Opinion & Analysis

Achilles Last Stand? Woods’ Pursuit of Jack Again in Doubt

Published

12 years ago

Mar 12, 2012

Pete Pappas

By Pete Pappas

GolfWRX Staff Writer

Early this season Tiger Woods said his left leg felt as strong as it’s been in years, and that he’s starting the 2012 campaign healthy for the first time in nearly eight years.

However Sunday at TPC Blue Monster he injured the same left Achilles he hurt at last year’s Masters, forcing him to pull out of the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship. And now his mere presence at Augusta National next month is in jeopardy.

Remember Tiger grimacing on No. 17 at the Masters in 2011 after his second shot? That same agonizing grimace appeared Sunday at No. 10 on Woods’ approach shot which veered ominously left into the lake.

When the final round began at Doral, Tiger was nine-under, playing encouraging if not spectacular golf. And the man who used to be the greatest golfer most of us have ever seen appeared well on his way towards turning another corner in his ongoing battle of patience, process, and progress.

Woods came into the WGC-Cadillac Championship reinvigorated by his final round 62, T-2 finish at The Honda Classic. The golf world was again abuzz about Tiger’s pursuit of Jack Nicklaus’ record 18 majors, and optimistic of Tiger’s chances at The Masters in April.

But something was amiss to start the final round at TPC Blue Monster.

“I felt tightness in my left Achilles warming up this morning, and it continued to get progressively worse,” Woods said in a statement. “After hitting my tee shot at No. 12, I decided it was necessary to withdraw. In the past, I may have tried to continue to play, but this time, I decided to do what I thought was necessary.”

Woods missed two majors in 2011 after suffering a mild medial collateral ligament sprain to his left knee and a mild strain to his left Achilles tendon. The extent of damage from this most recent injury won’t be known until later in the week.

“I will get my Achilles evaluated sometime early next week,” Woods said.

But no matter what the medical tests reveal, Tiger finds himself again embroiled in the middle of controversy, right where he’s been for the better part of 18 months.

When Woods withdrew at No. 12 citing a “left leg injury” another new can of worms popped open in this always evolving Tiger-drama. And fairly or not, Woods’ backbone, durability, and swing mechanics are coming under more forceful attack than ever before.

Fighting for nothing

If Tiger’s injury is a minor one, it’s possible he won’t have to miss the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, his next scheduled event on the PGA Tour. However if it’s a minor injury, people will also undoubtedly question his guts; in fact, many already have.

Back when Woods withdrew from the 2011 Players Championship after shooting six-over through the first nine holes (Tiger was three-over when he withdrew Sunday at Doral), more than a few in the media crucified him, and some tour players were less than supportive or understanding.

It’s said that one time’s a point, two time’s a trend, three time’s a pattern. So Woods has a trend of not finishing? A Tiger-trend of quitting?

Calling him a quitter and particularly comparing him to John Daly’s pinhead antics (as numerous are doing) seems extreme to me. Woods is surely closer to Jack’s majors record than he is to letting himself go, smoking unfiltered Camels, rehydrating with Pabst Blue Ribbon, and swearing by a “Krispy Kreme Extreme Abs Workout”.

On the other hand about a half-dozen lost endorsements ago, I believed Tiger was the clean-cut, All-American Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes type; so I know things aren’t always how they seem with Mr. Woods. Another trend?

Throw in a few gratuitous snide remarks pointing out Tiger allegedly wanted to quit the PGA Tour and become a Navy SEAL (according to Hank Haney in his Tiger tell-all book, “The Big Miss”), and I’m left to ask, are these criticisms of Woods’ backbone fair game?

One school of thought says you never quit; ever.

Quitting is disrespectful to the field, to the game, and (should be) to your own sense of professionalism. And Woods did play through worse, winning the 2008 U.S Open on a broken leg.

Others however point out withdrawing at the Blue Monster should be considered a sign of Tiger’s maturity; and perhaps more important for Woods’ future success, his acceptance of physical limits he didn’t believe existed before, or simply chose to ignore.

Tiger’s going to fight for nothing? Not even a top-10 finish at Doral, where he already owns more WGC titles than the five players ranked immediately below him (in WGC victories) have won combined? And in the process, risk exacerbating his injury to the point where he has to take a year off again; or worse, beyond a point of repair? Absurd!

Whatever you believe, one thing is certain, it’s definitely not easy being Tiger Woods these days. And though his golf game isn’t quite the wreck it used to be, the jury is still out on his Achilles.

