Tiger and Phil both playing this week

[EastexHawg]

I say Mickelson beats him like a tied up goat.  What say ye?

[PEtrader]

T might lose a tooth.

[clutch]

He should. How long has it been since Tiger actually played?

[Jackrabbit Hog]

Phil may be preoccupied with the Super Bowl being across town.  I'm sure FIGJAM has at least five figures on the game and he may let his mind wander on Sunday.

[EastexHawg]

He should. How long has it been since Tiger actually played?

It's Mickelson's second tournament since the PGA last August.  He played at Palm Springs last week.  How long has it been since Tiger played in the one where he kept duffing his chip shots? 

[EastexHawg]

When I first checked the leaderboard this morning Mickelson was 3 over after five holes.  He played the last 13 in 5 under and finished at 2 under, which I think is 69.

Tiger plays this afternoon.

I think Keegan Bradley is leading at 6 under.

[Sir Oinksalot]

It's only my 1st tourney in in 6 mths...Cant get to parallel hanging on my left side 6 mths this, can't shape, takes time...been
through it before takes time...you don't worry about it....gotta hit in the safety zones...need a decent look into the weekend...

...Tiger says he's so shallow sometimes he doesn't think he can even get to the ball...and he kicks it...

No mental rhythm caused bad shots then he got into a rhythm, I feel good..

[Sir Oinksalot]

Shamble says his issues around the greens cannot be recovered from...

[Sir Oinksalot]

.SO observation is that I could train him around the greens and that is very sad...he should have come out smoking and instead

he buried himself....

[Sir Oinksalot]

SO has seen few constants in this world one is that everyone who has every swung a club wants to give advice to :::

T I G E R ... it's a true psychological phenomenon ...

[EastexHawg]

I think Tom Weiskopf must have toughened the course when he re-worked it.  Scores overall didn't seem to be as low as they used to be.  I remember this being a tournament where you had to go really low to be in contention.  I don't see anyone shooting 24 under this week.

After day one...Mickelson 69, Woods 73.  Neither is close to the lead.

Sir Oinkalot, Chamblee can say what he wants, but when you'll really know Tiger is finished is when his boy Notah Begay agrees that his goose is cooked.

I think his problem is that he's almost 40 and not nearly as good as he used to be.  On top of that, it has gotten into his head.  Did you see him back off twice at 16?  Then, when he thinks he has really done something special by knocking it within 30 feet of the hole on 17...he has to stand there and watch as Bubba rolls one a foot right of the flag and has it stop 5 feet behind it.  Years ago anyone playing up with Tiger standing on the green would have peed down his leg and then shanked one.  The intimidation factor is gone.  You think Patrick Reed is scared of Tiger?

But what do I know...I thought he was finished 2-3 years ago and he came out and won five times.

[Jackrabbit Hog]

Second round, Tiger is +6 thru 6 holes, just went double-triple.  He's currently 130th out of 132 players. 

Dude has got some issues.

[PonderinHog]

Meanwhile, across the pond...

http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/european/leaderboard

[ishankem]

You think Tiger is thinking about retirement? He could just walk away & work
With his foundation. He is just embarrassing himself with this display.

[Jackrabbit Hog]

You think Tiger is thinking about retirement? He could just walk away & work
With his foundation. He is just embarrassing himself with this display.

I don't think Tiger will voluntarily "retire" from the regular tour, at least as long as he's behind Jack's major record.  I do think he may take more "sabbaticals" due to injuries and what not.  And I don't think we'll see him on the senior tour in 10 years. 

Two years ago on this board we had regular threads about whether Tiger was done, due to various issues such as skankfest, knee injuries, back injuries, etc.  Back then I think the opinions were pretty much 50-50.  Now, I think just about everybody is coming to realize that while he may not be completely done, there is something definitely wrong that is keeping him from even being competitive.  Whether it's that he's still hurt, he's lost all his confidence, others have passed him, or a combination of all three, nobody can deny that he's a shell of his former self.

[EastexHawg]

I'm not watching but I've read the commentary from guys following him.  They say he looks afraid to get a pitch or chip airborne. 

