Tiger Woods, would the doubters please stand up.

[LyleG]

So is there anybody out there who still doubts that Tiger is the best player ever?

31 years of age and already at 61 wins, 13 of which are majors.
After this week his lead on the world number 2 player will be nearly 4 times.
He is the leading money winner yet again, won the fed ex cup in a rout and has won 3 of his last 4 starts. In his last 5 tourneys he has shot a combined 75 under, this is a scoring average of just a hair over 66 per round.

His swing change seems to be fully ingrained now, and he appears to be on the verge of hitting his driver on par with the rest of his game. If this trend continues, I fully expect Tiger to win about 65% to 75% of the tourneys he enters. He is in such command of his golf ball, and seems to have a second gear he can hit when ever anyone pushes him.

Can anyone in the near future challenge him week to week?

Is he the best player ever?

I say a big huge NO to the first question and a resounding YES to the second.

Watching this today I actually feel lucky to be alive and at an age I can fully appreciate this.

 

[Sandpiper3]

He's just absolutely fecking amazing. No if ands or buts about it.

The "official" best ever wont be until he beats both 1. Jack's Major record, and 2. Snead's total titles.

But I dont think anyone doubts he'll do both.

 

[Wi-Golfer]

There was a guy a number of years back who would write into my hometown newspaper at least once a week, his rants were always about Tiger being a flash in the pan...I think Tiger had less than 10 wins at the time. This asshat would laugh everytime Tiger didn't win & proclaim he wouldn't last & it was all hype.

I wish I could find that idiot in person & laugh at him.

Tiger is a bionic course killing machine. I sorta feel bad for all the other players because there really is nothing they can do except settle for 2nd place or worse.

 

[kwcsports]

We witness history almost everytime he tees it up. We are lucky to be able to watch him. My prediction is he will win over 120 tournaments and 25 majors in his career if he stays healthy.

 

[Carson]

I'm with you. No one should be able to dominate a sport like golf the way he does.

I'm not going to say no one will ever come around to match what he's doing, cause i'm sure people said that about Jack, and Arnie before him. I'm sick of people saying Jack had more competition. If Tiger was never born, we might be having this exact conversation about Phil or Ernie. It just sucks for Phil, and all the rest, that Tiger was born. He shouldn't be punished for being that much better than everyone.

Someone will eventually challenge him, but only when age gets the better of him and his distance comes back a bit. But he'll still have the best touch and short game so he'll always be one of the best. I'll say he will be the first to consistantly compete for titles INTO his 50's.

 

[Clugnut]

I'm a doubter. Still not sure about best ever. And I'm pretty sure you'll never convince me he's the best ever. Why? Because it is impossible to compare across generations. I've tried and I can't do it. Who can really know who was the best to ever strike a golf ball?

Now most dominate? That one I might believe.

 

[VtDivot]

I still say Piper could beat him if he got 8 shots.

:biglol:

 

[5iron]

I'm with you. No one should be able to dominate a sport like golf the way he does.


Someone will eventually challenge him, but only when age gets the better of him and his distance comes back a bit. But he'll still have the best touch and short game so he'll always be one of the best. I'll say he will be the first to consistantly compete for titles INTO his 50's.

Do you have to go on the senior tour when you get 50 yrs old, or is it just a choice?, BTW, is the senior tour the same as the champions tour ( i think it is ).

 

[Sandpiper3]

Maybe 8 shots at my home course, possibly. 8 shots at East Lake, hell no, maybe 8 shots a side there.

 

[LyleG]

Maybe 8 shots at my home course, possibly. 8 shots at East Lake, hell no, maybe 8 shots a side there.

Please, lets not embarrass ourselves in this thread.

 

[RickinMA]

Please, lets not embarrass ourselves in this thread.

no kidding - I'd love to play with him - just to watch - I also like the idea of his large gallery of spectators helping to look for my ball in the trees

 

[LyleG]

If I had to play with his gallaries I am sure at least one person a day would die or be seriously maimed. They would make a mint selling protective cups and helmets in the consession area though.

 

[cypressperch]

Tiger is building a record at a record pace.

I have no doubt that in the end, he will achieve everything that he wants to. Something horrible would have to happen, such as happened to Ben Hogan, to prevent what seems just about inevitable.

The only flaw in Tiger that I can spot is his somewhat weak showings in the Ryder Cup. I guess in Tiger has an Achilles heel.

Some will say that Tiger was raised to be in the spotlight alone and will never be a team player. That book The Wicked Game touched on this quite a bit. I personally do not hold this against Tiger. Those who have really gone after golf greatness have often had to live isolated lives. You are alone an awful lot going through all that practice and playing. You end up sort of like a machine that goes out and brings in all kinds of success in individual competition, that has always been such a person's motivation. It does not automatically translate to equal greatness in teama events. The author of that book The Wicked Game makes Tiger look like a self-centered, spoiled brat. I do not think that is at all a fair assessment though I do agree that Tiger does have far greater motivation when the competition is of an individual nature.

Incidently, The Wicked Game has a lot of interesting things to say about Arnie and Jack. The writer finds almost every negative thing he possibly can say about these three men and the game of golf. Lot of distortion from his obvious anti-golf bias, but still a hard-to-put-down read.

Sincerely, Cypressperch

 

[Carson]

Do you have to go on the senior tour when you get 50 yrs old, or is it just a choice?, BTW, is the senior tour the same as the champions tour ( i think it is ).

It is a choice. That has been the problem with the Senior/Champions tour in recent years. They haven't had the big names playing in many events because (i can only assume) they don't want to think of themselves as old. As I recall, Jack and Arnie made a point of playing in order to help the tour.

 

[VtDivot]

How about his abrupt stop on the tee shot on 18. That was evern better than some of the others I've seen him pull off.