Tiger leaving the PGA early

[cabinessence]

People seem to be making a big deal of this even though Tiger was proved, well, right. What are everyone's thoughts?

 

[Youngun5]

leaving early paid off, he won today, good showing on a tough course

 

[Slingblade61]

I thought he left on time, everyone else stayed late.

 

[Rockford35]

If golf's prodigy son would have been absent, I'm sure they would have found a way to postpone the tournament.....bomb threat, brush fire, ect.

Just think of the tarnish they'd have to brush off Tiger! :biglol:

R35

 

[Bravo]

I thought it stunk.

Goes to show you what being independently wealthy will do for you.

Would Nicklaus have ever left?

I find it amazing that Tiger idolizes Nicklaus so much but so often fails to emulate his behavior.

I have a love/hate with him. He is the most entertaining player in the world to watch but often the most...just incredibly frustrating...this multi-million dollar on-the-edge-of-control media machine.

No semblance of touch with reality - yet mesmerizing to watch.

 

[Kilted Arab]

He should have stayed, it seems clear cut to me.

I don't know why there's even a debate - if there was a possibility he could be in the play-off, he should have stayed.

If he had ended in a tie for first - and had already left - would there have been sanctions or would he have been classed as "withdrawn"?

 

[cabinessence]

I dunno, I just don't think it's that big of a deal. The chances of anyone coming back to -2 with two par 5s at the end was almost nil. He said he wanted to leave to prepare for the NEC, which he obviously did well. He was right that his score wouldn't hold up and he won this week's tournament...I don't know what else he has to prove.

 

[ualtim]

One thing it does say is that Tiger respects Phil's game. Do you think Tiger would have left if Phil had not won the Master's last year? Phil's game has changed over the last two years and he has finally learned some course management skills (still plays a little too much from the heart rather than his head, but he has improved quite a bit and his record in the majors the last two years proves it.) Combine that with the softening of the course and greens and you have to believe that the chances of a -2 playoff were highly unlikely.

While many would argue that they would have stayed, how can you second guess him when he was proven correct when 3 others finished -3 or better?

 

[Bravo]

He should have stayed, it seems clear cut to me.

I don't know why there's even a debate - if there was a possibility he could be in the play-off, he should have stayed.

If he had ended in a tie for first - and had already left - would there have been sanctions or would he have been classed as "withdrawn"?

I am certain that if he failed to show up on the first tee (or whatever tee they started on) for the commencement of the playoff - he would have been promptly Disqualified..pretty straightforward.

Imagine the humiliation. It would go down in the history of the game as one of the most stupid and disrespectful acts ever.

 

[DaveE]

I didn't take it as arrogant or disrespectful at all. If he had believed there was any reasonable chance he could win I think he would have stayed.

Personally I saw it as respect for those remaining in the field. Staying and waiting for the remaining players to blow up would have seemed more arrogant to me but's it's kind of a mute point now anyway.

 

[Silver]

er...DaveE...it's moot...just so you know


but yes, I agree entirely with Dave...except maybe for the respect part, I didn't really see it as respect or disrespect...merely realism...there was such a small chance of it happening, it was a calculated risk on his part that I think paid off

 

[DaveE]

er...DaveE...it's moot...just so you know

damn lawyers.

 

[ualtim]

I am certain that if he failed to show up on the first tee (or whatever tee they started on) for the commencement of the playoff - he would have been promptly Disqualified..pretty straightforward.

Imagine the humiliation. It would go down in the history of the game as one of the most stupid and disrespectful acts ever.

Yupper, if he no showed on the tee he would have been DQ'd and looked mighty foolish. It would have been press conference fodder for the rest of his life. Maybe we would even get a Roverto DeVicenzo type quote out of Tiger, "What a stupid I am."


That being said, he was correct and 3 players shot better than -2 making his appearence at the tee unecessary.

 

[The master]

Were did you hear he left early, I believe that is 100% grade A bullsh!t, I think T was sat in a little room in the clubhouse or nearby, watching the coverage closely.

 

[Silver]

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