You can’t win majors if you can’t play majors

An Achilles injury (minor or major) isn’t exactly MLB’s Ken Griffey Jr. pinching a testicle with his protective cup. Or professional disc golfer (yes they actually get paid) Ron Russel swinging his hand into a tree during a 2000 PDGA event.

Woods had torn ligaments in his left knee when he won at Torrey Pines, and had a stress fracture en route to giving Rocco Mediate his 15 minutes of fame in that remarkable 91-hole 2008 U.S. Open (you know I love you RAM!). And Tiger’s knee troubles and Achilles injuries reappeared at the 2011 Masters, and then again that same year at the Players Championship.

You didn’t need to go to medical school to figure this one out; it’s not just possible Tiger’s body is deteriorating; it’s damn near certain it is.

Just look at Woods’ disturbing freefall since last years Masters. U.S Open? Missed because of injury. British Open? Missed because of injury. PGA Championship? Tiger missed the cut.

You can’t win majors if you can’t play majors. And if Woods is absent from Augusta this year, don’t just throw up another road block in Tiger’s pursuit of Jack; bulldoze a few gigantic boulders in that path.

Missing another major because of injury will cause greater and louder questions about the durability of Tiger’s 36 year-old body than would exist if Woods was there, competing, and lost. The Achilles injury Tiger suffered Sunday as WGC-Cadillac is the same Achilles that he injured last year at Augusta National. This is not the kind of déjà vu Woods was looking for with the 2012 Masters on the horizon.

And on top of all that, who really knows what’s going on with Tiger’s body.

Remember when Oakland Raiders halfback Bo Jackson was injured on what seemed to be a routine tackle in a 1990 playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals? That injury spiraled out of control, deteriorating cartilage and bone around his hip joint. No one could have thought those consequences would result in their wildest dreams.

Tiger has gone hard on that left side for 16 years since turning pro back in 1996. And spectators have sworn they’ve felt the ground rumble beneath them when Tiger tees off. The Achilles tendon is the strongest tendon in the body, and depending upon speed, stride, terrain and additional weight being carried or pushed, may be subject to three-to-twelve a person’s body weight during a push off. It connects the calf muscle to the heel bone and can support more than 1,000 pounds of pressure.

We’ve seen Tiger many times look like he’s come close to maxing that out.

The Rock will layeth the smackdown on your candy-(you know the rest)

Somewhere Sunday afternoon, Mediate might have been heard yelling, “I knew it!”

No matter what kind of injury this current Achilles setback winds up being for Woods, severe or minor; it’s re-opened the debate on the positive and negative effects of Woods’ new swing style. And the question in particular is, does the new Sean Foley swing cause more damage; or does it prevent further damage (as Foley claims is the case).

I’m not going to presume to understand the anatomy of a biomechanically sound golf swing. And I haven’t studied and compared Tiger’s old swing and new swings to critique it from any injury preventive perspective.

Swing mechanics certainly generate substantial tension on the body, this much I do understand. And the question then becomes, is Tiger’s new swing worsening that tension’s damage, or softening its effect?

Mediate has been adamant in making a simple, single, but profound point about Tiger’s new swing: it’s just putting too much pressure and stress on Tiger’s body. (And for what it’s worth, Mediate is not alone in this belief; add Lee Trevino to the non-believers of the Sean Foley way).

“The physical motion is wrong,” Mediate said. “To get that stress off his body is a piece of cake, but the guys working with him just don’t know. Sean knows some stuff, but what’s going on with Tiger is not correct,” he said.

The Foley camp argues Tiger wanted the swing change, is happy with the swing change, and believes the swing change is necessary to avoid further wear and tear on his injured knee and body overall.

But even if that’s the case, who’s to say Foley’s technique is the best one for Tiger? The process has been protracted, the progress dwarfed, and Tiger’s patience tested time and time again. That doesn’t exactly sound reassuring.

Father knows best

In all walks of life, we use the expression Achilles’ heel to refer to a person’s single vulnerable point. And Tiger’s vulnerable point; ironically might wind up being his actual Achilles heel.

I see only one possible way this can turn out well for Tiger. He comes back for the Masters, reveals afterwards he had an injury worse than he (eventually) announced after Doral, and wins in epic Tiger style. His fifth Masters Green Jacket,and 15^th major, just three back from Jack; churn the wheels, grease the engines, Woods is back on pace to catch and surpass Nicklaus and he did it with that venerable Tiger flash!

