He said he's had more time to practice short game and has more shots... it's gotten better!

God have mercy on his competitors...

If he is serious then things could get ugly. I don't know how far to have him advance in my brackets. It is really hard to bet against the guy.

He is hungry and he will dominate, imagine Tiger bored and working on his shortgame

it cant be good for others

The thing is - he thrives on people betting against him. He knows that no one is expecting him to go and win this thing which is gonna be a huge motivator. If he gets to the weekend the 36 hole days may be rough - or his knee is totally fine and the walk wont bother him.

On second thought.... I'm taking Tiger to win everything he enters. Golf, H.O.R.S.E, Poker, Home Run Derby, the US Presidency

Exactly what did he say? Details please didn’t get a chance to hear it @ work.

JuNiOR

He said he's been working on his short game and found shots around the green he didn't even remember he had. Yikes?!?

That's good to hear, it was really the only thing holding him back

They asked him (and I'm paraphrasing) if he worked on any aspects of his game during the layoff. Basically, he said he worked on his short game more and found shots he had forgotten he had, and re-learned how to hit them. That's a scary proposition for his competition.

I'm sure the whole interview will be published somewhere today... tigerwoods.com maybe?

A reporter asked him how his game was coming along (from what I remember anyway). To quote Tiger: "My short game has gotten better. I have more shots now because I've had more time to practice my short game. (Jokingly he then said) I've become very good at the 100 yard 5 iron... I've dialed it it."

For a guy that already had a great short game to say it got better........oy!

Too early for Grand Slam talk?

-mini

WHAT THE HELL.... BETTER? PGA TOUR=PAST. TIGER TOUR=PRESENT.

Umm, numerous different shots with a 5 irons to 100 yards. \

That type of practice would be perfect for a British open course

he is ridiculous.....im literally shaking with excitement for tomorrow.

He already gets up and down from pretty much anywhere, so I don't think it'll translate into much lower scores. He just won't have to hit as many crazy putts. It may in fact make it more boring to watch.

Has he just taken this game to another level...... AGAIN?

After nigh on 8 months off UK Bookies are offering a colossal 13/2 on Tiger to win first week back. That is a decent wager as he was no more than 3/1 for anything last year.
On a course as truly manufactured as this week's venue he won't need any new shots.

If the knee injury makes him back off on the driver he'll probably find more fairways...he won't need a short game....

With Tiger, it's NEVER too early.

Not a big Deal - Seve had a number of short game shots with a 3 iron. . . . Actually I can't wait to see what he pulls out of his nike cap!

I'll take that bet in h-o-r-s-e any day though...

The harsh reality for the rest of the guys on tour is that age-wise, Tiger is just now entering his prime. I've always understood that golfers peak in their mid-30's.

Tiger's short game is already among the best in the world. It's his putting and his ability to make shots in extreme pressure situations that sets him apart from the rest of the field.

I saw a poll once: If you had a 6-foot putt that your life depended on, who would you want to take it? No brainer. Since we're talking short game here....You have a chip shot that your life depends on...It MUST be holed!!! 35-feet, down hill left to right, back up hill right to left, and back down hill both ways! Only Tiger can make that shot!!! Unless Phil can swish it with a Philly-flopper....

I'm sitting here trying to imagine Tiger's short game actually being improved....It's disgusting. I need to practice. It's 30* and there's still snow on the ground. I'm going to the back porch to chip off a rug into a garbage can...talk about a tight lie.....

Maybe he got an advanced copy of this:

http://news.prnewswire.com/ViewContent.asp...6844&EDATE=

Me too. He already had the BEST short game. Like I said in a differnet, yet similar thread...the vacation of over boys, numero uno is back on the block!

BUt, would you take Tiger over say, the 1985 Chicago Bears to include DITKA?

Not to be a naysayer, but Tiger's short game was so good to the point that how much better could it actually get? Do you remember the masters last year on the 18th hole in the 2nd round(3rd?), when he got up and down after chipping out to an opposite fairway? I was watching that with friends and bet all of them that he'd make par when he was in the trees. There were no takers...no takers! It was a ridiculous spot to be in and he made par....

You cant improve on that!

Do you guys really think knee would be the key here?
I'm thinking football or basketball when with same surgery they come back in 1~2 months....

Huh?

An ACL reconstruction for anyone is 8-10 month rehab after surgery. For most football players, it is a whole year.

oh, reconstruction.. I thought it was something else.
my bad.

Wow. I agree with the above post though. Really, how much better can his short game get. The last we saw him play (US open), he was chipping in, draining looooong putts. They should run up the white flag if he says he can now hit the fairway with the big dog. That seems to be the only club that has the balls to look him in the eye.

You can ALWAYS get better. I'd say Tiger's putting is great, but his around the green game was so-so. Phil was clearly better. We're sitting here doubting him saying his short game is better. Why? If he says it's better, than it is. That's all he could do for months. Wedge game and putt. It should be a show.

