Tiger Woods – It is time pt.2

Putt. Tap. Win. With a gentle tap in for par on his 72nd hole at the British Open, Tiger Woods finished with a score of -18, one stroke shy of his Open record of -19, and with his 11th Major won. And yet, this major victory was unlike any other.

Using his driver only once over 72 holes, this Tiger didn’t win based on his overwhelming power and strength. This Tiger won using intelligence and craft, hitting more fairways than any other golfer in the tournament. He won by sticking with his game plan, playing patiently and calmly, allowing the others to try and chase him while he continued chugging on ahead. Once he got the lead, he didn’t look back, the closest anyone getting being one behind. And now when Tiger goes into the final round of a Major tournament with the lead he is a whopping 11-0, making him, in my opinion, the best closer ever, regardless of sport.

The other difference in this victory was evident following the final putt – there was no Earl Woods to share it with. In his first Major win without his father Tiger broke down on his caddie’s shoulder in an outpouring of emotion the world had never witnessed from this man, a man known for his unwavering focus and determination. This was a patient Tiger, sensitive and emotional…human. This was a new Tiger, a Tiger we haven’t seen before.

In pt.1 of this blog I said that if we were lucky, this weekend we would get to witness the Tiger of old, the Tiger who dominated tournaments and overwhelmed the other players. Well, little did I know that we would, in fact, not see the Tiger of old. Instead we had the opportunity to see a new Tiger, a different animal, who, with patience and impeccable skill, went on to win his 11th Major. Different Tiger, same result. And if we are lucky New Tiger will be the same force that Old Tiger was and continue to dominate the sport of golf for years to come.

Would you bet against it?

-Taps

Read pt.1 here >>

Tiger Woods – It is time

The day before the British Open this year, I felt it fitting to write about who I (and the majority of others) consider to be the world’s greatest golfer: Tiger Woods. Tiger last won a Major Championship last year at the British Open, putting his career total at 10. In the year since then, there has been much talk about when Tiger will win his 11th major and continue the rivalry between Tiger (10 major victories) and Jack Nicklaus (18 major victories).

However this year tragedy struck when Tiger’s father and mentor, Earl Woods, lost his battle with cancer. Needless to say, Tiger was devastated and is said to not have played golf for 2 months following his father’s death. Upon his return to professional golf and playing at the US Open, we watched as Tiger missed the cut, his first missed cut in a major tournament.

Watching Tiger miss the cut at Winged Foot (or anywhere else for that matter) is like watching MJ23 play in Game 7 of the NBA conference finals and going 2-15 with 6 points and 1 board and the Bulls not making the finals – whether you hate him or you love him is irrelevant. Plainly and simply, it is bad for the game. It gets rid of the buzz. It makes it boring. You don’t want it to happen.

Now, some people would rather watch grass grow than watch golf. It is dull, the commentary sucks, and, for the most part, it is played by old, fat white men. For golf without Tiger, I would agree. I wouldn’t watch golf without Tiger if you paid me. That all changes when you throw Tiger into the mix. No matter who you are, if you have the resources to be reading this blog, then you have heard of Tiger Woods. He has revolutionized the sport - he has made it cool. Now golf is being played by both young and old alike, for business and for pleasure. There is no question that Tiger and his great achievements at such a young age has caused an immense increase in interest in the sport, and I can say that I am one of those who started playing because Tiger played. I wanted to dress like Tiger, swing like Tiger, make millions like Tiger.

It was his great achievements that sparked the interest of today’s youth. There was a time when if Tiger was playing in a tournament, no matter what, he would be the favorite. Now people question Tiger. They question his ability, his skill, his drive to win. Evidenced by his US Open performance, he is not the Tiger we once knew (granted, extenuating circumstances had a lot to do with that). However, after a stellar performance at the Western Open, Tiger looks like he is ready – ready to resume his post as the world’s greatest golfer, the undeniable champion, and the man on his way to breaking the record for most Major victories ever.

So I implore you, golf lovers and haters alike, to take some time off this weekend, flip to TNT, and catch some of the British Open. If we are lucky, Tiger will be the Tiger of old. If so, you can be sure that he will put on a show for the ages and golf’s greatest rivalry, Jack vs. Tiger, will continue once again.

- Taps