Tiger's back

by raycastleunited Tue 31 Oct 2017, 11:27 am

This needs its own thread, if only to provide a forum for super to vent his frothy outrage.

So what do we think of his back? And is he really back, or is it just another false dawn?

Personally I think this hero fun comp is the perfect chance to return.. small field, no cut, limited pressure. Although this could be a bit of Kevin Spacey style deflection after his recent court appearance.

by McLaren Tue 31 Oct 2017, 11:50 am

If we could be confident that he had rediscovered his short game of old, which has been missing on previous comebacks (chipping yips! etc), then a return to the top 50 wouldn't be a massive shock. But this is very unlikely and I fear even making cuts will be a severe challenge. Although Rory is just about clinging on to the top ten and his short game is probably as bad as Tigers was at its lowest.

by raycastleunited Tue 31 Oct 2017, 12:18 pm

I think the short game problems were down to confidence / rustiness. If he swings smoothly and within himself he'll still hit it a long way and he's got enough in his short game to still contend.

But that's a big "if". Because when the pressure is on, especially if he's playing with someone like Justin Thomas, I can see him reverting to trying to thrash the ball.

by Shotrock Tue 31 Oct 2017, 12:51 pm

Here's my take: Tiger (Cap'n Obvious here, I know), will never be the Tiger of old. So, even if he gets a semblance of a game back, will he be able to ratchet down his ego to accept his new lot in the world of professional golf? Not sure about that.

by kwinigolfer Tue 31 Oct 2017, 1:13 pm

I hope he comes back, fit and sharp enough to play regularly.
But he always had a 15th club in his bag, the intimidation factor, and I reckon that's gone - could possibly have the opposite effect, he'd be the one trying to prove himself against mere mortals he probably can barely conceal his (sporting) contempt for.
By the time he plays, if he plays, a Tour event he'll be 42. Can he climb back up the hill enough to warrant saying it's all downhill from there?
Premature return I would think.

EDIT! It seems even bff Notah Begay is surprised:
"I didn't think it was going this well, this quickly. That's what you have to cautious with with Tiger - you give him the green light, he's going to run with it."

by GPB Tue 31 Oct 2017, 5:04 pm

Tiger did opine that he was pain free several days before he was busted for intoxicated while sleeping.

by McLaren Tue 31 Oct 2017, 5:53 pm

Will his legal issues restrict his ability to travel around the country as he pleases? Could his return have been delayed by having to complete his community service or whatever he got given.

by super_realist Tue 31 Oct 2017, 5:56 pm

Shouldn't the title be.

"Woods is attempting yet another comeback, but will probably claim he's injured again or needs more reps and will disappear for another 9 months".

by raycastleunited Thu 30 Nov 2017, 3:15 pm

Wait, Tiger's teeing off in 2 hours?

I better get home and settle myself on the sofa with a box of tissues and some lube.

by Shotrock Thu 30 Nov 2017, 3:16 pm

Over/under?

I think Tiger pulls up after 14 holes.

Wink

by pedro Thu 30 Nov 2017, 3:21 pm

1st round 73. Next to last.

by NedB-H Thu 30 Nov 2017, 3:34 pm

For all that we’ve read that he’s out driven so and so on half the holes, or he’s driven x par four and made the eagle putt, I’ve not read of one completed round score.

You would assume he wouldn’t be playing a four round tournament without having completed plenty of warm up rounds. And you would assume that if he’d gone low in any of those rounds, news would have “leaked” out.
The fact that, in amongst all the hype, there have been no “Tiger shoots 64/65/66 in comeback practice round” stories leads me to conclude Tiger hasn’t shot anything low in any practice round.

As a result I’m gonna day Pedro is optimistic. I’m going with 75 and dead last.

by raycastleunited Thu 30 Nov 2017, 3:41 pm

He'll start well, get to -2 or -3, but then fade on the back nine and finish level par at best.

by I'm never wrong Thu 30 Nov 2017, 3:58 pm

NedB-H wrote:As a result I’m gonna day Pedro is optimistic. I’m going with 75 and dead last.

Split the difference - 74 and EQUAL last.

by Roller_Coaster Thu 30 Nov 2017, 3:58 pm

He'll start with his traditional double bogey after OOB his drive on 1, flit between + 4 and par and finish +2, pop a couple of his special pills, fulfil media requirements with nonsensical ramblings as a result (such as footballers appraisals and how he is offended by posts that have nothing to do with him on social media Wink

) before stealing a referee's buggy and driving it into a bunker ruining his stats on a day in which he hadn't found a bunker on any hole.

