Opinion & Analysis
Jordan Spieth: Great, but young Tiger he is not
Standing on the eighth tee at Augusta National on Sunday, Jordan Spieth was the Masters leader by two strokes. It was looking very much like the 20-year-old could supplant Tiger Woods as the youngest winner of the tournament Bobby Jones started in 1934.
Of course, by the time Spieth made it to the 10th tee, he trailed leader Bubba Watson by two, thanks to a pair of bogeys, and eventually finished tied for second. And while he didn’t mount a back-nine charge, Spieth didn’t fold either, stringing together eight pars and just one bogey over the final nine holes.
In basketball, fans and talking heads have been engaged in the project of finding “the next Jordan” since late in His Airness’ career. In the world of golf, panic is emerging about the PGA Tour P.T.W., or Post Tiger Woods, and the quest for his successor is on in full.
It seems logical, given Jordan Spieth’s near-miss at the Masters, to ask if the young Texan might be the heir apparent to Mr. Woods. Of course, Rory McIlroy, just 24 and twice a major champion, will surely take issue with his exclusion from this discussion.
Let’s tap the brakes a bit.
Just as there hasn’t been a next Jordan, there’s even less likely to be a next Tiger Woods. Do you remember the climate 20 years ago? When Tiger came to the Masters as an amateur in 1996 and said he expected to win, we believed him!
Indeed, Woods set the golfing world on fire as a junior and arrived into a climate of expectation and enthusiasm that’s unlikely to ever be seen again. The steady march, which began when young Tiger hopped from his high chair and imitated his father’s swing, with its resultant fervor and expectation that (as Arnold Palmer himself said) the young golfer from Cypress, Calif., would one day have more majors than Nicklaus and Palmer combined, is not going to be repeated.
We aren’t likely to have another father like Earl Woods, who anointed his son as a messianic figure not only in golf but in the world at large. Nor are we likely to have a captive audience that, again, believes this is somehow possible. We are never again going to see such foolishness as the famous Sports Illustrated “The Chosen One” article nor the early Tiger Woods Nike commercials.
However, as we prepare for the P.T.W. era, acknowledging that Woods’ slow decline began in late 2009 and could continue for the next 10 years (depending on what his battered body allows him to do), Jordan Spieth has shone as brightly as any golfer, save for Rory McIlroy at the 2011 Masters (for three rounds at least) and the 2011 U.S. Open.
The essential point of distinction between Spieth and McIlroy is that the latter fired a final-round 80 after entering Sunday with the lead at Augusta. Spieth, for his part, carded an even-par 72 but was beaten by Bubba Watson. Despite untidiness early, Spieth didn’t shoot himself in the foot Sunday. In 2011, McIlroy committed a gruesome act of seppuku.
Does this mean Spieth is ready to hop in Tiger Woods’ throne? Not exactly. However, he (along with McIlroy) seems due to succeed El Tigre as the face of the PGA Tour. Neither golfer can have the transcendent faculty or crossover appeal of Woods, but that isn’t their fault.
Sticking to what can be quantified, let’s look at a few points of comparison between the two prior to their first seasons on Tour and between their maiden campaigns.
Comparing amateur records
Tiger Woods’ amateur record will likely never be equaled. Although Jordan Spieth was a very good amateur and became the only golfer since Woods to win the U.S. Junior Amateur twice and sat atop the Rolex rankings as the best amateur in the world, these achievements are a far cry from what Tiger was able to do as an amateur.
Woods won three consecutive U.S. Junior Amateurs and three consecutive U.S. Amateurs.
Think about that for a second.
There’s absolutely no comparison between what Spieth did as an amateur and what Tiger did. The chasm between Woods and the next-best amateur golfer in recent memory is even larger than the one between him and any current PGA Tour player.
Comparing first seasons
Last year, in his first season on Tour, Jordan Spieth competed in 23 events. He made 18 cuts, won once and finished second three times. He notched nine top-10 finishes as well. In 1997, Tiger’s first full season on Tour, he competed in 21 events. Woods made 20 cuts, winning the Masters and three other tournaments. Like Spieth, he finished inside the top 10 nine times.
Another important detail regarding their respective first PGA Tour campaigns: At the beginning of the 1997 season, Woods was 21. Spieth, for his part, was 19. While this doesn’t level the playing field, it is a significant credit to what Jordan Spieth has been able to accomplish on Tour before he can legally sit at the bar in the grill room of the venues at which he plays and order a beer.
Tiger Woods’ Masters win and the manner in which he won are significant points of differentiation between the golfers, as are the multiple victories. However, the fact that Woods was two years older than Jordan Spieth during his first full season as a PGA Tour member is the item that tips the scales in Spieth’s favor more than any other.
