Posted on 08/13/2007 7:16:07 AM PDT by PurpleMan
Tiger won his 13th major. All of these notable active players only have 13 victories (or less). Amazing
Mark Calcavecchia - 13 David Duval - 13 Jim Furyk - 13 Paul Azinger - 12 David Toms - 12 John Cook - 11 Scott Hoch - 11 Steve Elkington - 10 David Frost - 10 Justin Leonard - 10 Jay Haas - 9 Kenny Perry - 9
A list of everyone is here (from the Golf Channel) http://146.145.120.3/default.asp?c=thegolfchannel&page=golf-m/stat/alltime-pga-winners.htm
I think being in shape can really help your game though. I go to the Byron Nelson and to see some of these sloppy guys is ridiculous. Phill Mickleson looks like the Pillsbury Doughboy. He is the guy who could be Tigers Frazier ( but remember Frazier only won once) but get in some kind of shape. Golf can be grueling and an in shape golfer with skills can beat an out of shape golfer with skills. Not being willing to work out tells me your not willing to give it your all.
That is incredible and yet another testament to Tiger Woods, who has elevated the game's popularity and brought in a lot more prize money.
After winning the 2001 British Open what happened? I know he has had physical problems - vertigo and a back ailment - and must be hurt again this year. I don't think we'll see Duval on the Tour again. For a couple of years there he was fantastic, and that 59 still stands.
Tiger has finished 2nd four times (T-2nd twice of those), 3rd three times (T-3rd for two of those), tied for fourth twice, and finished 5th once. That's 23 top-5 finishes (27 top-10 finishes), with 13 of those being victories.
What that says is that when he's in contention, he's likely to win.
Golf's a very fickle game. Last year, through seventy-one holes of the US Open Mickelson was on top of the golf world, in position to win his third major in a row. He absolutely butchered the 72nd hole and hasn't been a factor in any major since.
In 2005, Retief Goosen led the US Open through three rounds and was on the verge of a second consecutive Open title, and third in four years. That's Hogan and Nicklaus territory. Instead he blew up in the fourth round shooting 80 and hasn't really done anything since.
He must be related to our resident FR asshole "Archie Bunker on steroids."
Staying in shape is either an adopted lifestyle or a passing fancy. When you watch Tiger walk or do anything physical, you know that he has physical strength and coordination and you know that he works out. I'm 56, and have been accused of being in my late 30's. For me, being in good physical shape is merely a byproduct of the things I enjoy doing which are working out, playing racquetball, etc. I don't do those things to try to proloing my life, I do those things because they are fun.
What I'm trying to say is that tiger is an athlete who enjoys the workout regimens rather than forcing himself to do the workouts in an effot to enhance his game.
When you're doing the things you enjoy, it ain't work. Watching the way Tiger walks you just know that he could be good at any sport in which he participated in. Watching the way some of the other guys on the tour look, they only other sport they could excell in is beer drinking.....
He's never been the same since the back injury.
But the technology works across the board.
I think being in shape can really help your game though... Golf can be grueling and an in shape golfer with skills can beat an out of shape golfer with skills.
The 100+ degree heat at the PGA made the tournament as much about physical endurance as about skill. Tiger's conditioning was a huge factor this past week.
Great post, thanks.
One time, on a rainy Sunday afternoon when football season was over, I tried watching a game of golf on the television. I was bored beyond belief. A bunch of guys in expensive polo shirts and white pants walking around all these grassy areas trying to knock a tiny white ball into a tiny hole that can sometimes be hundreds of yards away!
That said, I'm not trying to say anything bad about people who play the game or like watching the game. After all, different strokes for different folks. Some golf fans might find my fascination with billiards just as odd. (After all, that is also a game of knocking balls into holes if you stop to think about it.)
So maybe somebody can explain the appeal of golf to me and maybe I will learn to appreciate the game more.
Anyway, this Tiger Woods has been making the news a lot lately. He must be a very good golf player. How does one get really good at such a game? I mean, it seems to me that it is a game of luck as much as skill. For example, how do you get good at teeing off. How can you possibly get good at aiming ball at a hole a quarter of a mile away? I'm sure some are better at it than others but based on my miniature golf experience, it's tough enough aiming a golf ball at a hole even 10 yards away!
