THE LUCKIEST GOLFER

The Miami Herald ^ | Tue, Jul. 22, 2003

[presidio9]

With all due respect to PGA Tour golfer Ben Curtis, the title, ''Champion golfer of the year,'' seems an awkward fit. Mr. Curtis is an unknown rookie who walked away with the claret jug on Sunday in the British Open.

The Open, one of golf's four big tournaments -- or majors -- is intentionally designed as a grueling test. Playing conditions are awful -- it often is cold, blustery and wet. Fairways are pinched to the width of a traffic lane, the rough is knee-deep, and greens are as slick as a marble tabletop.

Usually, the Open identifies the golfer who is the best player, has control of his emotions and the patience of Job. Sunday's final round began with Mr. Curtis and some of the world's best players, including Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Thomas Borjn, David Love III and Sergio Garcia, bunched within two strokes of each other. By day's end, Mr. Curtis emerged victorious because he shot the day's best round, a 69. He also won because in the course of the week, he suffered fewer ''unlucky'' breaks. This happens when course conditions are so severe that excellent shots aren't always rewarded and bad shots get ''lucky'' bounces. Organizers should ponder if the 2003 Open put too high a premium on luck.

[presidio9]

p9 - if you forgive discostu about the tour card business, I'll forgive you this mistaken statement.

No mistake here. He shot 63 in the first round. Would have been a 53 on some LPGA courses.

And BTW, "everybody knows" that Woods has owned the Western Open for years.

Right. Also "everybody knows" that he owns a lot of tournaments. He's Tiger Woods. The point is he's played in 11 events this year and won four times (more than any other player). He came in 4th this week. Nice slump.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

I can't believe it. I was about to post the same thing and after typing it out, decided I had better read the entire thread, just in case, and went back... I can't believe it.

[presidio9]

Why don't you stick to making an ass of yourself on the "Tiger Would Not Post Four Sub-60's" front. You are very good at that.

[an amused spectator]

see post #121.

It's impossible for presidio9 "Strawberries Queeg" to admit that he was wrong.

He's also a lot more fun than teasing my cat. ;-)

[Mr. Mojo]

You're failing to put Tiger's consistent sub-par showings on the back nine at the British this year in context. If it happened to a known choker (like Phil Mickelson) or a young player who hasn't seen much in the way of competition at this level, I'd agree with you that choking would probably be the reason. But to put that label on a guy who's won eight majors at such a young age is a bit irresponsible. Tiger, if anything, is the Anti-Choker.

[discostu]

Um Presidio you're line was, and I quote "Plus he's got a second and a third in Majors this year."

Last year's PGA isn't this year.

Even if I accept this ridiculous explanation it still doesn't add up. You said he'd finished 2nd AND 3rd, wrapping for the Tiger Slam (which I remember well, it's one of the things that shows this to be a slump, once he owned all 4 trophies at once, now he owns none) you still miss out, he finished 2nd at the PGA but there's no 3rd place. Stilll lies on your part.

No his net on the front 9 was minus SEVEN, he finished at plus ONE, simple math here, eight - one = seven, you should have learned this in grade school, since you obviously should have known better that must mean it's a lie. I have no problem with all 72 holes counting, what part of choking down the back 9 don't you understand.

I will keep calling you a liar because you are a liar. You lied again in this post trying to cover the lies from the last post. And I'm sure you'll lie again in your next post desperate to cover your lies in this one.

Woods isn't being competitive in the majors. And you are a pathetic waste of flesh that should have been banned.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

WAIT! You said "Annika"! I thought you said "Anna". So....


I wonder how Anna would have done in the Open.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

You mean I can't vote for Ben Hogan? Aw, shucks!

[an amused spectator]

The guys in the group in back of her would have imploded. ;-)

[discostu]

I don't believe in transitive power of choke proofing. Tiger used to be the most choke proof guy in the world, I agree. But his perfomance at the British shows that's clearly not the case anymore. If a score card like that would be called a choke for Mickelson then it has to be called a choke for Tiger, a choke is a choke regardless of the name on top the paper.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Tiger didn't choke. He sucks. Just a matter of time.

[an amused spectator]

And you are a pathetic waste of flesh that should have been banned.

He does make an interesting variety of regular posts, but on these golf posts, he's mainlining the beer barrel.

So maybe he should be allowed to make the original golf article post, but be restricted from making followup posts on the golf threads. ;-)

[discostu]

Mmmm white tennis dress.... wind.... some rain.....

Anna should switch sports but keep the wardrobe. She couldn't possibly be worse at golf than she is at tennis. She couldn't possibly be worse at anything than she is at tennis.

[discostu]

I've seen him go coockoo for cocopuffs on other stuff. Maybe they should just ban him from discussion, he can still post articles but nothing else... nah he'd just crank up a 2nd ID.

[an amused spectator]

Mmmm white tennis dress.... wind.... some rain....

BAD discostu! BAD BAD discostu!!

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Maybe she'll play for the Lakers. They'll have an opening soon!

[discostu]

He's still doing OK in the non majors. This majorless streak seems to have put the zap on his head. Problem is he spent so long focusing on 4 tournaments, both on the course and in the press, and now those 4 tournaments don't seem to like him anymore. But he'll be back. That's why I call it a slump not a slide into obvlivion.

[an amused spectator]

I've seen him go coockoo for cocopuffs on other stuff.

I don't pay much attention to his posts on other threads, but when he starts corking off with the "rounds of 53" stuff, I gotta draw the line.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

I think he was a flash-in-the-pan, personally. Maybe Buddha is napping on him :o)

[discostu]

Would have been good in the 70s when they wore those tiny shorts.... mmmm Now with those shorts-in-name-alone it wouldn't be as much fun.