first hosting of an event. That took away from his focus but KJ comes through with his 2nd win of the year and moved to 4th on FedEx cup points.

the Sca'eesh Oben.

He's warming up for Carnoustie next weekend; Tiger took the week off. Maybe we'll see Tiger and Lefty in the final group of a major at the British next weekend.

I'm picking the field against Tiger at Carnoustie. It's more of a law of averages thing: He's won the last two British Opens, and hasn't played very well this year (for him). He's having many troubles with the putter.

I take the field any Tourny these days vs Tiger.

Tiger is and will still be the best player on the PGA, but I think his days of domination are over. Too many youngsters coming along that can play.

I love Majors.

A quick check tends NOT to support what I said, but also remember odds are to even out the money, not necesarily a true guage by odds makers who will win.

Tiger Woods 3/1
Ernie Els 14/1
Phil Mickelson 16/1
Sergio Garcia 28/1
Vijay Singh 20/1
Retief Goosen 25/1
Jim Furyk 20/1
Luke Donald 28/1
Trevor Immelman 40/1
Padraig Harrington 25/1
Adam Scott 28/1
Darren Clarke 66/1
Colin Montgomerie 40/1
Geoff Ogilvy 33/1
Chris DiMarco 66/1
David Howell 66/1
Paul Casey 33/1
Stuart Appleby 50/1
Lee Westwood 50/1

I bet golf a little while ago, lost, but had a good time following the event.

I like adam scott to win the british open

Just a little side note, I said Lefty was over there to warm up for the BO next week, but he did get a 1 million dollar fee to play the Scotish Open. Theres some motivation for ya.

Scott is good pick. It'd be a nice return.

I take the field any Tourny these days vs Tiger.

Tiger is and will still be the best player on the PGA, but I think his days of domination are over. Too many youngsters coming along that can play.

I love Majors.

There isn't ANYBODY to chellenge Tiger. They've been saying that about young players for years, but other than Phil and Veejay, no one wins majors unless Tiger doesn't win them. Look at this years Masters and US Open. Tiger just fell back to the pack. No one went out there and dominated, winning by three or four strokes. It was just a case of Tiger not making putts and some puttz hanging on to win while everyone else choked.
It's all on Tiger: If his putter was working this year, he'd be two up on the field in Major championships by a long shot.

I'm just not willing to give Tiger the pass that every week he 'should' shoot the best round of anyone. Or if he didn't win its just cuz of his play. If you want to go that route with everyone than fine, but not just for Tiger. Zack beat him fair and square and so did Phil and Angel. He didn't even make the cut at the TPC, iirc.

My buddy feels more like you, but I just don't think Tiger is going to dominate the second half of his carreer like he has the first half. So when someone else wins, I give them the win and say Tiger didn't get it done just like any other player in the field that lost.

Over the last 6 months, I've been looking at this a lil bit and I've changed my opinion on all of this. iirc, when Tiger joined the Tour the age of golfers averaged almost the oldest ever, and now its one of the youngest. Tiger absolutely dominated the tour, but the days of going into Sunday with a 12 stroke lead in major are done, imo. These youngsters know the hill they have to climb, the old guys never saw Tiger coming.

I look forward to see who is right...or how bout who is correct? I know you don't like that 'right' word. lol

BTW, he is still prolly the best golfer but the gap has closed tremendously, imo.

Forgot to add that Lefty lost to Harvet in the first hole of sudden death.

I definitely agree that the pack has narrowed the gap with Tiger, but not as much as many think.
When one or two guys can show up regularly, rather than an obscure guy playing the round of his life on Sunday to win, then we'll be able to come to the conclusion that Tiger's dominance is in trouble. Of course, these would be moot points if Tiger had been able to make three or four putts in the Masters and US Open this year, and we're not talking 30 footers, we're talking putts under 15 or even ten feet.
If you look at Nicklaus's era, he won 18 majors at the same time Tom Watson won 8, Lee Trevino 6, Gary Player 9, and even Arnie won a cuple more after Niclaus emerged. The "pack" had regular challengers to Jack, something we don;t really see in this era.
I'm not taking anything away from Zach Thomas or Angel Cabrera, especially Cabrera who actually came from behind Tiger to win the US Open this year. I'm just saying that to me the indications are still there that if Tiger is playing at his best, or anywhere near it, he will dominate for a long time to come.
One last point to make is that you watch how guys play on Sunday when they are paired with Tiger. Badeley fell apart, shooting an 80 something at the US, and most guys who play on Sunday alongside Tiger crumble. It's never been that Tiger has been beaten by a guy he's walking with. And so far, when Tiger has been close and not gotten it done, it's usually been because he missed a couple of putts that normally he'd make.

