Is Tiger back?

Super Realist: "I suppose a quiet forum is better than all the "Woods is back" claptrap we get every now and again."

Time to test out this comment!

Is Tiger back?
Well, he's back in action this week at Quail Hollow, a lovely course that feels like a major venue whenever I see it on tv (it's hosting the PGA Championship in 2017).
He's back contending this season, with a win and a 2nd place. Although 9th in the Fedex points table he leads the scoring average for the season so far.
Is he back to his best? No of course not, but will he get there?

I think he's about as close to "back" as he's going to get. I think we pretty much all agree that he'll never be as dominant as he was back in the early/mid 00s but he's certainly "back" to a place where he can challenge for wins. Like every other good player these days he will have his bad days (and even weeks) but he's certainly a contender again. I doubt he'll get any more "back" though - certainly not while he still seems to have quite a few varying demons

too many demons for me really, although his stats suggest that he's better than ever!!!!

He was always hit and miss from tee to green, but had the uncanny habit of extricating himself from hell in Sevvy like fashion. He was always a great putter and had plenty of shots in his armour that nobody else had. So on paper if you believe his stas he's back already, but he doesn't have the other stuff that he had to make him abnormal, especially with the short stick, and even some of his chips and wedges are not working.

I still think if he wins a major he could possibly dominate. I know we are told there are too many good players around right now but I dont really buy that. I actually think its a pretty weak top 10, especially when it comes to the majors.

Not sure if my comments add anything, but he doesn't appear to be doing anything extraordinary right now. He won one poorly attended tournament and one wednesday sweep other than that he's done nothing to suggest he's back. He's better than he was in the last two years, but nothing to suggest he is imperious as before. Just another top 50 tour pro.
Also he's still an absolute See you next Tuesday.

Yes he's definitely back. Snarling, spitting and club-slinging - just like the Tiger of old

Oh, so he's having a good day is he Davie?

Looks like he has missed the cut, could this mean it's time to change coaches, or perservere with the one he has got.

Thought his swing look to manufactured and not natural, thought he was to bent over the ball

Is he back? Well he's competing to a certain extent. Does it look natural? No. The only time he looks like he's completely set on any shot is when he needs to pull off a miracle. Then his imagination is leading the way rather than his swing and the number of 'reps' he's doing.

I don't think he will ever be totally comfortable again and will now sit in the top ten as a contender but never a dominator. Unless he hires someone to let him do that sort of thing of course.

Tend to agree jonnyo, but it would do golf a power of good, if we had someone to dominate again, the game today looks poorer, to what it has been in the past.

When Jack dominated, and then Tiger dominated, the game seemed to be a lot stronger than it is today, cannot see any of the other top 50 players dominating the game, which I think is bad for golf, as all sports need a hero, and golf does not have one!.

oldparwin wrote:Tend to agree jonnyo, but it would do golf a power of good, if we had someone to dominate again, the game today looks poorer, to what it has been in the past.

When Jack dominated, and then Tiger dominated, the game seemed to be a lot stronger than it is today, cannot see any of the other top 50 players dominating the game, which I think is bad for golf, as all sports need a hero, and golf does not have one!.

Not sure I quite follow your logic there, op. Surely by definition the game is stronger if no single player is able to dominate?

Is he back? Categorically not.
Love seeing that man sausage fail and flounder. Golf is much much better since his decline and why anyone would want any one person to dominate is beyond me. It's so boring when thst happens, not to mention the intolerable, insufferable, sycophantic coverage.

smithersjones wrote:

oldparwin wrote:Tend to agree jonnyo, but it would do golf a power of good, if we had someone to dominate again, the game today looks poorer, to what it has been in the past.

When Jack dominated, and then Tiger dominated, the game seemed to be a lot stronger than it is today, cannot see any of the other top 50 players dominating the game, which I think is bad for golf, as all sports need a hero, and golf does not have one!.

Not sure I quite follow your logic there, op. Surely by definition the game is stronger if no single player is able to dominate?

I think the point is there isnt what I what term as a great player playing at their peak right now. It's a competitive era, but weak in terms of quality at the very top.

Diggers that's my point the game looks weaker because no one player, is playing at their peak each time they tee it up, add to that the number of weeks they have off, they must loose that competive edge, and could take several weeks of competive play to get it back.

The modern players might be more fitter than players of yester year, but I would call them lazy only wanting to compete for 3/4 weeks then having 5/6 weeks off, that was not done in the past, and I think it's to the determent of game.