I'm probably the least sympathetic guy out there, but there has to be a lot of pressure on him just being Tiger Woods.  Knowing how many people are watching him and what they expect, it has to be extremely embarrassing to play the way he is.  You don't want to humiliate yourself by chili-dipping another chip shot, so you start using less loft and trying to keep them low to the ground. 

It sounds like something I might do in a pressure situation or with a lot of people watching.

[Jackrabbit Hog]

I'm not watching but I've read the commentary from guys following him.  They say he looks afraid to get a pitch or chip airborne. 

I'm probably the least sympathetic guy out there, but there has to be a lot of pressure on him just being Tiger Woods.  Knowing how many people are watching him and what they expect, it has to be extremely embarrassing to play the way he is.  You don't want to humiliate yourself by chili-dipping another chip shot, so you start using less loft and trying to keep them low to the ground. 

It sounds like something I might do in a pressure situation or with a lot of people watching.

You're getting soft in your old age.  The old Eastex would have said, "He's +8 through 9 holes today [which he is, by the way].  Anybody want to bet he tweaks his back on the back 9 and claims it has been bothering him all week?"

[EastexHawg]

You're getting soft in your old age.  The old Eastex would have said, "He's +8 through 9 holes today [which he is, by the way].  Anybody want to bet he tweaks his back on the back 9 and claims it has been bothering him all week?"

I actually planned to post "I smell an injury coming on" an hour ago but got busy and forgot. 

Maybe I am going soft, but I'm still hoping for another 44 on the front.  I bet the guys on TV look like Eisenhower planning D-Day, trying to figure out what it might take for Tiger to make the cut.

[EastexHawg]

If he misses the 3 footer for par on #1 (10 for him) I predict a trip to a Port-a-John followed by a bright flash and a "bang" from inside.

[Jackrabbit Hog]

Some perspective........Tiger's playing partners are both beating him by 12 strokes at the moment, and Tiger is currently 18 shots out of the lead - in the middle of the second round.

[clutch]

Are ya'll really surprised that he is playing this bad? Didn't the same thing happen the last time he came back from a long layoff?

[Jackrabbit Hog]

Are ya'll really surprised that he is playing this bad? Didn't the same thing happen the last time he came back from a long layoff?

No, not surprised at that.  More surprised that there are still some, including some respected media people, that didn't expect this. 

[clutch]

No, not surprised at that.  More surprised that there are still some, including some respected media people, that didn't expect this. 

I figure he will probably struggle badly for at least 3 tournaments.

[EastexHawg]

Some perspective........Tiger's playing partners are both beating him by 12 strokes at the moment, and Tiger is currently 18 shots out of the lead - in the middle of the second round.

I just heard the guy on PGA radio say that Patrick Reed, who is playing with Tiger, came out today in Tigre's traditional red and black.  Talk about cajones...

[Dillar Dog]

He had to.  He know tiger wouldn't be there to see it on Sunday.

[2hogsafrickin]

He's lost his short game and chipping almost completely. It's in his head now and seems scared to death when barely off the green. It's a mental block and only Tiger can fix it.

[Jackrabbit Hog]

He's lost his short game and chipping almost completely. It's in his head now and seems scared to death when barely off the green. It's a mental block and only Tiger can fix it.

You do know what the best cure for being scared when barely off the green is, don't you?

DON'T MISS THE FREAKIN' GREEN!!

[EastexHawg]

He's not going to fix it, at least not in terms of being dominant in the future.  He hasn't won a major since 2008.  That's seven years ago.  He's missed his last two cuts on tour, and that's never happened before.  He shot 82 today, his worst round ever on tour.  And...he's in dead last, three shots behind someone named Michael Hopper and Troy Kelly.  He's six shots behind the next worst score after those titans of the fairways.

More than all that, though, he is showing nerves, playing scared.  You can see it when you watch him.

It happens to every golfer at some point.  Tiger will be 40 this year so if his career fades away it won't be incredibly young or unexpected...especially based on the way he has played over the last several years. 

