Posted on 05/12/2011 8:47:44 AM PDT by rawhide
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla . -- Tiger Woods stood behind the ninth green on Thursday and wondered aloud at what had just transpired.
On a day in which good shots were few and far between, not to mention few and far afield, he has just bombed his second shot on the par-5 hole over the green on the fly and into an oak tree behind the green. It was a towering shot that was seemingly in the air forever.
He handed the club back to caddie Steve Williams and said, "I just hit it 290 with a 5-wood?"
Even the rare good shots turned out porrly for the fading, former world No. 1 in the first round of the Players Championship, and he finished with a bogey before withdrawing for the second consecutive year.
A moment latrer, he handed his golf glove to Williams and his scorecard to playing partner Martin Kaymer and told them he was punching out after nine holes.
"I am having a hard time walking," Woods said.
Not to mention a difficult time scoring. He shot 6-over 42 on the front nine and was tied for last when he decided to head to the TPC Sawgrass locker room, visibly limping.
It was downhill from the start for Woods...
(Excerpt) Read more at steveelling.blogs.cbssports.com ...
He certainly didn't have a difficult time "scoring" when he was still married to Elin.
What? I'd be surprised if he couldn't hit a 5-wood 80 yards farther than me.
She got out when the getting out was good! I am happy for her that she took Tiger to the cleaners. I read where she is dating again. I hope she finds true happiness. She seems like a lovely person. Tiger threw it all away for a few fleeting moments of pleasure.
I’m over 50 and can still stick my fairway-7* 200 yards.
* Can’t bring myself to call it a 7-wood in a Tiger article....just can’t.
And taking Hgh and steroids
That’s the shame of it for his golf game. His swing fit his long body type when younger and as he got thicker (due to HGH/steroids as you say) he had to continually try and modify it to reflect new restrictions based on muscle mass.
Led to forcing more torque out of his knees and opening his hips more to compensate...can’t solve timing issues consistently which is obvious in his off the tee game.
I would bet that as he slims back down (due to drug testing on PGA) he will actually improve if his ego will let him.
The main problem with Tiger is he is playing a mind game now, not playing golf. He will never be great again, imo. He is finished. He will never pass Jack Nicholas’s major win total. And if not, I am very happy with that.
George Bush?
My man Seve Ballesteros hitting the 1 iron in heaven.
No juice, no titles
It was more than a few...
“I just hit it 290 with a 5-wood?”
That’s the problem, he can’t get away from the power and distance. At the expense of flexibility he bulked up for strength. Something on the body is going to give way.
Redemption is a wonderful thing and I hope he finds it.
That being said I agree with you that he won’t pass Jack now. Tiger could hit the ball better than anyone when he hit the tour and in the following years. He’s no longer one of a kind anymore as practically every up and comer you see can hit the ball as far as Tiger or play the types of shots that made Tiger a legend.
Drive for show putt for dough still applies...most of these kids are far better putters than Tiger is.
Quitting because you aren’t doing well is not exactly good form.
Before he bulked it was amazing the clubhead speed he could generate and still maintain a firm left side. The knee just isn't make to absorb the level of force he placed on it. I think it was inevitable his body would break down sooner than most golfers do.
As for relearning a golf swing. Old habits are hard to break and when it is on the line he will always revert back to what he instinctively knows and continue to hurt himself.
On top of everything else, he's become an excuse-making quitter now to boot.
Since his putting is still working, he should join the Putt-Putt Miniature golf league.
Plenty of hot senior babes to tempt him.
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