I like Tigers chances this week. Looking forward to it.

But putting his probs on the putter doesn't go deep enough, imo. He flat out missed the green on 18 at the Masters when he needed a birdie to tie. He put way WAY too much pressure on his putter at the Open. You can't expect to 2 put those greens from 50 feet, or when he had to chip up for his 3rd, he left a long one. On those greens, I don't fault the putter. He said that some of his 5 footers at the Open had 3 feet of break. Those are tough.

I realize that guys pee their pants on Sundays and Tiger never does that. But Appleby folded on Sunday at the Congressional and he wasn't playing with Tiger. Peeps just do that sometimes.

Like I said, I could be wrong (I seriously doubt it though), but my thinking is changing on Tiger. The Golf world doesn't revolve around him nearly as much as it used to and thats partly due to him and the youngsters coming up know where the bar is set. Tiger snuck up on some of the older guys when he came in, thus 15 stroke leads on Sunday.

If you would apply FedEx points criteria to say 2002 or 03 Tiger would have a HUGE lead, but now he's up by about 1 win.

"I've got a week off and I plan to spend it all celebratin' There you go my boy.

I couldn't be happier for a hard worker that wins his first major...and for it to be the British Open is even better.

I love the Irish(not Notre Damn) types but Ireland and the peeps in the country. Hard workers and from everyone that I've talked to that has visited Ireland, its a great country. I'm doin a wee bit of celebratin meself right now.

Another week of great golf without Tiger in the forefront.

The Joey's are happy right now. Maybe his family should purchase a billboard of him in times square.

Prolly not, but he's tied for the lead.

http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard

He could just as easily shoot 88 as he can 68.

Are you not aware of the Goshboots pGA Thread?

You're suggesting we use one thread for an entire sport?

Hey, I just had an idea.

Why don't you go out and get a sponsor (maybe Jiffy Lube or something) and we can create the "Zip Goshboots Golf Forum presented by Jiffy Lube".

i am excited to watch the tournament today because of the fact that he is on the leader board. Hopefully he can hold it together, but he usually seems to fail

SON OF A BITCH, Glenn! That's a hell of an idea. I bet I could sell some advertizing for this great forum.
But on your original question, my Goshboots PGA Thread could use some "juice", and a Daily story would have provided some needed energy for it. This is the last tournament of the year that anyone will care about.

He'll be fun to watch either way.

Um, 63 is pretty good when it's like 154 degrees out.

i dont know what it is but i feal like no one even knows the pga is going on this weekend. after tiger's day, im guessing people pay attention.

also, a resounding "no" to thread title. i dont root for the dude to explode, but what he pulled at the brit was both hilarious and predictable.

any "athlete" that drinks in a day more than i do in a week is not sringing together anthing consistent for four days.

Sergio DQ'd LOL I watch Daly hoping he doesn't have a meltdown, but for some reason I like watching Sergio cry like a little baby when something like this happens to him.

I can't believe this topic was even brought up. Wasn't he in the lead at one point during the British Open too? He's too undisciplined to play well for 4 rounds. But I'll tell you what, if somebody could get through to the guy, he could be unstoppable.

He is a top five player on the PGA...when he feels like it

Well, Tiger walked away from the field (again) today, shooting a 66 to win the Tour Championship and the Fed Ex Cup.
Oh, and how about that Woody Austin? Remember him? The guy who said he's as good as Tiger, that Tiger is not hard to beat, and alot of other shit.
Well, Woody had his chance yesterday, playing with Tiger, and of course, he was blown away.
Today, to close out yet another imaginary win over Tiger (who is Woody's caddie? bukdow?), Austin shot a scorching 74 to Tiger's pedestrian 66.
Not much more can be said about Tiger's dominance, other than he has helped the flubs like Austin become richer because of all the money he's brought into the game. And they should be grateful.

Congrats to the US team defeating the rest of world minus Europe in the Presidents Cup.

Yes, Tiger chocked again getting beat by Mike Weir (who couldn't make the team based on his play, but a captains pick), but luckily we had Stewart Cink and Phil Michelson to pull this one out.

Tiger got bitch slapped by a guy who hasnt won on tour in 3 1/2 years
then got bitch slapped again when he realized his outrageously hot wife and mother of his soon to be LPGA champion daughter is not as hot as Rory Sabbatini's Wife