In the morning the headline will be he's back because he had one up and down from some rough.

by super_realist Thu 30 Nov 2017, 6:59 pm

The mad axeman swing is still there. He might well make it through this tournament, but I can't see his long term back coping well with such a crazy swing.

by NedB-H Thu 30 Nov 2017, 7:32 pm

Looks decent with the irons and alright with the putter, still hasn’t remembered how to chip and still suspect off the tee. Even if the swing holds up looks like he’ll be struggling as soon as he gets on tighter courses, no wonder he keeps comeback-ing here.

by kwinigolfer Thu 30 Nov 2017, 7:59 pm

Haven't been watching it, but seems as if he's putting close to his best.

Whatever else he is or is not doing, he seems to have inspired the stock market and for that I thank him.

by NedB-H Thu 30 Nov 2017, 8:12 pm

This course is seriously dull

by beninho Thu 30 Nov 2017, 8:32 pm

Seems like a decent comeback. It would be good to see him back and challenging.

by kwinigolfer Thu 30 Nov 2017, 9:08 pm

69, tied with Thomas. Imagine he'll like that.

If he's going to play, and this is a strong start, I hope he just plays and we can avoid all the hoopla. Now for the medical bulletin I suppose.

by McLaren Thu 30 Nov 2017, 9:11 pm

Didn't get a chance to watch any of the coverage. Did Tiger's game look any better than it did in hast last two or three aborted come backs? Previously it looked liked like shooting par was a struggle.

by Hibbz Thu 30 Nov 2017, 9:12 pm

I reckon that was a pretty fantastic first round back all things considered. I enjoyed watching the last 8 holes. He seems very pleased maybe even surprised himself a little.

by beninho Thu 30 Nov 2017, 9:46 pm

Tiger loves a 69

by I'm never wrong Thu 30 Nov 2017, 9:47 pm

McLaren wrote:Didn't get a chance to watch any of the coverage. Did Tiger's game look any better than it did in hast last two or three aborted come backs? Previously it looked liked like shooting par was a struggle.

Saw little bits of it Mac. There were one or two occasions when his chipping around the green let him down - commentators were saying it could have been down to the type of grass/conditions.

by pedro Thu 30 Nov 2017, 10:17 pm

beninho wrote:Tiger loves a 69

Not with Thomas.

by pedro Thu 30 Nov 2017, 10:17 pm

pedro wrote:1st round 73. Next to last.

I was talking about Noren..

by super_realist Fri 01 Dec 2017, 8:27 am

Decent round by Frog Face Woods.

Only comment I would make was how far he was from the pin in his approaches, and some inexcusably crap chipping.

You would have thought chipping was something which would be pin sharp as it's something you can practice for hours without putting strain on your back.

The real test will be a full field, with a cut and on a course which wasn't handpicked to make the most of his atrocious accuracy off the tee.

That's as close as you'll get to a compliment from me.

by Diggers Fri 01 Dec 2017, 9:47 am

Watched a little bit last night, was surprised how smooth his swing looked. One very small step. Fleetwood is looking increasingly relaxed in that sort of company, interesting to see if he can kick on even further next year or if he's just had a stellar year and could plateau from here.

by super_realist Fri 01 Dec 2017, 11:00 am

Did you think it looked smooth Diggers? Perhaps the irons but I thought his driver swing was terrible for someone with a suspect back. Especially his drive off the first, a real hackers swing.

by pedro Fri 01 Dec 2017, 11:04 am

Don't think his swing is as bad as a few years ago. Hardly mad axeman anymore.

by Diggers Fri 01 Dec 2017, 12:03 pm

Only saw a couple of drives and a few irons. As Pedro says, a lot better than a few years ago.

by raycastleunited Fri 01 Dec 2017, 12:49 pm

beninho wrote:Tiger loves a 69

But I think he prefers to go at it full throttle....

by raycastleunited Fri 01 Dec 2017, 12:52 pm

super_realist wrote:Decent round by Frog Face Woods.

Only comment I would make was how far he was from the pin in his approaches, and some inexcusably crap chipping.

You would have thought chipping was something which would be pin sharp as it's something you can practice for hours without putting strain on your back.

The real test will be a full field, with a cut and on a course which wasn't handpicked to make the most of his atrocious accuracy off the tee.

