12/21/24
October 16, 2011
Norman: Tiger Poor Pick for Presidents Cup: Greg Norman, the international team captain for November's Presidents Cup tournament in Australia, disagreed with Fred Couples' decision as captain to put Tiger Woods on the American team. "I think Keegan Bradley was much more deserving," Norman said. "I can understand the name of a Tiger Woods and his history of what he's done on the golf course. But I pick the guys who I think are ready to get in there and play and have performed to the highest levels leading up to it. ... I just don't think he's swinging the golf club the way he used to when he won all those major championships. He's a different player out there nowadays."
I don't know, golf is as much a mental game as it is physical. I think the distractions of his divorce and sex scandal have played as much of a factor in his struggles as his injuries.
posted by insomnyuk at 02:19 PM on October 16, 2011
Well it can't be the actual act of cheating or of living a lie - because he excelled when he was doing those things. I think the fallout must be having an effect - but it may be as much on the rest of the field as it is on Tiger. Other players just aren't intimidated by him anymore (well, obviously not intimidated at all recently - but even by 2009 you could sense it). That was a big arrow in his quiver.
I have to think the injuries are the also some of the story. I don't think Tiger plays scared out there. I think he can't hit the shots he used to because he's totally rebuilt his swing.
But in the end - in the very end - I think what separates "unbeatable" players most is simply putting. Tiger can't putt the way he used to. That's certainly not a physical issue. That is where the mental game is most felt. And that's where he seems most aware of his vulnerability.
On topic: I agree with Norman.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 07:29 PM on October 16, 2011
I agree with Norman, and each of you. Bad pick for the team. Seems to come from a sentimental feeling rather than a logical pick for who can help the team win.
Tiger's chances of catching Jack grow dimmer with each passing Major. Not only is he off of his game, but so many younger, very talented players are now on the scene. Tiger intimidated the old group, not so much the under 30 group that dominates the tour now.
posted by dviking at 10:16 PM on October 16, 2011
On the intimidation thing, it's true that he's lost his mystique, but frankly he hasn't been close enough to a lead on Sunday for so long that it hasn't been a factor. He's just playing badly as he rebuilds his swing and recovers from his injuries at the moment - we're yet to see the true impact of people no longer falling away when he's leading on the last day because he hasn't quite put himself into that position.
I wouldn't write him off just yet. Swing changes tend to be stepwise alterations; one day it just suddenly clicks. If that happens and he starts ripping it again, everything else will quickly fall back into place. He's a confidence player, and his confidence will flood back rapidly as soon as he gets on a roll. Those putts might start dropping too.
On the putting thing - he's been using a Nike putter for a while (since the Open in 2010 maybe?). I have no information to suggest this is true, but my suspicion is that it may have been a condition of Nike not dropping him during his scandal that he start using their putter. It's maybe not the biggest factor in his poor putting, but it can't be helping him.
As for the President's Cup - it's all cute that it's dressed up as Couples picking his old pal and giving him a shot at redemption, but I suspect the sponsors (including Nike) and the TV companies broadcasting the event have had plenty to say about the impact of his participation. No harm to Keegan Bradley, but more people will watch if Tiger plays.
posted by JJ at 05:40 AM on October 17, 2011
If Norman thinks that Tiger is a bad pick since he hasn't been playing like the Tiger of old, shouldn't he be happy about it?
posted by BornIcon at 11:06 AM on October 17, 2011
I have no information to suggest this is true, but my suspicion is that it may have been a condition of Nike not dropping him during his scandal that he start using their putter. It's maybe not the biggest factor in his poor putting, but it can't be helping him.
While I can imagine this happening, I cannot believe that Nike would not allow him to switch to something else if their putter does not work for him. Admittedly, it's as easy for him to claim that it's the putter as it is for it to actually be the putter, but surely both parties can appreciate that he is worth a lot more when he's winning.
posted by bender at 01:13 PM on October 17, 2011
If Norman thinks that Tiger is a bad pick since he hasn't been playing like the Tiger of old, shouldn't he be happy about it?
OK then, DON'T use reverse psychology.
/Although I have difficulty believing that Greg Norman knows anything about psychology.
posted by owlhouse at 09:04 PM on October 17, 2011
Norman knows about psychology the same way a burglar knows about property laws - he knows there's something out there somewhere that says what he's doing is daft and going to get him into trouble, but he's going to do it anyway.
bender - I agree. As I said, I have no evidence whatsoever, just shooting my cynical mouth off about it. It always rang hollow to me that a guy who was legacy building from day one chose to drop Titleist and go with Nike.
posted by JJ at 07:23 AM on October 18, 2011
I'm beginning to think Tiger's done. He might get hot and win one more major, but getting four more to tie Nicklaus seems remote. Everybody blames his personal problems, but I wonder how much his 2008 ACL surgery and recurrent left knee injuries are to blame.