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Oh, how the mighty has fallen. Last weekend, Tiger Woods endured a nightmare at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational by shooting an 18-over, the worst performance of his legendary career. His terrible tournament was punctuated by a career worst round of 77 on Sunday, which ignited the media flame. Questions ensued about Tiger's swing, his personal life, and the correlation between the two. After all, 18 is not just a bad weekend. Tiger Woods doesn't shoot 18-over unless he's playing with one arm, he's asleep, or he's dealing with some serious issues off the course.

Well, one of those works, and only one. The only explanation for Tiger's woes over the weekend is his current family situation. His meltdown on the golf course had nothing to do with golf. The separation from his wife, the settlement, custody issues...these things and more are weighing heavily on Tiger. You could visibly see it. It was written all over his disheveled, deflated, and demoralized face. It seemed like the last thing he wanted to do was be on the golf course, while desperately hoping that the golf course could be the asylum from all his personal problems. It definitely wasn't the latter, and people are starting to wonder now whether we will ever see the old Tiger Woods again.

Tiger came back after a long break to finish tied for fourth at the Masters, and everyone was sure that he was back. He was a vengeful, angry Tiger, and he was about to channel all his trouble and infamy into destroying competitors on the course, just like Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant have done on the court. He didn't win at Augusta, but he would be odds-on favorite to win the next three majors of 2010, as the thought went.

Except that it didn't happen. A missed cut, a 23rd place here, a 46th place there, and a second to last place later, Tiger Woods is admitting that he lacks confidence. When asked about the Ryder Cup team, Tiger said that he isn't good enough right now to make the roster. Let's get some perspective on this by saying it out loud. Tiger Woods doesn't think he's good enough to make the Ryder Cup team. How ludicrous is that? This is a monumental idea: the greatest golfer on the planet, and possibly the greatest ever, is open about a shortage of confidence in his ability to golf. Would Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant ever do that? Would Joe Namath or Peyton Manning or Joe Montana? Muhammad Ali? Ken Griffey Jr. or Barry Bonds?

The best never admit to something like that; their ego and arrogance won't let them. They are afraid (and maybe incapable) of this kind of vulnerability. I admire Tiger, I always have, for his candor with the media. He rarely seemed like a drone in front of a microphone, as so many athletes do. He was never afraid to say the wrong thing. I'm glad that Tiger is honest with us, and most importantly, with himself right now.

I can't say whether Tiger will regain top form or not. What I do know is that if he does, his newfound self-awareness will be largely responsible. Knowing himself--personally and professionally--is a major key to working through his junk to find some balance and stability. I hope he does it. I hate to see Tiger like this, regardless of his indiscretions.

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Posted By: Jason Heim - Category: Golf

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A Fundamental Ignorance

January 6th 2010 19:52

Look at that couple. Don't they just look so happy?

You've already heard enough about Tiger, and I don't want to burden you with more of the same. I just have one--hopefully unique--take.

Certain members of the media have spoken out in defense of Tiger's right to privacy. Even Tiger himself has asked for that respect. Now, I'm not proposing that we post up secret cameras in his house, but I take issue with this notion because of the ignorant hypocrisy implicit in it. Tiger, buddy? Don't you realize that with all the benefits and rights the public eye affords you come responsibilities? That by gaining so much notoriety, fame, and wealth through the channel of the mainstream media you surrender most, if not all, of your claims to privacy?

For someone like Tiger Woods to make this claim and not realize how much he has reaped from having his likeness plastered on every billboard and TV commercial is ignorant, shortsighted, and contradictory by nature. Eldrick, if its privacy you want in your time of personal turmoil, then I suggest you resign all your sponsorships, advertising deals, and make yourself a little more aware of how this game is played. Oh wait, all your sponsors dropped you already. Looks like you're getting an involuntary taste of the privacy you so rightly deserve.

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Posted By: Jason Heim - Category: Golf

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Tiger's Tour?

June 23rd 2009 20:25

When people talk about golf or the PGA specifically, the first thing everyone else jumps to is Tiger Woods, and deservedly so. The man's resume and killer instinct are unrivaled in the history of golf, if not matched only by one Golden Bear. I enjoy watching Tiger charge up the leaderboard to win a major on Sunday, and his ledger of wins and major championships is so impressive that I don't even remember whether he won or lost a particular tournament. However, I think all the talk about taking Tiger over the field every time a major rolls around is irresponsible, unrealistic, and sells some other fantastic golfers way short.