Also, Spieth finished second in his first Masters appearance. Woods, who competed as an amateur for the first time at Augusta in 1995, tied for 41st. This is hugely significant.
Comparing key stats
Let’s see what the numbers indicate — namely, Spieth’s and Woods’ stats from their respective freshman campaigns.
Obviously, significantly fewer stats were kept in the pre-ShotLink era. Still, the first point of comparison is that Tiger was nearly five yards longer off the tee in his rookie season — 294.8 yards vs. Spieth’s 289.4 — while using a steel-shafted Titleist driver with a head that seems like it’s a quarter of the size of drivers in play today.
Spieth was also less accurate off the tee last year than Woods was in 1997. However, as is the trend, Woods was 80th on Tour in 1997, hitting 68.6 percent of fairways. Spieth placed 18th last year, even though he only found the short grass 67.8 percent of the time.
There’s a healthy gap between Woods of ’97 and Spieth of ’13 in the greens-in-regulation department as well. Tiger hit 70.3 percent of all greens in regulation, whereas Spieth hit 66.9.
Looking at the two golfers’ scoring averages: Woods’ average for 1997 was 69.1, while Spieth’s last season was 69.6. That’s a sizable difference over the four rounds of a golf tournament.
Still, the golfing world is right to be excited about Jordan Spieth. Beyond the stats above or the fact that he won a PGA Tour event at 19 years of age, the resolve he showed down the stretch at Augusta in his first appearance (even while being visibly frustrated), the way he said all the right things in interviews, and his humility and work ethic should pay serious dividends in the near future.
This quote from the young golfer after his final round stood out: “I’m hungry. That was fun, but at the same time it hurts right now. I didn’t come out on top, but I can take a lot of positives away.”
Spieth wants to win. He enjoys the spotlight. He hates to lose. He keeps perspective and stays positive. The quote sounds like something another young Tour star might have said nearly 20 years ago.
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In my last post, I explained the basic performance dynamics of “smash factor” and “gear effect” as they apply to your wedges and your wedge play success. If you missed that post, you can read it here.
At the end of that post, I promised “part 2” of this discussion of what makes a wedge work the way it does. So, let’s dive into the other two components of any wedge – the shaft and the grip.
It’s long been said that the shaft is “the engine of the golf club.” The shaft (and grip) are your only connection to all the technologies that are packed into the head of any golf club, whether it be a driver, fairway, hybrid, iron, wedge or even putter.
And you cannot ignore those two components of your wedges if your goal is optimizing your performance.
I’ve long been an advocate of what I call a “seamless transition” from your irons into your wedges, so that the feel and performance do not disconnect when you choose a gap wedge, for example, instead of your iron-set-matching “P-club.” In today’s golf equipment marketplace, more and more golfers are making the investment of time and money to experience an iron fitting, going through trial and error and launch monitor measuring to get just the right shaft in their irons.
But then so many of those same golfers just go into a store and choose wedges off the retail display, with no similar science involved at all. And that’s why I see so many golfers with a huge disconnect between their custom-fitted irons, often with lighter and/or softer graphite or light steel shafts . . . and their off-the-rack wedges with the stock stiff steel ‘wedge flex’ shaft common to those stock offerings.
If your wedge shafts are significantly heavier and stiffer than the shafts in your irons, it is physically impossible for you to make the same swing. Period.
To quickly improve your wedge play, one of the first things you can do is have your wedges re-shafted with the same or similar shaft that is in your irons.
There’s another side of that shaft weight equation; if you don’t have the forearm and hand strength of a PGA Tour professional, you simply cannot “handle” the same weight shaft that those guys play to master the myriad of ‘touch shots’ around the greens.
Now, let’s move on to the third and other key component of your wedges – the grips. If those are not similar in shape and feel to the grips on your irons, you have another disconnect. Have your grips checked by a qualified golf club professionals to make sure you are in sync there.
The one caveat to that advice is that I am a proponent of a reduced taper in your wedge grips – putting two to four more layers of tape under the lower hand, or selecting one of the many reduced taper grips on the market. That accomplishes two goals for your scoring.
First, it helps reduce overactive hands in your full and near-full wedge swings. Quiet hands are key to good wedge shots.
And secondly, it provides a more consistent feel of the wedge in your hands as you grip down for those shorter and more delicate shots around the greens. And you should always grip down as you get into those touch shots. I call it “getting closer to your work.”
