So my wife takes me out to dinner for Dad's day tomorrow and I set up the cable tivo. Of course it runs out after Wood's tee shot on 18. I log onto ESPN.com to find out what happens and I'm really pissed I missed it. Finally saw the highlights later. Westwood is playing some really solid golf. Should be a good watch tomorrow.
Tiger playing some great golf, but i really do wonder if he will be able to hold out today? He really seemed to be in quite a bit of pain yesterday. Heaven forbid, if he has forced himself to play too early and causes any permanent damage to that left knee. Don
Don, I have the same question.....I can't see Tiger going under par tomorrow. Assuming the knee will continue to give him problems, he's goiong to have to find way to hit fairways. My best guess is he's going to have to resort to that little cut he hit of the tee 18 which is going to leave him at least 1 if not 2 clubs farther out than he has been....making it a helluva lot tougher to get the ball close to Sunday Open pins with any regularity. That said, he is Tiger....he did eagle 18 but can he really keep up these incredible heroics. I mean c'mon now.....this is some pretty special stuff. One scenario I see playing out is Westwood - although a great player and seasoned vet in his own right, has never played in the final grouping of a major with Tiger - (has he?) - goes in the tank due to the Tiger effect, Tiger gamely soldiers on but struggles to shoot par and Rocco sneaks in.....I would love that. What's not to love about Rocco?
Those last five holes were the most incredible display I've ever seen on a golf course. How do you even read those putts? And how do you hit your drives 320-360 on one leg to make it necessary to read 70' eagle attempts? His knee is the wild card but no matter what happens to day his legend is even bigger than it was. Is Phil's nickname "Heimlich" ?
Ditto. As a casual fan of golf and occasional player, I would say that I've never been a solid Tiger fan. Admiring and respectful, yes. Believing he is the greatest player in the game today, yes. But I haven't always rooted for him (I'm a lefty so Phil is my favorite). Watching those last five holes has moved him up to #1 on my favorite golfer list. What's not to love about that shy "Omigosh" smile after he holed the chip? What's not to admire about his effort in fighting through the pain? If you saw the interview with Roger M. after the round, you saw him give a direct one-word "yes" answer to the question, is the knee getting worse?
I haved to admit to being a huge Woods fan. His preparation is legendary. He is in superb physical condition; he knows the courses in and out and he is fanatical about practice. In short, to beat him you must do it yourself. Unlike Phil, he will not give you anything.
After the first hole I'm thinking he's not going to make it 18 holes, he's going to have to withdraw or he's going to shoot 85. I mean he started on the first drive looking like he was in tremendous pain. They can't give him lidocaine in the knee, he can't wrap it, they can't put a brace on it, ergo he is going to have to withdraw before the 9th hole. Holy Cow what a finish though!! Only El Tigre. I feel for Rocco tomorrow. Terry
After Westwood pulled his fairway wood into the crap on 13, why did Woods try to his his wood? I thought that the coverage by the NBC team was pretty good. Murphy in particular was sharp. Looks like we're already making plans for a long, lunch tomorrow. If Rocco can play steady for a 5 th straight day ( a tough task) he could make it very interesting.
It would seem to me that since Rocco is short off the Tee, that Tiger can put his driver away and just go with 3-wood. He'll still outdrive Rocco and he'll likely hit more fairways.
Oh man you have to feel sorry for Rocco...going toe to toe with Tiger for 18 holes ...then a train wreck on the 19th hole. I though Tiger would smoke him today, I thought it'd be essentially over by the 10th hole, esp when Tiger finally hit the #1 fairway.
Tiger not to be denied, but I was pulling for Rocco, still a great US Open and one that i will remember for hopefully some time to come. Don
Great stuff.....many props to Rocco. Great guy, gave the best all he could handle. As a huge Jack Nicklaus fan, I have resisted the urge to annoint El Tigre as the greatest. I can't hold out any longer. We have the distinct privilege of watching "Babe Ruth" of golf in his prime. What he does, when he does it, the frequency with which he does it and how he does it is pure magic.....enjoy it. In my lifetime, I have never, ever witnessed a greater clutch player in any sport, anywhere. Amazing.....
Saw a report that Tiger played despite being told by his doctors that his knee wasn't completely healed. Perhaps if the venue had been somewhere else, he may have passed. But the long term effects may be serious. Joints, especially knees can be career changing problems. I doubt that we see him play again competitively until at least the British Open. Two, three, five years from now will his knee force him to change his power game? I remember Mark "the bird" Fridrich hurting his leg shagging a fly ball during spring training. It slightly changed his pitching motion and ended a promising career. A great victory by Tiger....but was it worth it?
Good point Gip....I certainly hope there is no lasting effect, but if there is, he'll just win majors with his short game! Hell, we saw him win a British without pulling a driver out of his bag one time - in 4 days!
Who can forget him? He was a treat to watch. If he was on today's Yankee team, Hank would be complaining that baseball needs to grow up and eliminate spring training so pitchers would not be hurt shagging fly balls. Sorry to go off topic, but I couldn't resist.
I wonder as well about the long term effects of not just having played the Open on a not fully recovered knee and just the fact that he's had multiple scopes done on that knee. It seems like he's now a candidate for arthritis in his knee. But as BuckeyeT said he's got such a tremendously well rounded game he could continue to win without being one of the longest hitters on the tours. The old saying is drive for show and putt for dough. Never better viewed by the fact that a guy who averages 265-275 off the tee played him to a standstill. Tiger could easily give up some distance if he had to do it. Terry
:lol: I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT EVEN JIM WATCHED THE LAST NINE HOLES ON SATURDAY AND THE WHOLE MATCH ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY /// Um..... Mike Torrey Pines looks a little tough I cant believe you played especially the hole over the ravine.. I would be concerned about snakes in the ice plant .... after watching I thin Jim has a whole new respect for the game and you for playing the course.....di