News
Tiger withdraws, re-injures surgically repaired back
Tiger Woods withdrew from the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational after hitting his tee shot on hole No. 9. The driver swing, which sent the ball left of the fairway, left him grimacing and bending over in pain.
He was 3-over par for the round when he was escorted off the course from the tee in a cart.
According to a post-round interview in the parking lot, where Woods was seen gingerly changing his shoes using the trunk of his car for support, the injury occurred on the second shot of the par-5 second hole. He hit an iron shot from an awkward lie on the lip of a fairway bunker, and fell back into the bunker off balance.
“It happened on the second hole when I hit my second shot, I fell back into the bunker, I just jarred it, and it’s been spasming ever since,” Woods said, according to a statement released after he exited the course. “It’s just the whole lower back. I don’t know what happened.”
According to other reports, Woods said the injury is a different pain, in a different spot than the back injury for which he had surgery earlier this year, and does not know how the injury will affect his participation in the PGA Championship, or any tournaments going forward.
After making birdie on No. 1, Woods hit a slew of poor shots throughout the remainder of his shortened round.
Woods chunked his iron shot into the pond in front of the green on No. 3, leading to a bogey. He then hit another poor iron shot from the tee on No. 5, par 3, that barely reached the fairway, but Woods managed to save par on the hole. On No. 6, Woods hit his second shot into a concession stand, and on No. 7 he hit his greenside bunker shot thin, which sent the ball over the green on the par 3. That lead to scores of bogey, double bogey, respectively on those holes.
The next tournament on Woods’ schedule is the PGA Championship next week at Valhalla, the season’s final major championship.
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This week last year, I found myself praying to the weather goddesses and gods that Rochester would be spared their wrath over the next seven days. The 2023 Oak Hill PGA Championship (that was slated for August when the contract was signed) was on the horizon, and I wanted my region to show well. Things turned out fine, with all four seasons making an appearance, a PGA Professional (Blockie!) stealing hearts, and a proven champion in Koepka (although I was pulling for Viktor.)
This year, no concerns. Louisville will shine this week at Valhalla, but we’ve matters to consider before we look to four days of coverage this week. Nelly did not win on the LPGA this week, so who did? The PGA Tour held two events in the Carolinas, and Tour Champions celebrated a major event in Alabama. Four noteworthy events to run down, so let’s head to RunDownTown and take care of business.
LPGA @ Founders Cup: Rose blooms
There was a sense that Rose Zhang might have a role in the 2020s version of the LPGA. After winning everything there was in amateur golf, she came out and won her first tournament as a professional. That was last May and, let’s be honest, who among us thought it would take 12 months for Zhang to win again? Rhymes with hero, I know.
This week in New Jersey, eyes were on Nelly Korda, as she made a run at a sixth consecutive win on the LPGA circuit. Korda ran out of gas on Saturday, and that was just fine. Madelene Sagstrom and Zhang had turned the soiree at Upper Montclair into a battle of birdies. Gabriela Ruffels came third at nine-under par. No one else reached double digits under par but Sagstrom and Zhang. They didn’t just reach -10…they more than doubled it.
Sagstrom had the look of a winner with five holes left to play. She was three shots clear of Zhang, at 23-under par. The Swede played her closing quintet in plus-one, finishing at 22-deep, 13 shots ahead of Ruffels. That performance we’d anticipated from Zhang? It happened on Sunday. She closed with four birdies in five holes to snatch victory number two, by two shots. Spring is a lovely time for a Rose in bloom.
Take a look back at hole No. 1… @rosezhang is living life on the edge ? pic.twitter.com/o6z6SK7TRA
— LPGA (@LPGA) May 12, 2024
PGA Tour @ Wells Fargo: Rory the Fourth is crowned in Charlotte
Xander Schauffele is a likable lad. He has an Olympic gold medal on his shelf, and a few PGA Tour titles to his credit. Even X knows that even par won’t get much done in a final round unless conditions are brutal. They weren’t brutal at Quail Hollow on Sunday. X posted even par on day four. It kept him ahead of third-place finisher Byeong Hun An but gave him zero chance of challenging for the title.
Paired with Xander in round four was the King of Quail, Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman had previously won thrice at the North Carolina track, and he was champing at the bit to gain some momentum on the road to Louisville. While Xander scored increasingly worse along the week (64-67-70-71) McIlroy saved his best round for the final round. Thanks to five birdies and two eagles, McIlroy ran away with the event, winning his fourth Wells Fargo by five over Schauffele.