I’d like to believe that will happen. But I don’t. Instead I’m reminded of something Tiger’s dad once said.

“I’m going to make a prediction,” Earl Woods said. “Before he’s through, my son will win 14 major championships.”

Click here for more discussion in the “Tour Talk” forum.

You can follow Pete on twitter @TheGreekGrind.

Your Reaction?

LIKE0
LEGIT0
WOW0
LOL0
IDHT0
FLOP0
OB0
SHANK0

19th Hole

Vincenzi’s LIV Golf Singapore betting preview: Course specialist ready to thrive once again

Published

3 days ago

Apr 30, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

After another strong showing in Australia, LIV Golf will head to Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore looking to build off of what was undoubtedly their best event to date.

Sentosa Golf Club sits on the southern tip of Singapore and is one of the most beautiful courses in the world. The course is more than just incredible scenically; it was also rated 55th in Golf Digest’s top-100 courses in 2022-2023 and has been consistently regarded as one of the best courses in Asia. Prior to being part of the LIV rotation, the course hosted the Singapore Open every year since 2005.

Sentosa Golf Club is a par 71 measuring 7,406 yards. The course will require precise ball striking and some length off the tee. It’s possible to go low due to the pristine conditions, but there are also plenty of hazards and difficult spots on the course that can bring double bogey into play in a hurry. The Bermudagrass greens are perfectly manicured, and the course has spent millions on the sub-air system to keep the greens rolling fast. I spoke to Asian Tour player, Travis Smyth, who described the greens as “the best [he’s] ever played.”

Davis Love III, who competed in a Singapore Open in 2019, also gushed over the condition of the golf course.

“I love the greens. They are fabulous,” the 21-time PGA Tour winner said.

Love III also spoke about other aspects of the golf course.

“The greens are great; the fairways are perfect. It is a wonderful course, and it’s tricky off the tee.”

“It’s a long golf course, and you get some long iron shots. It takes somebody hitting it great to hit every green even though they are big.”

As Love III said, the course can be difficult off the tee due to the length of the course and the trouble looming around every corner. It will take a terrific ball striking week to win at Sentosa Golf Club.

In his pre-tournament press conference last season, Phil Mickelson echoed many of the same sentiments.

“To play Sentosa effectively, you’re going to have a lot of shots from 160 to 210, a lot of full 6-, 7-, 8-iron shots, and you need to hit those really well and you need to drive the ball well.”

Golfers who excel from tee to green and can dial in their longer irons will have a massive advantage this week.

Stat Leaders at LIV Golf Adelaide:

Fairways Hit

1.) Louis Oosthuizen

2.) Anirban Lahiri

3.) Jon Rahm

4.) Brendan Steele

5.) Cameron Tringale

Greens in Regulation

1.) Brooks Koepka

2.) Brendan Steele

3.) Dean Burmester

4.) Cameron Tringale

5.) Anirban Lahiri

Birdies Made

1.) Brendan Steele

2.) Dean Burmester

3.) Thomas Pieters

4.) Patrick Reed

5.) Carlos Ortiz

LIV Golf Individual Standings:

1.) Joaquin Niemann

2.) Jon Rahm

3.) Dean Burmester

4.) Louis Oosthuizen

5.) Abraham Ancer

LIV Golf Team Standings:

1.) Crushers

2.) Legion XIII

3.) Torque

4.) Stinger GC

5.) Ripper GC

LIV Golf Singapore Picks

Sergio Garcia +3000 (DraftKings)

Sergio Garcia is no stranger to Sentosa Golf Club. The Spaniard won the Singapore Open in 2018 by five strokes and lost in a playoff at LIV Singapore last year to scorching hot Talor Gooch. Looking at the course setup, it’s no surprise that a player like Sergio has played incredible golf here. He’s long off the tee and is one of the better long iron players in the world when he’s in form. Garcia is also statistically a much better putter on Bermudagrass than he is on other putting surfaces. He’s putt extremely well on Sentosa’s incredibly pure green complexes.

This season, Garcia has two runner-up finishes, both of them being playoff losses. Both El Camaleon and Doral are courses he’s had success at in his career. The Spaniard is a player who plays well at his tracks, and Sentosa is one of them. I believe Sergio will get himself in the mix this week. Hopefully the third time is a charm in Singapore.

Paul Casey +3300 (FanDuel)

Paul Casey is in the midst of one of his best seasons in the five years or so. The results recently have been up and down, but he’s shown that when he’s on a golf course that suits his game, he’s amongst the contenders.