So, if you will spend as much time selecting the shafts and grips for your wedges as you do choosing the brand, model, and loft of them, your scoring range performance will get better.
More from the Wedge Guy
- The Wedge Guy: What really makes a wedge work? Part 1
- The Wedge Guy: The easiest-to-learn golf basic
- The Wedge Guy: Golf mastery begins with your wedge game
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19th Hole
Vincenzi’s 2024 Wells Fargo Championship betting preview: Tommy Fleetwood ready to finally land maiden PGA Tour title
The PGA Tour season ramps back up this week for another “signature event,” as golf fans look forward to the year’s second major championship next week.
After two weaker-field events in the Zurich Classic and the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, most of the best players in the world will head to historic Quail Hollow for one of the best non-major tournaments of the year.
Last season, Wyndham Clark won the event by four shots.
Quail Hollow is a par-71 measuring 7,521 yards that features Bermudagrass greens. The tree-lined, parkland style course can play quite difficult and features one of the most difficult three-hole stretches in golf known as “The Green Mile,” which makes up holes 16-18: two mammoth par 4s and a 221-yard par 3. All three holes have an average score over par, and water is in play in each of the last five holes on the course.
The field is excellent this week with 68 golfers teeing it up without a cut. All of the golfers who’ve qualified are set to tee it up, with the exception of Scottie Scheffler, who is expecting the birth of his first child.
Past Winners at Quail Hollow
- 2023: Wyndham Clark (-19)
- 2022: Max Homa (-8)
- 2021: Rory McIlroy (-10)
- 2019: Max Homa (-15)
- 2018: Jason Day (-12)
- 2017: Justin Thomas (-8) (PGA Championship)
- 2016: James Hahn (-9)
- 2015: Rory McIlroy (-21)
Key Stats For Quail Hollow
Strokes Gained: Approach
Strokes gained: Approach will be extremely important this week as second shots at Quail Hollow can be very difficult.
Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds
- Akshay Bhatia (+1.16)
- Tom Hoge (+1.12)
- Corey Conners (+1.01)
- Shane Lowry (+0.93)
- Austin Eckroat (+0.82)
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee
Quail Hollow is a long course on which it is important to play from the fairway. Both distance and accuracy are important, as shorter tee shots will result in approach shots from 200 or more yards. With most of the holes heavily tree lined, errant drives will create some real trouble for the players.
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee Past 24 Rounds:
- Ludvig Aberg (+0.73)
- Rory McIlroy (+0.69)
- Xander Schauffele (+0.62)
- Viktor Hovland (+0.58)
- Chris Kirk (+0.52)
Proximity: 175-200
The 175-200 range is key at Quail Hollow. Players who can hit their long irons well will rise to the top of the leaderboard.
Proximity: 175-200+ over past 24 rounds:
- Cameron Young (28’2″)
- Akshay Bhatia (29’6″)
- Ludvig Aberg (+30’6″)
- Sam Burns (+30’6″)
- Collin Morikawa (+30’9″)
SG: Total on Tom Fazio Designs
Players who thrive on Tom Fazio designs get a bump for me at Quail Hollow this week.
SG: Total on Tom Fazio Designs over past 36 rounds:
- Patrick Cantlay (+2.10)
- Rory McIlroy (+1.95)
- Tommy Fleetwood (+1.68)
- Austin Eckroat (+1.60)
- Will Zalatoris (+1.57)
Strokes Gained: Putting (Bermudagrass)
Strokes Gained: Putting has historically graded out as the most important statistic at Quail Hollow. While it isn’t always predictable, I do want to have it in the model to bump up golfers who prefer to putt on Bermudagrass.
Strokes Gained: Putting (Bermudagrass) Over Past 24 Rounds:
- Taylor Moore (+0.82)
- Nick Dunlap (+.76)
- Wyndham Clark (+.69)
- Emiliano Grillo (+.64)
- Cam Davis (+.61)
Course History
This stat will incorporate players that have played well in the past at Quail Hollow.
Course History over past 36 rounds (per round):
- Rory McIlroy (+2.50)
- Justin Thomas (+1.96)
- Jason Day (+1.92)
- Rickie Fowler (+1.83)
- Viktor Hovland (+1.78)
Wells Fargo Championship Model Rankings
Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (27%), SG: Off the Tee (23%), SG: Total on Fazio designs (12%), Proximity: 175-200 (12%), SG: Putting Bermuda grass (12%), and Course History (14%).
