Right about now it's old news but Tiger Woods is having major reconstruction surgery and will be out for the rest of the 2008 season. In fact he won't be making any quality swings in probably over 9 months. That's just my opinion given the damage that was done.
Tiger's drive and determination may have been his undoing. Now we also know that he really did win his 14th major not only in spectacular fashion but on only one leg. His prior surgery was essentially a 'patch and fix' to hopefully get him through the rest of the season, with more surgery on the horizon. Given the swing speed and torque that Tiger generates, the knee just couldn't hold up through that kind of repetitive trauma.
I mention his drive because the guy really doesn't know when to quit which is why golf fans and golf pro's are fascinated with him. He continually wants to win and is always stepping on the gas (as well as his fellow tour members throats). He was explaining in an interview on ESPN after he won the US Open that whenever he was exercising the theme was always '4 more'. It was 4 more reps, 4 more minutes, or 4 more swings. 4 wasn't just a number he decided to pick, 4 meant forever. He was going to work out forever, he was going to run forever, and he was going to work on his swing forever. It even gets a fat guy like me pumped up a bit. Unfortunately it was that mentality that brought him to this.
Tiger Woods will be back and he'll once again dominate the tour but if he doesn't be careful he's going to be the Pedro Martinez of golf. Dominant early but may just fall apart. I seriously doubt that's gonna happen but after so many surgeries, the arthritis which will definitely set in is guaranteed to hinder his ability to train with the same intensity he did 5-10 years ago.
You can bet that the entire PGA Tour breathed a collective sigh when they realized Tiger was gonna be out for the year. Not that they want him injured but now they have a chance. The talk is now that the tour won't be exciting for the rest of the year but that's not the case at all. Tiger usually only played in about 14-18 events all year anyway. 4 of them were the majors so he played in a little over 1/3 of the regular tour events. Which makes it even more amazing that he's the leading money winner every year considering he plays in about half the events that everyone else plays in.
The guys on the PGA Tour have a golden opportunity to shine and establish themselves. No one can blame the fact that the scoring average of Tiger's Sunday opponents is well over 73 either. We may not see the impossible but there's still plenty of great golfers out there and I doubt the golf will suffer. The playing field is a bit more level which could lead to some great battles down the stretch so step it up boys, here's your chance.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Tiger Woods Out for the Rest of the Season
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3 comments:
I'm not sure how much additional damage he did to the knee at the open?? He was going to need the surgery anyway. Did you hear the interview with his coach Hank after the Open?? He said Tiger could barely walk let alone practice. He only could take about 30 full swings a day!! The first time he bent down to read a putt was on the first green at the Open on Thursday's round. That's re-god-damn-diculous that he won this thing. I think even if he has to throttle back his training, he still proved the he can win just on shear determination.
Suck's to be Ryder Cup Captain Paul Azinger without Tiger in the mix. I know Tiger's had less than spectacular performances at the Ryder Cup, but you certainly want him there.
I'm not sure if Phil can even pass Tiger in the #1 world rankings by the end of the year, Tiger's lead is pretty large. It won't be as much fun on Sunday for the rest of the year with Tiger out of the mix, however maybe it's just what the rest of the tour needs to boost their confidence.
Phil is so far behind Tiger in the rankings that he's already solidified it for over a year to come. The deficit between Tiger and Phil is greater than Phil and the 1000th ranked golfer. That's no joke either. A guy with a 0 ranking is closer to Phil than Phil is to Tiger. Phil can close the gap but shouldn't get anywhere close even if he sweeps the last 2 majors. If Tiger returns a year from his surgery it's still mathematically impossible for phil to catch him.
However, there's the incentive to get close. Tiger's presence at the Ryder Cup will be missed, especially by Jim Furyk, who has paired well with Tiger in recent events, but if anything it might bring the group closer. Now there's one less private jet that shows up at the last second. Unlike the Euro's who fly as a team, room as a team, and actually go over strategies. More on the Ryder Cup to come.
The British Open starts today and no new blogs? Very disappointed with you Butch, get on it....Come down to Myrtle Beach and visit, the course in in perfect condition....
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