This season, Casey has finishes of T5 (LIV Las Vegas), T2 (LIV Hong Kong), and a 6th at the Singapore Classic on the DP World Tour. At his best, the Englishman is one of the best long iron players in the world, which makes him a strong fit for Sentosa. Despite being in poor form last season, he was able to fire a Sunday 63, which shows he can low here at the course.

It’s been three years since Casey has won a tournament (Omega Dubai Desert Classic in 2021), but he’s been one of the top players on LIV this season and I think he can get it done at some point this season.

Mito Pereira +5000 (Bet365)

Since Mito Pereira’s unfortunate demise at the 2022 PGA Championship, he’s been extremely inconsistent. However, over the past few months, the Chilean has played well on the International Series as well as his most recent LIV start. Mito finished 8th at LIV Adelaide, which was his best LIV finish this season.

Last year, Pereira finished 5th at LIV Singapore, shooting fantastic rounds of 67-66-66. It makes sense why Mito would like Sentosa, as preeminent ball strikers tend to rise to the challenge of the golf course. He’s a great long iron player who is long and straight off the tee.

Mito has some experience playing in Asia and is one of the most talented players on LIV who’s yet to get in the winner’s circle. I have questions about whether or not he can come through once in contention, but if he gets there, I’m happy to roll the dice.

Andy Ogletree +15000 (DraftKings)

Andy Ogletree is a player I expected to have a strong 2024 but struggled early in his first full season on LIV. After failing to crack the top-25 in any LIV event this year, the former U.S. Amateur champion finally figured things out, finished in a tie for 3rd at LIV Adelaide.

Ogletree should be incredible comfortable playing in Singapore. He won the International Series Qatar last year and finished T3 at the International Series Singapore. The 26-year-old was arguably the best player on the Asian Tour in 2023 and has been fantastic in the continent over the past 18 months.

If Ogletree has indeed found form, he looks to be an amazing value at triple-digit odds.

Your Reaction?

LIKE3
LEGIT3
WOW1
LOL2
IDHT0
FLOP2
OB0
SHANK0

Opinion & Analysis

Ryan: Lessons from the worst golf instructor in America

Published

3 days ago

Apr 30, 2024

Brendan Ryan

In Tampa, there is a golf course that boasts carts that do not work, a water range, and a group of players none of which have any chance to break 80. The course is overseen by a staff of crusty men who have succeeded at nothing in life but ending up at the worst-run course in America. However, this place is no failure. With several other local courses going out of business — and boasting outstanding greens — the place is booked full.

While I came for the great greens, I stayed to watch our resident instructor; a poor-tempered, method teacher who caters to the hopeless. At first, it was simply hilarious. However, after months of listening and watching, something clicked. I realized I had a front-row seat to the worst golf instructor in America.

Here are some of my key takeaways.

Method Teacher

It is widely accepted that there are three types of golf instructors: system teachers, non-system teachers, and method teachers. Method teachers prescribe the same antidote for each student based on a preamble which teachers can learn in a couple day certification.

Method teaching allows anyone to be certified. This process caters to the lowest caliber instructor, creating the illusion of competency. This empowers these underqualified instructors with the moniker of “certified” to prey on the innocent and uninformed.

The Cult of Stack and Jilt

The Stack and Tilt website proudly boasts, “A golfer swings his hands inward in the backswing as opposed to straight back to 1) create power, similar to a field goal kicker moving his leg in an arc and 2) to promote a swing that is in-to-out, which produces a draw (and eliminates a slice).”

Now, let me tell you something, there is this law of the universe which says “energy can either be created or destroyed,” so either these guys are defying physics or they have no idea what they are taking about. Further, the idea that the first move of the backswing determines impact is conjecture with a splash of utter fantasy.

These are the pontifications of a method — a set of prescriptions applied to everyone with the hope of some success through the placebo effect. It is one thing for a naive student to believe, for a golf instructor to drink and then dispel this Kool-Aid is malpractice.

Fooled by Randomness

In flipping a coin, or even a March Madness bet, there is a 50-50 chance of success. In golf, especially for new players, results are asymmetric. Simply put: Anything can happen. The problem is that when bad instructors work with high handicappers, each and every shot gets its own diagnosis and prescription. Soon the student is overwhelmed.

Now here’s the sinister thing: The overwhelming information is by design. In this case, the coach is not trying to make you better, they are trying to make you reliant on them for information. A quasi Stockholm syndrome of codependency.