- Wyndham Clark
- Rory McIlroy
- Xander Schauffele
- Shane Lowry
- Hideki Matsuyama
- Viktor Hovland
- Cameron Young
- Austin Eckroat
- Byeong Hun An
- Justin Thomas
2024 Wells Fargo Championship Picks
Tommy Fleetwood +2500 (DraftKings)
I know many out there have Tommy fatigue when it comes to betting, which is completely understandable given his lack of ability to win on the PGA Tour thus far in his career. However, history has shown us that players with Fleetwood’s talent eventually break though, and I believe for Tommy, it’s just a matter of time.
Fleetwood has been excellent on Tom Fazio designs. Over his past 36 rounds, he ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Total on Fazio tracks. He’s also been incredibly reliable off the tee this season. He’s gained strokes in the category in eight of his past nine starts, including at The Masters, the PLAYERS and the three “signature events” of the season. Tommy is a golfer built for tougher courses and can grind it out in difficult conditions.
Last year, Fleetwood was the first-round leader at this event, firing a Thursday 65. He finished the event in a tie for 5th place.
For those worried about Fleetwood’s disappointing start his last time out at Harbour Town, he’s bounced back nicely after plenty of poor outings this season. His T7 at the Valero Texas Open was after a MC and T35 in his prior two starts and his win at the Dubai Invitational came after a T47 at the Sentry.
I expect Tommy to bounce back this week and contend at Quail Hollow.
Justin Thomas +3000 (DraftKings)
It’s been a rough couple of years for Justin Thomas, but I don’t believe things are quite as bad as they seem for JT. He got caught in the bad side of the draw at Augusta for last month’s Masters and has gained strokes on approach in seven of his nine starts in 2024.
Thomas may have found something in his most recent start at the RBC Heritage. He finished T5 at a course that he isn’t the best fit for on paper. He also finally got the putter working and ranked 15th in Strokes Gained: Putting for the week.
The two-time PGA champion captured the first of his two major championships at Quail Hollow back in 2017, and some good vibes from the course may be enough to get JT out of his slump.
Thomas hasn’t won an event in just about two years. However, I still believe that will change soon as he’s been one of the most prolific winners throughout his PGA Tour career. Since 2015, he has 15 PGA Tour wins.
Course history is pretty sticky at Quail Hollow, with players who like the course playing well there on a regular basis. In addition to JT’s PGA Championship win in 2017, he went 4-1 at the 2022 Presidents Cup and finished T14 at the event last year despite being in poor form. Thomas can return as one of the top players on the PGA Tour with a win at a “signature event” this week.
Cameron Young +3500 (DraftKings)
For many golf bettors, it’s been frustrating backing Cam Young this season. His talent is undeniable, and one of the best and most consistent performers on the PGA Tour. He just hasn’t broken through with a victory yet. Quail Hollow has been a great place for elite players to get their first victory. Rory McIlroy, Anthony Kim, Rickie Fowler and Wyndham Clark all notched their first PGA Tour win at Quail.
Throughout Cam Young’s career, he has thrived at tougher courses with strong fields. This season, he finished T16 at Riviera and T9 at Augusta National, demonstrating his preference of a tough test. His ability to hit the ball long and straight off the tee make him an ideal fit for Quail Hollow, despite playing pretty poorly his first time out in 2023 (T59). Young should be comfortable playing in the region as he played his college golf at Wake Forest, which is about an hour’s drive from Quail Hollow.
The 26-year-old has played well at Tom Fazio designs in the past and ranks 8th in the field in Strokes Gained: Total on those courses in his last 36 rounds. Perhaps most importantly, this season, Young is the best player on the PGA Tour in terms of proximity from 175-200 in the fairway, which is where a plurality and many crucial shots will come from this week.
Young is an elite talent and Quail Hollow has been kind to players of his ilk who’ve yet to win on Tour.
Byeong Hun An +5000 (FanDuel)
Byeong Hun An missed some opportunities last weekend at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. He finished T4 and played some outstanding golf, but a couple of missed short putts prevented him from getting to the winning score of -23. Despite not getting the win, it’s hard to view An’s performance as anything other than an overwhelming success. It was An’s fourth top-ten finish of the season.
Last week, An gained 6.5 strokes ball striking, which was 7th in the field. He also ranked 12th for Strokes Gained: Approach and 13th for Strokes Gained: Off the Tee. The South Korean has been hitting the ball so well from tee to green all season long and he now heads to a golf course that should reward his precision.
An’s driver and long irons are absolute weapons. At Quail Hollow, players will see plenty of approach shots from the 175-200 range as well as some from 200+. In his past 24 rounds, Ben ranks 3rd in the field in proximity from 175-200 and 12th in proximity from 200+. Playing in an event that will not end up being a “birdie” fest should help An, who can separate from the field with his strong tee to green play. The putter may not always cooperate but getting to -15 is much easier than getting to -23 for elite ball strikers who tend to struggle on the greens.