Speaking of miniature golf, I do like that game a little bit. I take the kids to a miniature golf course once in a while. I like the holes where you shoot the ball through all these contraptions and then it shows up on the other side (almost like magic). I've even gotten a hole-in-one from time to time on a miniature golf course. So I guess I do have some natural skill for the game should I ever want to apply myself.
Yep, I’ll trust David’s analysis any day of the week and twice on Sundays.
I go to Firestone every year, but don’t follow the masses who follow Tiger, because I don’t want to strain 6 deep to see golf shots when I can stay camped at 1 place and have a front row spot and see everyone go by.
Some tidbits from this years Sunday stroll in Akron:
-—Andres Romero will kick arse, whether it is in Europe, or here. He is 5’7”, maybe 160 soaking wet, and hits it a ton, with great accuracy. He played for crap in the PGA, but this kid won’t miss many cuts. He’s got the right kinda attitude(I’ll refer to it as Olazabal moxie)and is only 24.
-—Darren Clarke is so much fun to see close up. I’m hoping a major is in his future(hell, winning another tournmanent would be nice with all he has been through)because is is great for the game.
He was having a rough weekend at Firestone. When he got to 15 on Sunday he was I think +16, but you wouldn’t know that by the way he was interacting with the mass of 10 or so who was at the tee box of the par 3. DC was laughing it up and talking to everyone up there, waiting for the group ahead to finish up. with him having honors he plants his tee down, then goes to his bag, CLOSES his eyes, then pulls 2 clubs out(4 iron and his PW). He leaves the PW out, cause “The way I’ve been playing, I’ll probably need it.”, takes the 4 and proceeds to stick it within 10 feet of the pin. Darren dropped the club, threw his hands in the air and celebrated as if it was a hole in one. He then lit a cig(hey DC where’s the stogies at. Lose the cigs) and went on his way.
He missed the birdie putt though.
He has also lost a lot of weight. His latest bio has him at 195, and that’s about right. Get back in the winners’ circle soon DC!!!!!
-—Troy Matterson had an intresting soundbite as he hit 15 tee early Sunday afternoon(8/5). He looks at the pin placement(right side of green behind greenside bunker)and lets out “Nice F’n pin placement” loud enough that everyone there looked at him.
I looked at his caddie laughing and told him(since it was Troy’s first visit to Firestone)to get used to that placement as it is the usual Sunday location. By this time Troy had looked over too and I was pointing up there and said last year was the only exception I could remember the pin not being on the right side(it was left side). They were cool, the scoring told me that he was having a tough go at it and you can tell he wasn’t being a smart arse about it.
-—You may have heard about a run in Rory Sabbatini had with a fan during Sunday’s round. Turns out the fan, a retired fireman in his 40’s asked Rory if Tiger was still beatable(Tiger and Rory were in the last threesome and Rory doubled the 9th, and Tiger had a 7-shot lead.)as they were heading to the 10th hole. It, by all accounts was not belligerent. People that were around him said there was no swearing involved in the exchange, but Rory had the fan removed anyway.
I did not know this happened, even as they came by 15. It wasn’t till I put the TV telecast on(CBS showed on tape delay, tourney was over by 3:15)and mentioned it then. Come on Rory. You’re better than that. It’s one thing if he were 18 and throwing 4 letter bombs all over, but this man didn’t attack you like that.
As far as PGA is concerned. 13 is 13 and no matter what anyone says about ETW, he is the best and no one is a close second(for now). Oops, I think I just opened up the Woods/Federer thing again.
In case anyone cares, I side with Roger in the dominance of his sport.
No, but I have seen pictures of folks on steroids, all the before and after pics. I just was making a guess as stated. He loooked like a shrimp before. Glad you feel confident in his honesty.
My other guess would be the modern equipment makes a big difference, just like in tennis.
Would be interesting in each sport to see all compete on equal ground (minus the fancy new equipment, new health foods & weight training, etc.).
The (one) fascination is that it is a game, essentailly the same as the pros play (except for course distance and conditions)that you can play well into your later years.
You can always tweek your swing, practice putting, work on your short game and, most importantly play competitively without being an olympic-class athlete.
At my age, after 30 minutes of full court basketball, I’m ready for the glue factory.
However, the big “fascination” is that on the golf course is where deals get done.
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