On a rain-soaked weekend at Bethpage State Park's Black course, the site of the U.S. Open, the Tiger obsession by the NBC commentators was embarrassing. With Woods sitting 7 or 8 strokes back in the final round (and showing no signs of moving), the network just couldn't help but give Tiger the majority of coverage. Don't get me wrong, the guy is the heartbeat of the PGA Tour and is absolutely essential to its prosperity, but this ridiculous attention he garners is moderately off putting. I'm just sick of it. Its like they were trying so hard to make Woods a contender for the championship that they pretended he was and covered him like he was.

I have to stop myself right here because I'm guilty of the same thing the media is: glorifying Tiger and ignoring everything else. I'm 3 paragraphs deep in this post and I haven't even mentioned the names of the Open's only contenders. Those men would be Open champion Lucas Glover (he won right?), David Duval, and Ricky Barnes.

Yep, that's Glover on the left. Didn't know what he looks like, did you? The leaderboard was absolutely dominated by these three, and Tiger Woods never sniffed the top 5 until his mini-charge on the back 9 in the final round, and still finished tied for 6th at 4 shots back. What? You don't believe its true? Check out the final leaderboard.

Once again, Tiger deserves 98% of the coverage and discussion he gets. He is an immortal among mortals. However, I think its appalling that every time a no-name player accomplishes something great, all we can manage to talk about is the absence of Tiger and how his late run wasn't quite enough and how something was wrong with Tiger's short game that week. Why can't we embrace the underdog like we do in every other sport and give credit where credit is due without Tiger Woods being our point of reference? Let's stop picking Tiger to beat a full field of elite golfers before the tournament starts. Let's stop wishing him into the final group when he's not even close. Let's stop analyzing his defeat when we should be telling the story of the champion.

Maybe the Tour knows this is the only way that it can survive and thrive and I'm being unrealistic. I am sure, however, that there is much more to this sport than Tiger Woods.

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Posted By: Jason Heim - Category: Golf

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Golf: Australian Geoff Ogilvy Wins Mercedes-Benz Championship In Hawaii

January 12th 2009 02:13

Although six shots up at the start of the day, Victorian Geoff Ogilvy was only one stroke ahead when he arrived at the 9th tee at the Kapalua Plantation course on Maui, Hawaii, during the Mercedes-Benz Championship. However, he still managed to hold on, and claim his fifth US Tour win.

The 2006 US Open champion hit a near-perfect shot at the perfect time, a towering three-iron approach that settled six metres from the pin at the par-five 9th hole, and when his previously frazzled mind suddenly felt a whole lot better, he drained the putt for an eagle.

"As I walked off the 9th green, I felt the best I had all week. All of a sudden, a switch flicked and I felt decent,'' said Ogilvy, who promptly birdied five of the next six holes to charge clear again on his way to a six-stroke victory over American Anthony Kim in the US PGA Tour's season opener.

"I hit it great this week, except for about four shots this morning. It was as good a 63 holes as I've ever played.''

Australian Geoff Ogilvy Wins Mercedes-Benz Championship

Ogilvy, who shot a closing 68 to finish at 24-under-par 268, admitted that the tension of holding a big third-round lead contributed to his poor start.

"It's an uncomfortable feeling to know you were six shots out in front and now you're almost back to tied, because you can just imagine what people are thinking,'' he said.

"If somebody is birdying every hole to catch you, that's a completely different story, but I made only one bogey (through 54 holes) and then I made four on the front nine this morning.

"I was fairly frustrated walking off the 8th green. I wouldn't say it was panic, just 'can I go somewhere else for a while' because it's just uncomfortable.''

Ogilvy, who broke his Australian duck when he won the PGA Championship last month, received $US1.12 million ($A1.6 million) and a new 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL500 for his fifth PGA Tour victory.

And he continued the stellar Australian record at Kapalua, where Stuart Appleby won three consecutive times from 2004.

Ogilvy spent three months in Australia at the end of last year, his longest stretch back home in a decade. He enjoyed the extended break from the grind of the American Tour and arrived here not only mentally refreshed but also feeling competitively sharp.

"When Geoff plays well, he never looks like he's going to hit a bad shot,'' said compatriot Adam Scott, who tied for 18th in the 33-man field.

"I think that's why he does really well at big tournaments. He doesn't look like he's going to hit a really rank shot and get into trouble.''

Actually, Ogilvy did hit a couple of rank shots early in the final round, but steadied the ship before it totally capsized.

"It was definitely a round of two halves,'' he said. "I really enjoyed every hole on the back nine.''

AAP

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Posted By: Oracle of Delphi - Category: Golf

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