Winning a “signature event” feels like a tall task for An this week with so many elite players in the field. However, he’s finished T16 at the Genesis Invitational, T16 at The Masters and T8 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The 32-year-old’s game has improved drastically this season and I believe he’s ready to get the biggest win of his career.
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19th Hole
Vincenzi’s LIV Golf Singapore betting preview: Course specialist ready to thrive once again
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.
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Dave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
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Mike K.
Jul 13, 2015 at 1:21 am
Nicklaus remains the greatest ever. 18>14 by a long shot. When one also considers Nicklaus’s far greater number of runner-up finishes in majors; the much better competition from top opponents Jack faced throughout his career; and the fact that Nicklaus finished in the top ten at Augusta at age 58, with only one good hip, one can see that it’s really not much contest. Then, when one takes into account Nicklaus’s far superior on-course demeanor AND vastly superior conduct in his private life – well, the discussion’s over, isn’t it?
So, while Woods might yet have another major, or even two, in him, Nicklaus is the one to whom Spieth, and all others, will be compared. So everyone check back in about thirty years, when it will actually make sense to have this conversation.
Brad Ingarfield
Apr 26, 2014 at 10:18 pm
Great young player. Will he move the needle? – Brad Ingarfield
Golfraven
Apr 18, 2014 at 5:56 pm
No golfer will reach same status and money Tiger did manage over the past 15 years. We unlikely will see another games manufacturer bringing out games named after golfers, or did someone see already ‘Bubba’s Golf 2014’ ? What we will see are young golfers coming on the tour and inspire next generations. Soon no kid will say he wants to play like Tiger – more like Rickey or Spieth. Sadly the kid named Rory tried to walk in Tigers shoes and failed so far – he still has talent to go big.
Chris Hale
Apr 17, 2014 at 5:54 pm
I would argue that the level of athleticism in the pro game has been elevated since Tiger burst on to the scene 20 years ago. As such, it’s impossible to legitimately compare what Tiger did at Augusta in 1997 to what Jordan did last week. Never mind the fact that they’ve made numerous changes to the golf course because of Tiger’s dominance, the 2014 Masters field is flat-out more competitive than the guys Tiger beat in 1997. Tiger has raised the bar (and paycheck) for every tour player and made professional golf a far more competitive enterprise than it’s ever been. Just think about how good the “next Tiger” will need to be in order to elevate the game in the same way.
In that light, I give Jordan Speith enormous respect for ascending to where he has at the age of 20. I’m excited to watch him.
Cole
Apr 16, 2014 at 9:46 pm
He’s no Tiger, but I like that he’s out competing the next week.
cole
Apr 16, 2014 at 8:08 pm
No Tiger, But I like to see him out the week after!
ken
Apr 16, 2014 at 6:31 pm
I cannot stand these player comparisons. “He’s the next( fill in the blank)…
Tiger Woods is who he his. Jordan Spieth is not even the same type player.
As far as predicting the future? Spieth could undergo a slight swing tweak and wreck his game for an entire season. Sound familiar?
Let’s just enjoy watching Spieth play golf and let the putts fall where they may.
Jon Bon Jovi
Apr 16, 2014 at 6:24 pm
Can Jordan Speith even be compared to Rory Mcilroy? Those 2 players aren’t in the same class. Jordan Speith is a good player, but he’s not even a Mcilroy, nevermind a Tiger Woods for god sake.
leftright
Apr 16, 2014 at 8:28 pm
Speith is currently a better player than McIlroy, care to compare stats for the past year. No, Speith doesn’t have the major wins but currently he could give Rory 1 a side.
Dan
Apr 16, 2014 at 5:53 pm
And where exactly would the game of golf be if Tiger Woods never existed? Would young players have not played the game? Would they not be benefiting from fitness and technology just the same?
As far as I know golf has been on TV every weekend during the season long before Tiger Woods. They would still be making loads of money. I’m sure no one would have said “Y’know I just dont think that playing golf for a living is going to be worthwhile”.
Golf rounds in the US have declined precipitously since 2001. Oh Tiger please save Golf!!!!!!!!!!!! Where are you Tiger? Perhaps the “World of Golf” isnt quite panicking as much as the golf media is panicking. Might actually have to go dig up some stories and really are there many big stories that dont involve the more negative things in life? Infidelity, sex, PEDs, racist remarks, feuds, etc, etc. How is Tiger so good for golf with all these “negative” stories that have never been a part of this game?
