04/25/24
August 16, 2009
Y. E. Yang Shocks Woods to Win at P.G.A.: Y. E. Yang has won the P.G.A. Championship, finishing at eight under, three strokes ahead of Tiger Woods.
posted by tommytrump to golf at 07:19 PM - 10 comments
including a masterful approach at 18. Good for him.
That was sick. You could tell the announcers were ready for him to par and Woods to birdie for a playoff, and that shot blew it all to hell. Great shot to wrap it up.
posted by jmd82 at 12:40 AM on August 17, 2009
Don't recall Tiger ever putting that poorly. As was said above, he was reading too much break all day, should have adjusted.
Seemed as though a lot of the golfers were leaving putts short. It rained on Saturday, so maybe the greens were slow, however, you'd think they'd compensate for that.
Yang's shot on 18 was beyond masterful, it was freaky awesome.
posted by dviking at 01:01 AM on August 17, 2009
I don't think Tiger could have done anything to adjust his putting. A pitcher with a broken slider is throwing the ball into the same playing field every time, so he can (or should) tweak it a bit to get it back on track, but in golf, every putt is different and needs to be lined up and read on what you see in front of you. Some days one (even the one) can't see the lines. He (Tiger) was also struggling with pace. Usually when he misses a putt he leaves himself if not 'work' coming back, at least something he has to mark and have a look at. I've never seen him tap in so often.
As for Yang, words fail me. I'd never heard of him until this week, seen none of the golf until last night, and am a big fan of Tiger, but the first hole I saw them play was 7th and I was instantly pulling for Yang. Personality, charm, aggressive play, a silky touch, a big smile and energy pouring out all over the place. I watch Tiger win majors and I'm in awe of his control and his focus. Last night I was watching a guy in Yang winning a major and behaving the way I'd behave in the same situation. Clean and jerk the golf bag? Hell, get the caddy over here and I'll hoist him up there too.
What he has done has great significance for the game of golf. I can't wait to see if we now get a new wave of Asian, and particularly Korean, dominance in the mens game the way we have in the ladies. I suspect it will take longer, but I've no doubt it will come.
posted by JJ at 04:49 AM on August 17, 2009
Tiger played this golf course the best way he could. The only thing that happened was that Yang played better. There was a reason as to why they were paired up together but for the life of me, I wasn't able to understand why they were paired up until the wheels started to come off Tiger's game. I believe by the 4th hole, the announcers were ready to crown Tiger the winner, Yang wasn't buying it though and desreved this win. Great game & win by the low seeded underdog.
posted by BornIcon at 08:24 AM on August 17, 2009
Part of this might have started on Saturday when Tiger started playing not to lose instead of going after the golf course the way he is known to do.
If he had more than a 2 stroke lead going into Sunday, maybe the other guys would have played their final rounds differently.
It is amazing to me that basically one guy can be so dominant in a sport for such an extended period of time. Not just athletically, but psychologically. It seems like it has taken the rest of the touring pros a decade to adjust to Tiger's presence and find a way to learn how to hang in there with him.
They've had to chip away at it little by little over the years. Getting a little closer with each showdown. (Although Bob May came very close very early).
It seems like Tiger's layoff due to injury helped provided an opening for an eventual breakthrough. Guys got used to competing without worrying about where Tiger was on the course and what he was doing. Padraig, for one, benefitted. For one guy to have that kind of presence on the tour is unbelievable. There are a lot of talented and skilled players out there.
When Tiger first hit the big time, the talk was about lots of youngsters being inspired to follow in his footsteps. Maybe now, after what we've seen at the majors this year and in recent years, there will be some guys who are inspired to work on their game, get on the tour hoping to do well enough, make a living, and then suddenly come out of nowhere to win a big one. Even if it's just that one.
posted by beaverboard at 10:01 AM on August 17, 2009
Even if it's just that one
Even if it is just one, it's one less major for Tiger to add to his resume. He'll eventually pass Jack but at least Yang made it a much more interesting round of golf to watch.
posted by BornIcon at 10:20 AM on August 17, 2009
Yang played great, Tiger played, well, human. In the last round of a Major. When he had the lead. Shocked us all.
Congrats to Yang.
I can't wait to see if we now get a new wave of Asian, and particularly Korean, dominance in the mens game the way we have in the ladies. I suspect it will take longer, but I've no doubt it will come.
What is this prediction based on? I can see a few more Asians on the Tour maybe, but "a new wave of Asian, particularly Korean, dominance" ? They can't be investing any more time or money in junior golf programs than say, the Swedes, or America.
it's one less major for Tiger to add to his resume. He'll eventually pass Jack
Not looking like quite as much of a sure thing as it once was, though.
posted by mjkredliner at 10:02 AM on August 18, 2009
Not looking like quite as much of a sure thing as it once was, though.
Why? Because he finally lost a match when he was leading? I wouldn't go as far as to say that it's "[n]ot looking like quite as much of a sure thing as it once was" considering the he is only 33 years old. Tiger has plenty of time to surpass Jack Nicklaus (which IMO he'll do), this time around he was just so happened to be paired with someone that wasn't afraid of the eye of the Tiger.
posted by BornIcon at 11:26 AM on August 18, 2009
It wasn't a prediction, merely wondering if the sort of sudden influx of Korean talent and subsequent dominance that happened in the women's game after Se Ri Pak won her first major (Korean women have since won ten majors in as many years) might translate into the men's game now. What could have an important role to play is the recognition of golf as a more significant sport for the country and some new agreement being reached that means young, promising players don't lose momentum by having to do national service.
Admittedly, I don't think Yang is quite as much of a force as Se Ri Pak has been in the women's game (of those ten Korean major wins, she produced five), but he has won a major so is obviously hot. KJ Choi has been very much in the frame in recent years, Charlie Wi's got plenty of game, and Kevin Na is starting to come through. I suppose you can't really count Danny Lee and AK, although they are both of Korean extraction.
posted by JJ at 12:13 PM on August 18, 2009
It seemed that Tiger was like a baseball pitcher whose slider wasn't working, but he kept insisting on throwing it anyway. He kept trying to hit fades all weekend, but they'd stay straight. He kept putting expecting the ball to break, and it wouldn't. He wasn't making adjustments at all, which seemed rare for him.
That being said, Yang played a hell of a round and deserved the victory. He left a couple of putts short in crunch time, but he made all the shots, including a masterful approach at 18. Good for him.