Tiger Unbeatable?

[warbirdlover]

Just DEMOLISHED Cink. This guy is really in a zone. It looks like a Tiger year.

[MCDavis]

Geez I hope not, but I am starting to wonder.

[Nemo]

Let's face it, the only guy that can beat Tiger is himself.

[chemboy2]

He had some nail biting matches on the way to the finals but he just took it to Cink.

Hell, Tiger made somewhat of a bomb on the second hole and even Cink just kind of chuckled a bit like, "here we go." I honestly think the match was over at that very moment.

[eclark53520]

Originally Posted by Nemo

Let's face it, the only guy that can beat Tiger is himself.

Thats how i feel...if tiger is in his zone and on his game...no one can beat him

As soon as he starts throwing the driver into crap he cant get himself out of, then he is in trouble...even then, if he is smart he just switches to driving with his 2i and theres still no touching his game.

[chemboy2]

Originally Posted by eclark53520

Thats how i feel...if tiger is in his zone and on his game...no one can beat him

As soon as he starts throwing the driver into crap he cant get himself out of, then he is in trouble...even then, if he is smart he just switches to driving with his 2i and theres still no touching his game.

He hit his driver quite poorly the opening round(s) but then started using the 3W a lot the rest of the week. I think I recall JM saying his fairways hit percentage was almost 70% for the week.

[EDSGolf]

Hello Grand Slam City!

[Dusty90]

Originally Posted by EDSGolf

Hello Grand Slam City!

I wouldnt go quite that far... yet... Thats not to say that he wont do it, but I think he will still have to have a fair bit of luck on his side. If he didn't win in Dubai and got put out early in the match play, both of which seemed possible, then it would just be a normal Tiger year and there wouldnt be as much talk about the Grand Slam. However since he got a little lucky, and wont them both, he seems unbeatable.

Im not saying that the grand slam is out of reach, just Im not giving it to him quite yet.

[Sandpiper3]

Look guys, Badds and Holmes ALMOST had him, but the difference is, who makes the putts. Badds made putts all day long, which is why they were so deadlocked even after badds had a bad start, but when the pressure is on, they have to make the putt. Badds had 2 GREAT PRIME A+ chances at dusting Tiger off, but just missed them both, on the LOW side.

If you look at history, whose beaten Tiger, they've capped on their opportunities.

AKA----> Nick O'Hearn!!! He's made putts against Tiger all day long, and has made the putts WHEN IT COUNTS, and Tiger had that 4 footer to win, and choked, and opened the door for O'Hearn, who promptly shut it straight on Tiger's face on the next hole.

Tiger isn't unbeatable, this week proves the fact that he can be beaten by good play (Badds and Holmes both played great against him, Tiger just hung in there and made birdies all day long with Badds, and just turned it up a notch against Holmes, who just didn't make the putts down the stretch) and making the putt in his face at the end of the day (which obv is tougher said then done, but has been done, and IS doable).

[cwo2lt]

Originally Posted by Sandpiper3

Tiger just hung in there and made birdies all day long

Isn't that how you win majors by 12, 15, or 18 strokes?

[BigJim13]

Originally Posted by Sandpiper3

Look guys, Badds and Holmes ALMOST had him, but the difference is, who makes the putts. Badds made putts all day long, which is why they were so deadlocked even after badds had a bad start, but when the pressure is on, they have to make the putt. Badds had 2 GREAT PRIME A+ chances at dusting Tiger off, but just missed them both, on the LOW side.

If you look at history, whose beaten Tiger, they've capped on their opportunities.

AKA----> Nick O'Hearn!!! He's made putts against Tiger all day long, and has made the putts WHEN IT COUNTS, and Tiger had that 4 footer to win, and choked, and opened the door for O'Hearn, who promptly shut it straight on Tiger's face on the next hole.

Tiger isn't unbeatable, this week proves the fact that he can be beaten by good play (Badds and Holmes both played great against him, Tiger just hung in there and made birdies all day long with Badds, and just turned it up a notch against Holmes, who just didn't make the putts down the stretch) and making the putt in his face at the end of the day (which obv is tougher said then done, but has been done, and IS doable).

Thats kinda the point though. The Masters, US Open, British and PGA ARE NOT Dubai or the match play. We have very rarely seen a player step up like Woods does in a Major.

This is not to say Tiger will win the Grand Slam, I still want to see Tiger and Phil tied on the back 9 at Augusta, how sweet would that be, but I don't think we will.

[LyleG]

The match that really showed me just how much Tiger can step it up was the match against Badds. Badds made 10 birdies in 20 holes and lost. Tiger has a way of doing what ever he needs to do to win. I have never seen a guy will the ball into the hole the way Tiger does. He has done this his whole career, the 35 footer he made on route to his 3rd amateur title or his chip at Augusta a few years back. He just gets the ball in hole faster than anyone else, regardless of how he has to do it.

[Sandpiper3]

I completely agree Lyle, he does have that amazing ability to just will that little white ball with the swoosh on it into the hole.

But the thing I think thats happening is that the others are starting to step up and get into his face. Holmes having a 3-4up lead on TIGER?!?! Badds making 10 birdies all day long in Tiger's face after being 2down off the start, how many guys u think could come back from going lose-lose the first two holes against Eldrick?

Tiger is still the best right now, but I think now were going to start seeing him HAVE to step it up to win, these other guys are getting better and bolder and WILL force Tiger to step up if he wants to win this year, as shown so far this year for the most part.

[Sandy]

Originally Posted by Sandpiper3

Look guys, Badds and Holmes ALMOST had him, but the difference is, who makes the putts. Badds made putts all day long, which is why they were so deadlocked even after badds had a bad start, but when the pressure is on, they have to make the putt. Badds had 2 GREAT PRIME A+ chances at dusting Tiger off, but just missed them both, on the LOW side.

The problem for everyone else is that no matter how close players come to beating him, Tiger nearly always seems to have enough in his locker to pull through and win, especially in the last few months or so. Every tournament he wins there's always someone in the field that can look at one or two missed opportunities and say 'if only...', but Tiger's still done enough to win.

Of course there has to be a point where Tiger is pushed to his ultimate limit and can't go any further. Sadly I don't think there's a single golfer who can consistently push him anywhere near to that point out there right now, other than when they have their own 'career' rounds that proves enough to beat him.

Just on a side note, I was wondering something last night. Given that by the end of his PGA Tour career he'll likely own every significant record in the game, be as close to the undisputed 'Greatest Ever' as you'll ever get and probably become the game's first billionaire, do you think he'll bother with the Champions Tour at all when he quits, or just leave the game entirely?

I know it sounds a bit of a strange question, but I really wonder what retirement will mean for Woods. Will he want to give back to the game that's given him all he has? Will he still have that competitive edge and *have* to keep competing on some level? And will he then go on to dominate seniors golf like he has professional golf? Can you just imagine the poor souls who finally get away from him by leaving the PGA tour for the Champions, finally start getting to play in a pretty equitable competition, and suddenly they're back playing Tiger again!!

[LyleG]

I think that after about the age of 45 you will not see Tiger anymore. He will simply take his ball and go home. I just cant see him having any desire to play when he knows he cant win anymore, or to play a show tour like the Champion circuit. He will achieve his goals, and then move on to something else.