That's as close as you'll get to a compliment from me.

Ah, here is the expert analysis from Craig Revel-Horwood. What marks would you give him out of ten? You do love appraisal scores.

by pedro Fri 01 Dec 2017, 1:30 pm

super_realist wrote:Decent round by Frog Face Woods.

Only comment I would make was how far he was from the pin in his approaches, and some inexcusably crap chipping.

You would have thought chipping was something which would be pin sharp as it's something you can practice for hours without putting strain on your back.

The real test will be a full field, with a cut and on a course which wasn't handpicked to make the most of his atrocious accuracy off the tee.

That's as close as you'll get to a compliment from me.

Think super is softening. It may end up in a man crush..

by **navyblueshorts** Fri 01 Dec 2017, 1:41 pm

kwinigolfer wrote:69, tied with Thomas. Imagine he'll like that.

If he's going to play, and this is a strong start, I hope he just plays and we can avoid all the hoopla. Now for the medical bulletin I suppose.

A pipedream I fear.

by kwinigolfer Fri 01 Dec 2017, 2:29 pm

Seven golfers ahead of him, seven behind, but that adds up to an earlier (11.43 a.m. w/Stenson - wonder if they're mates? One with a great sense of humour, one born without one) tee time. Golf Channel scrambling for an early start.

by McLaren Fri 01 Dec 2017, 2:46 pm

But didn't golf feel like it had a bigger place in the world when tiger was in his prime and the hoopla was in full swing? Golf in the 00's felt like watching a sporting event with global interest.

by kwinigolfer Fri 01 Dec 2017, 3:12 pm

A bit like Iraq then?

by McLaren Fri 01 Dec 2017, 3:14 pm

Kwini

What gives you a buzz when watching golf?

by kwinigolfer Fri 01 Dec 2017, 3:15 pm

Remy Martin

by McLaren Fri 01 Dec 2017, 3:19 pm

But seriously, what do you get out of watching golf given the amount of time you invest in wait?

by Shotrock Fri 01 Dec 2017, 3:29 pm

Only watched highlights of Tiger's round, but his swing looks pretty good to me. Will it hold up? Will he revert to bad habits under pressure (as most all of us do)? Still, not an embarrassing start.

by kwinigolfer Fri 01 Dec 2017, 3:40 pm

Mac,
Actually I like the stories and the duels most (Stenson/Phil, Sergio/Phil, etc); don't watch anywhere near as much golf as you might think (certainly watch more footie), but I also like to be supportive of the best stars. Tiger is a genius but also an (to me anyway) unlikeable diva.

But, despite my facetious response, your point about golf in the 00's was a good one - but his last Major was ten years ago and my interest has moved on. Wish the media's would too, but no chance of that. Perhaps he will now re-earn all that coverage (and moolah), so that is intriguing.

by McLaren Fri 01 Dec 2017, 3:54 pm

I just wish something had come along in those 10 years to warrant the same hoopla as tiger did.

by **navyblueshorts** Fri 01 Dec 2017, 5:19 pm

kwinigolfer wrote:Remy Martin

by **navyblueshorts** Fri 01 Dec 2017, 5:22 pm

kwinigolfer wrote:Mac,
Actually I like the stories and the duels most (Stenson/Phil, Sergio/Phil, etc); don't watch anywhere near as much golf as you might think (certainly watch more footie), but I also like to be supportive of the best stars. Tiger is a genius but also an (to me anyway) unlikeable diva.

But, despite my facetious response, your point about golf in the 00's was a good one - but his last Major was ten years ago and my interest has moved on. Wish the media's would too, but no chance of that. Perhaps he will now re-earn all that coverage (and moolah), so that is intriguing.

No way José. Too much of a gravy train for them to ride. More's the pity for the rest of us...
I wish him well as a player, but I never liked his demeanour in the past and the media circus was vomit

. Some not his fault to be fair.

by kwinigolfer Fri 01 Dec 2017, 5:32 pm

Three under par for Woods after 4 holes, playing beautifully. Will he match last year's Round 2 score of 65?

by Diggers Fri 01 Dec 2017, 6:37 pm

He just swung his 3 wood pretty smoothly. Pretty impressive stuff.

by Shotrock Fri 01 Dec 2017, 7:45 pm

I would have put money down on Tiger to finish DFL in this event. Does not look like that's going to happen.

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