[ishankem]

My new year prediction:   Unless Tiger goes back to Butch & makes amends, I

Predict Tiger will continue to struggle all year and announce his retirement in

Dec when he turns 40.

[Dillar Dog]

Tiger isn't the one that needs to make amends.

[Jackrabbit Hog]

In the spirit of the original topic of the thread ...... Phil is 3 over thru 7 so far today and is on the cut line. 

Maybe Tiger and Phil can go to the Super Bowl together Sunday since there's a good chance neither will be working that day.

[Jackrabbit Hog]

It's official....Tiger and Phil both miss the cut in Phoenix. 

Get used to it, golf fans.

[GolfNut57]

How fitting was it that Tigers worst round ever as a pro was in a tourney sponsored by Waste Management? His game is in the dumpster right now.

[EastexHawg]

They will both be back next week at Torrey Pines.  I'll make the same prediction for next week, that Mickelson beats Woods easily...even though it's one of Tiger's favorite courses.

I didn't get to see any of Tiger's round so I don't know if it rained as heavily and steadily when he played, but it was miserable during Phil's round.  Old guys with arthritis don't do well in cold, wet conditions.  Phil shot 15 under the week before in Palm Springs. I don't think he is washed up yet.

[PEtrader]

Not saying this as a joke,  but Tiger needs to go get some hookers.   Whatever he was doing back in the day,  he needs to go back to it.  I always loved to hate him,  but this is just sad. 

[Ex-Trumpet]

Good thing Tiger is still a pro...US Open needs a 1.4 index to enter a qualifying event. 

Seriously, if you record his last few rounds, what would his handicap be? 

I could chip wrong-handed better than the mess he's doing.  After his time off, his short game should be impeccable.

[Iwastherein1969]

one of Woods' favorite shots was the chip shot off of tight lies...when Woods was at his best you never saw him yank the putter out for a chip that required to be airborn...Woods knows that you rarely make a putt from off the green but you can make a chip...basically Woods has the "yips" with the chips...not a good thing

[root_hawg]

Had never heard of the yips chipping but dude on golf channel saying no way he wins another major

[Boarcephus]

one of Woods' favorite shots was the chip shot off of tight lies...when Woods was at his best you never saw him yank the putter out for a chip that required to be airborn...Woods knows that you rarely make a putt from off the green but you can make a chip...basically Woods has the "yips" with the chips...not a good thing

Appears that way to me as well.  One of the guys in our group had a horrible case of the shanks on his chips this past year that was brutal to watch.  Anything 20 yards on in was a disaster and it lasted a couple months.  You expect a bad shot from the pros time to time but nothing like we saw Woods do in that round.

Not a Woods fan and haven't been in some time but you have to give him credit because he stood at the podium and answered all the questions like a man.

[Ex-Trumpet]

Tiger is blaming his chipping on his swing changes...bs.  His short game should be better than it's ever been.  He's had nothing to do but practice chips and putts while his back healed.

[Ex-Trumpet]

Had never heard of the yips chipping but dude on golf channel saying no way he wins another major

If this continues he will never make another cut!

[Boarcephus]

Meanwhile, across the pond...

http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/european/leaderboard

Saw where Rory wound up winning it

[EastexHawg]

Here's a hot sports opinion for you...

Mickelson comes back from missing the cut to contending this week.  He'll get his first top ten of the year.  Dare I say...book it?

Here's another one.  Tiger needs to get off to a good start so he'll go out first thing Thursday morning on the North Course.  See, I'm not just calling the tee time...I'm calling the course.

[2hogsafrickin]

Tiger looks too robotic around the green. Like his muscles are getting in the way. He needs to have some feel in his short game and rely more on his hands IMO

[root_hawg]

He is all about technique; best hands in golf are out of the picture

[EastexHawg]

Here's another one.  Tiger needs to get off to a good start so he'll go out first thing Thursday morning on the North Course.  See, I'm not just calling the tee time...I'm calling the course.

Tiger...third group out Thursday morning on the North Course.

So easy even a caveman could do it.