I spend several thousand dollars yearly on golf and golf products, and I’m not panicking.
How exactly has he influenced the game? His fist pumps are the main highlights that ESPN shows? Let me ask another question, if Tiger Woods were not black, would he have the same “cult of personality” ? And in no way is this meant to be racist, we simply tend to focus on the differences and not the similarities. He’s a golfer, I’m a golfer. I dont think he’s a nice guy, I get sick of hearing about him when he’s NOT playing but I’ll be the first to tell you he WAS physically and mentally stronger than anyone on tour during his winning years
Did Nicklaus, statistically being the greatest Major champion the game has ever seen, garner the level of attention that the media has placed on Tiger Woods? He should have, no? he won the most Majors, and alot of tournaments.
No he didnt, and there are 2 reasons why. First as much as Jack won, there were plenty of others winning 4+ Majors at the same time. Player, Trevino, Palmer, Watson, Seve, Floyd…….Els, Phil and Vijay would not have been considered “great” at this time. (maybe Phil…) 14 looks like alot compared to 5,4. Maybe 18 doesnt look as much compared to 9, 8, 7, 5. Maybe Jack’s greatness is undervalued. Maybe Tiger played lesser competition.
Second, we didnt have the freaking Internet so that the absolute minutiae of every single issue could turned into a non-stop news conference back then, have every word, gesture, smile, frown, the subject of a panel discussion. And having a single icon associated with a sport wasnt important then, but seems to be an absolute necessity now. Why does Tiger need an heir? I’d rather see 10 equally talented guys go at it and every week a new drama.
I dont dispute that Tiger Woods is a great golfer in my book he’s still #2, but he’s not the only one and he’s not the game of golf. Yeah i know he WAS the latest, greatest, what ever, but put the pipe down already.
Maybe, just maybe the “world of Golf” should stop hanging on this guys underwear and worrying about PTW (so funny there are initials for it already) and selling the “new Guys”.
PS I go to golf media outlets to get golf commentary, certainly not NPR and the ny times. Expected better here.
leftright
Apr 16, 2014 at 8:29 pm
Tiger is “black.” The world, especially America is ate up with patronization of blacks and Arabs. Wait until some Arab guy makes the tour. He will be the second coming of Jack Nicklaus, even he if can’t bust an egg.
lh95
Apr 16, 2014 at 10:42 pm
Was anyone excited about Arjun Atwal or Jeev MIlka Singh? They are Indian (technically not Arab but most of America would know that) and no one really cares. Tiger was big because America is/was racist and he wasn’t welcome at many of the courses where was winning tournaments.
The next coming of Jack is going to be someone who wins 10+ majors whether they are black, white or brown. There will be no second coming of Tiger.
SBoss
Apr 20, 2014 at 4:51 pm
There WILL be a player that comes along better than Tiger and Jack. We don’t know when but its always a matter of time in sports. It’s foolish to think otherwise.
This whole American “is/was racist” thing is all nonsense about why Tiger was idolized. Yes, he brought minorities into golf. But, he brought a lot of interest period. Now, he’s still drawing the same interest level but many hate him (no, not because he’s a minority although I’m sure the victim mentally will run wild) because he’s polarizing.
Tiger is not a great dude off the course. I worked a major and he blew kids off and didn’t tip anybody involved with the event. A bunch of people sort balls every day from the range and ensure that each player’s balls are ready for the next session on the range. Phil tipped them all $100 a day. Tiger didn’t tip a nickel all week to anyone. He’s moody and arrogant. He’s certainly not the only one (Vijay can give him a run for major jerk) but it’s a factor in why some can’t stand him.
jim
Jun 23, 2015 at 9:29 am
Tiger needs his dough for hookers.
Rich
Apr 16, 2014 at 5:13 pm
Who’s Jordan Spieth? I thought Patrick Reed was The next big thing? We’ll that’s what he said anyway.
ken
Apr 16, 2014 at 6:28 pm
Looks like Reed’s mouth got in the way of his progress.
If you remember, he shot off his mouth stating he thought of himself as in the top 5 in the world.
Even his wife is in the act. She overheard a writer ask another writer who Reed was. Mrs Reed’s response, I cannot believe they don’t know my husband”.
I have news for Patrick Reed. That news is “let your golf clubs do the talking”.
Golfraven
Apr 16, 2014 at 5:00 pm
hey, give Spieth some respect, he worked his whole life to get there, though ge is only 20. Still I give him credit for being so bold – balls of steal. Nice chap. The tantrum on the 10 wasn’t great style and don’t think he is proude of it. However nothing compared to Tiger who is throwing clubs all the time.