It could get ugly fast if his short game improved. This course is a beast this week so the driver better be working. I think it will be a while before he gets back to tournament shape. Even with his talent, not playing in high level tournaments for that long will take its toll.

He is Tiger, so he'll probably win this week haha.

i'm as big a Phil fan as anyone on this board and even i think that's crazy. Phil has every golf shot known to man but just never seems to know when to play the right one, often trying the highest risk shot and going for broke rather than making the simple no frills shot. Tiger always gets up and down and always makes the smart play. I don't think i've ever seen Tiger hit a short game shot where you said to yourself "what was he thinking".

if both guys were 10 yards off the green in a pressure situation, you'd take Phil? Duuuude cmon, and i love Phil

Hahaha, Phil was clearly better? You gotta be kidding man. He isn't even equal much less clearly better. Tiger is the best ever around and on the green!

Actually no, I'm not kidding. On the green Tiger is clearly better. Around the green, Phil can make the ball dance. He's pulled off some of the sickest shots I've ever seen. Part of it is that Phil has no business taking most of those shots because they are hero shots, but more often than not, he'll pull them off.

tiger doesnt need to try and hit those "hero shots" most of the time because hes a smart golfer.....you cant say phil is better just cause he hits all those crazy flop shots even when he doesnt need to.

Then how about "more creative"? He may need to take a shot, but he knows how to execute the shot. It's just a matter of pulling it off. And actually I can say he's better because I can look at his entire career and his short game is consistently better around the green. Sometimes you need those flop shots to get yourself out of trouble. Even last year, when he drove it into deep rough under a tree. Is it a shot he should have taken? Maybe not. But that was the difference between winning and losing. A shot under a tree, over a tree then on the green with a birdie putt to win. That is equal skill and luck.

should be really fun to watch tomorrow!

Disclaimer: I'm not one to worship at the Tiger altar.

What is the guy (who lives to intimidate) supposed to say when golf needs ratings... "Yeah, I feel pretty, well, not-so-sharp right now after several months out of competition." I don't think that would cut it. He knows how to feed/control the media and is doing a great job.

Time will tell. I predict an exit in the first 3 rounds... We'll see...

307golf

P.S. NO, I'm not willing to put any $ on it. Just a simple guess/prediction.

Edit: typo

Also, I'm really excited to have Tiger back. It should be fun to watch.

You guys remember the flop shot phil hit from the fairway short of the green at 14 at Augusta back in 2000 or 2001? I think it was the 3rd round. He was short in 2, maybe it was the fringe...pin WAY back left....hits a flop shot....comes up WAY the F short.

As he said "I am such an idiot".

-mini

Me and you both! I'm even ready to start my golf season up here in the North!

This is starting to sound like the Dave Pelz answer to why Tiger won the US Open and Phil didn't.....http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=180684&hl=pelz+phil+tiger

Tiger's short game isn't better...he's just lucky

"Champions create their own luck. Losers whine about their bad luck."

An old, former PGA member that used to golf with me once in a while when I was 12. He told me this. It's very true.

-mini

*cough* Sergio *cough*

Ya know what's funny? He came to mind as I was typing that up. I guess that old guy was right...wish I could remember his name. He lives in Greece now.

-mini

If we're taking one example, in the final round of the Buick wotsit at Torrey Pines last year, Tiger was a couple of shots ahead playing the 10th and hit his third shot clean over the back of the green. Had a big bank in front of him, with a bare and soggy lie and the green sloping away with the pin only about 12' on the green from where he was. Feherty was doing his usual he'll do well to get this inside 15' from here. Tiger then hit a shot Phil wishes he could play, to about 2.5'. That and Tiger hit a shot in the Masters a couple of years ago on 18 from about 10 yards away, pitched it past the flag and spun it back to the hole. Personally I think Tiger can hit every shot that Phil can hit and a few that Phil can't. If Tiger's short game has got better during his layoff, watch out world.

I also liked his description of the round. He hit every fairway heavenly possible with driver and such. He shot a 30. A freaking 30 people. On just nine holes. He also on the last hole had a sunday type crowd gathered around the last hole. He hit into the green and stuck it to inches. Tell me he doesn't have one of the best shots to win. Everyone else is doomed. Let the Tiger Regime begin baby

GET IN THE HOLE!! CAN'T WAIT LOL.

T-minus 2 hours?

...crap. I'll be at the gym.

-mini

Ya...




As for the while Phil / Tiger debate... They both have INCREDIBLE short games, that and its really hard to say who's is better they have completely different styles. Tiger makes the no nonsenses shot most of the time unless he really has to go for it, Phil likes to go for broke on just about every occasion.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA LOL

I am sure Tiger bought 10 copies of that?????????????????????