Practice

One of the most important scientists of the 20th century was Ivan Pavlov. As you might recall, he found that animals, including humans, could be conditioned into biological responses. In golf, the idea of practice has made millions of hackers salivate that they are one lesson or practice session from “the secret.”

Sunk Cost

The idea for the worst golf instructor is to create control and dependency so that clients ignore the sunk cost of not getting better. Instead, they are held hostage by the idea that they are one lesson or tip away from unlocking their potential.

Cliches

Cliches have the effect of terminating thoughts. However, they are the weapon of choice for this instructor. Add some hyperbole and students actually get no information. As a result, these players couldn’t play golf. When they did, they had no real scheme. With no idea what they are doing, they would descend into a spiral of no idea what to do, bad results, lower confidence, and running back to the lesson tee from more cliches.

The fact is that poor instruction is about conditioning players to become reliant members of your cult. To take away autonomy. To use practice as a form of control. To sell more golf lessons not by making people better but through the guise that without the teacher, the student can never reach their full potential. All under the umbrella of being “certified” (in a 2-day course!) and a melee of cliches.

This of course is not just happening at my muni but is a systemic problem around the country and around the world, the consequences of which are giving people a great reason to stop playing golf. But hey, at least it’s selling a lot of golf balls…

Your Reaction?

LIKE17
LEGIT2
WOW0
LOL4
IDHT1
FLOP0
OB0
SHANK19

19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans betting preview

Published

2 weeks ago

Apr 22, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

The PGA TOUR heads to New Orleans to play the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. In a welcome change from the usual stroke play, the Zurich Classic is a team event. On Thursday and Saturday, the teams play best ball, and on Friday and Sunday the teams play alternate shot.

TPC Louisiana is a par 72 that measures 7,425 yards. The course features some short par 4s and plenty of water and bunkers, which makes for a lot of exciting risk/reward scenarios for competitors. Pete Dye designed the course in 2004 specifically for the Zurich Classic, although the event didn’t make its debut until 2007 because of Hurricane Katrina.

Coming off of the Masters and a signature event in consecutive weeks, the field this week is a step down, and understandably so. Many of the world’s top players will be using this time to rest after a busy stretch.

However, there are some interesting teams this season with some stars making surprise appearances in the team event. Some notable teams include Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala as well as a few Canadian teams, Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin and Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners.

Past Winners at TPC Louisiana

2023: Riley/Hardy (-30)
2022: Cantlay/Schauffele (-29)
2021: Leishman/Smith (-20)
2019: Palmer/Rahm (-26)
2018: Horschel/Piercy (-22)
2017: Blixt/Smith (-27)

2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Picks

Tom Hoge/Maverick McNealy +2500 (DraftKings)

Tom Hoge is coming off of a solid T18 finish at the RBC Heritage and finished T13 at last year’s Zurich Classic alongside Harris English.

This season, Hoge is having one of his best years on Tour in terms of Strokes Gained: Approach. In his last 24 rounds, the only player to top him on the category is Scottie Scheffler. Hoge has been solid on Pete Dye designs, ranking 28th in the field over his past 36 rounds.

McNealy is also having a solid season. He’s finished T6 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and T9 at the PLAYERS Championship. He recently started working with world renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, and its seemingly paid dividends in 2024.

Keith Mitchell/Joel Dahmen +4000 (DraftKings)

Keith Mitchell is having a fantastic season, finishing in the top-20 of five of his past seven starts on Tour. Most recently, Mitchell finished T14 at the Valero Texas Open and gained a whopping 6.0 strokes off the tee. He finished 6th at last year’s Zurich Classic.

Joel Dahmen is having a resurgent year and has been dialed in with his irons. He also has a T11 finish at the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass which is another Pete Dye track. With Mitchell’s length and Dahmen’s ability to put it close with his short irons, the Mitchell/Dahmen combination will be dangerous this week.

Taylor Moore/Matt NeSmith +6500 (DraftKings)

Taylor Moore has quickly developed into one of the more consistent players on Tour. He’s finished in the top-20 in three of his past four starts, including a very impressive showing at The Masters, finishing T20. He’s also finished T4 at this event in consecutive seasons alongside Matt NeSmith.

NeSmith isn’t having a great 2024, but has seemed to elevate his game in this format. He finished T26 at Pete Dye’s TPC Sawgrass, which gives the 30-year-old something to build off of. NeSmith is also a great putter on Bermudagrass, which could help elevate Moore’s ball striking prowess.

Your Reaction?