ShakeNBake
Apr 16, 2014 at 4:41 pm
It’s simply not a fair and reasonable comparison. This article is like comparing Michael Jordan’s first few NBA seasons to Kobe’s first few NBA seasons. Of course a 22 year old Michael was way better than an 18 year old Kobe. One guy was in his 20’s and the other was a teenager. Duh.
Same thing with Spieth and Woods. One was a teenager when he got on tour and the other was in his 20’s. Let’s wait until Spieth turns 22. If he hasn’t won a Masters by then, maybe he isn’t the next tiger.
Oh, and no one thought Woods was going win the Masters in 1996. Sorry, he didn’t even make the cut.
Oldplayer
Apr 16, 2014 at 4:31 pm
I think Spieth is an amazing young talent. For a 20 years old he has great poise and confidence without arrogance. He has an extremely sound all round game.
I do not think it is helpful to compare him with Tiger whose long hitting (early in his pro career) and clutch putting set him apart and gave him the edge that produced his dominance.
Spieth displays qualities far more like Nicklaus than Tiger.
Level headedness, sportsmanship, belief in his game, calmness under pressure etc. etc.
I think that if Jordan Spieth is fortunate enough to not have his career derailed by misfortune or injury he has the real potential to become one of the best of all time.
Colin
Apr 16, 2014 at 3:58 pm
It is unfair to compare Spieth to Tiger. Who has ever said they would have comparable careers? I think of Spieth as the American equivalent to Rory. I believe that comparison would be far more accurate.
joe doaks
Apr 16, 2014 at 1:01 pm
let’s just let the kid play
Elmo
Apr 16, 2014 at 12:32 pm
The seasons not over yet. This kid has two more years to do what Tiger technically did in his first. Tiger got to practice playing college golf and contending in US Amateurs. This was Speith’s first huge stage and contention. He has seven more majors to win at or before the age that Tiger did. We can all talk then.
ReadingComp
Apr 16, 2014 at 12:27 pm
Great article, Ben. I found it interesting to see Tiger’s and Jordan’s stats side-by-side. As good as Jordan is, it’s truly unbelievable what Tiger has accomplished.
Dan
Apr 16, 2014 at 9:56 am
So Sorry I even clicked on this rag of an article. Ben, you suffer from the same malady as the rest of the media…………Laziness!!!
Tiger’s play has been a non-story for years now, except that the media has gotten so lazy covering Tiger, I mean its not like any one reporter develops a story anymore. Its just being repeated by different media outlets.
I guess you couldnt find anything more interesting to do but “generate” a story.
“It seems logical, given Jordan Spieth’s near-miss at the Masters, to ask if the young Texan might be the heir apparent to Mr. Woods.”
I think you are the only person who has come to this conclusion and it shows how the media thinks: The sport itself is unimportant, having a personality to focus on is all that matters, is easy and self perpetuating.
You have made my do not read list along the idiot Montesanto
Dan
Apr 16, 2014 at 1:22 pm
Sorry Ben, this is the first place I’ve heard anyone compare Spieth to Woods and judging by the rest of the posts on this article no one else has either.
And oddly enough you don’t reference any of these “bold claims from seemingly every other outlet about the ascendancy of Mr Speith” in your article. In fact all I’ve heard is that “he’s young, he’s got a great swing, it’s a great start but has a long way to go”.
And as long as you’re going to pull the Tiger “card”, where is the comparison to Nicklaus’ or Palmer’s early career, or is Tiger Woods the only golfer that matters?
And of course we need to view Speith’s GIR and Fairways hit against Tiger’s in 97, but you dont mention that the course is 500 Yards longer than Woods played in ’97.
The sooner you guys realize the days of Tiger are coming to an end, the better it will be for the game. And if he doesn’t eclipse Jack’s 18 Majors then you should start comparing players to Nicklaus, and not Woods. Maybe you should start now
corey
Apr 16, 2014 at 2:23 pm
Dan, Ben made it perfectly clear that he was not down playing what greatness speith has shown. Ben even states how speith rookie season was 2 yrs before tigers, so that makes what speith has done even better when compared to what tiger did in his rookie season. but love or hate tiger the game of golf would not be where it is without him. all these young golfers that are going to carry the game say they all looked up to the same person when they were starting out; that person was tiger. tiger gave the game a new look and brought in these young guns. so love him or hate him you get the pleasure to watch history in the making every time he tees up; whether it is chasing the all time wins or chasing jacks majors. but it is without question, and you’d be smoking something if you deny it, that tiger will go down as one of the top golfers in history and there is the argument to be made as the greatest of all time.
loubdoobe
Apr 16, 2014 at 3:51 pm
The media in general does not know the meaning of “moderation”. I could take Tiger or leave Tiger, I enjoy seeing guys play at this level-they are awesome. I want to puke when Tiger is not even near the lead and announcers continue to fawn and show footage of Tiger–who cares!
Ron
Apr 16, 2014 at 9:31 am
We’ll see how he stacks up when we find out how many women he can handle at one time. Tiger has set the bar pretty high!
T
Apr 15, 2014 at 11:24 pm
nobody of any intelligence considered Jordan the new Tiger. He’s a fantastic young talent that surprised many with his performance last year especially considering his status. Remember, there were many who thought he was making a mistake turning pro at 19. Regardless, while most expected him to eventually be successful, what he continues to do is compete and contend and the win aside I think the Masters performance is his greatest achievement so far. I’m glad you recognized his even par final round was not a choke…those who do are wrong.
Tim Mooney
Apr 15, 2014 at 11:18 pm
Ben:
I think you may be looking in the wrong direction. I conjure up a vision of Palmer v. Nicklaus with your reference to McIlroy v. Speith. I think that this duo stands to do more for golf, combined, than we’ve seen in a couple of decades.
Most purists, I dare say, would love to see Tiger rise again, however, I believe that even more would relish in a rivalry of playing ability between the two ‘youngsters’, Just think what could happen over the next 15-20 years to the popularity of the game, should that rivalry come to fruition?
Eric
Apr 16, 2014 at 1:11 pm
Spieth vs Mcilroy, USA vs Europe, Nike vs UA! Tiger who? We will likely see it at the Ryder cup and it will start something big for golf. Could you imagine the money and advertising that Nike and UA would throw at such a campaign? UA has taken tremendous market share from Nike, especially in men under 40 and they own the youth boys segment. For the commenter that asked why it cannot be about the sport, the answer is simple. Professional sports are about the fans who allow the sport to be. If we don’t watch, there is no sport and we all like heros and villains. All this of course depends on Mcilroy remembering how to play the game and not becoming another Sergio.
Brandel Stumblee
Apr 15, 2014 at 11:09 pm
This article is garbage. What Jordan Spieth did was amazing. Even Nicklaus stumbled in his first major at cherry hills and went on to win a lot after learning how to win. The author of this garbage did get one thing right in that Spieth is not Woods, Tiger was on a couch like most of the world watching to see if Jordan could do it. Spieth will be a nice addition to the Ryder Cup team.
west
Apr 15, 2014 at 11:00 pm
I can’t believe I read this dribble…
SBoss
Apr 15, 2014 at 10:41 pm
Why does every really good young player have to be compared to Tiger Woods? It diminishes a great young talent who also happens to be a nice kid.
Why can’t Jordan Spieth just be…Jordan Spieth? What he’s done is less than one year is staggering and should be fully appreciated without the “but he’s not Tiger Woods” nonsense.
west
Apr 15, 2014 at 11:00 pm
Absolutely, spot on!
MHendon
Apr 15, 2014 at 11:08 pm
I couldn’t agree more and the one thing he has that Tiger has never show is a touch of humility.
Taylor
Apr 16, 2014 at 7:41 am
Really, still hung up on the cheating on his wife thing? Remember when he hugged his dad crying after winning the masters. Personal life aside, I think Tiger for golf did nothing wrong.
Mike
Apr 16, 2014 at 11:13 am
@Taylor – Who said anything about the “cheating on his wife thing”? He said ‘humility”, not “honor”.
loubdoobe
Apr 16, 2014 at 3:46 pm
….not to mention character and moral integrity.
paul
Apr 16, 2014 at 12:00 am
Greatness needs comparison to be great. And writers need articles to write for our entertainment and thought.
SBoss
Apr 16, 2014 at 8:20 am
Spieth is not great at this point. He may be great at some point in the future. So, comparing Spieth to Woods is misguided. It’s not comparing “great to great”.
Why diminish the early accomplishments of a good young player whose climbed the PGA Tour ladder in rapid fashion and almost won a Masters at 20 years old?
Dan
Apr 16, 2014 at 5:06 pm
Why? Because the golfing media is addicted to Tiger Woods. It makes it very easy for them to call attention to their story if they make about Tiger Woods.
Forsbrand
Apr 16, 2014 at 6:38 pm
Tiger is soooo yesterday ya!
leftright
Apr 16, 2014 at 8:42 pm
Speith could give Tiger one a side at the same age…no comparison. Read a damn history book for God’s sake.