HOLE-OUT EAGLE FOR RORY!!!
He now leads by SIX! pic.twitter.com/UE49lwfwNC
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 12, 2024
PGA Tour @ Myrtle Beach Classic: a little CG won the inaugural week
It always seemed odd that the PGA Tour had zero stops along the Grand Strand each season. This week’s event seemed odd in that the golfers played the same course each day, and there were zero handicaps involved. Most events at Myrtle Beach involve hundreds of amateurs at dozens of courses, with all sorts of handicaps.
The Dunes Club is a Robert Trent Jones Sr. course, down toward Pawley’s Island. It claims what used to be considered an unreachable, par-five hole, the watery 13th. Nothing is unreachable any longer, including a 22-under par total for a six-shot win. Chris Gotterup, a former Rutgers and Oklahoma golfer, played sizzling golf all week and won by a sextet of shots. Gotterup opened with 66, then improved to 64 on Friday. His Saturday 65 sounded a beacon of “come get me,” and his closing 67 ensured that second place was the only thing up for grabs.
Chasing the podium’s second level were a bunch of young Americans. In the end, Alastair Docherty and Davis Thompson reached 16-deep, thanks to rounds of 64 and 68 on Sunday. They held off six golfers at 15-under par. The victory was Gotterup’s first on tour and should be enough to get him a Wikipedia page, among other plaudits.
Leader by SIX!
@ChrisGotterup | @MyrtleBeachC pic.twitter.com/TVdA6ZPYc4— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 12, 2024
PGA Tour Champions @ Regions Traditions: Vindication for Dougie
Doug Barron, if I recall correctly, was suspended by the Powers That Be, way back in 2009, for testosterone. He was naturally low in the hormone, so he took supplements. This did not sit well with certain admins, so he was put on the shelf for 18 months. Not cool.
In 2019, Barron came out on the Tour Champions. He won in August. The next year, despite the craziness of Covid, he won again. Barron hit a dry spell for a few years. He kept his card, but accrued no additional victories. In late April, Barron showed serious signs of life, with a t2 at Mitsubishi. This week in Birmingham, he jumped out to a lead, lost it, then gained it back on Saturday. With major championship glory on the line, Barron brought the train into the station with 68 on Sunday.
Stephen Alker, the man who could not lose just two years ago, gave serious chase with a closing 63. He moved up 11 slots, into solo 2nd on Sunday. He finished two shots back of the champion. Two shots ain’t much. Cough once and you drop a pair. Third place saw a three-way tie, including last year’s winner (Steve Stricker) and runner-up (Ernie Els.) Despite the intimidating presence of the game’s greats, however, Doug Barron had more than enough of everything this week, and he has a third Tour Champions title to show off.
At the @RegionsTrad, all champions receive a green bike.
Doug Barron decided to take a victory lap ? pic.twitter.com/bEzENMjZwv
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) May 13, 2024
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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
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Tommy Fleetwood has been attached to his Odyssey White Hot Pro #3 putter for years now. However, this week at the Wells Fargo Championship, we did spot him testing a new putter that is very different, yet somewhat similar, to his current gamer.
This new putter is a TaylorMade Spider Tour X head but with a brand new neck we haven’t seen on a Spider before. A flow neck is attached to the Spider head and gives the putter about a 1/2 shaft offset. This style neck will usually increase the toe hang of the putter and we can guess it gets the putter close to his White Hot Pro #3.
Another interesting design is that lack of TaylorMade’s True Path alignment on the top of the putter. Instead of the large white center stripe, Tommy’s Spider just has a very short white site line milled into it. As with his Odyssey, Tommy seems to be a fan of soft inserts and this Spider prototype looks to have the TPU Pure Roll insert with 45° grooves for immediate topspin and less hopping and skidding.
The sole is interesting as well in that the rear weights don’t look to be interchangeable and are recessed deep into the ports. This setup could be used to push the CG forward in the putter for a more blade-like feel during the stroke, like TaylorMade did with the Spider X Proto Scottie Scheffler tested out.
Tommy’s putter is finished off with an older Super Stroke Mid Slim 2.0 grip in blue and white. The Mid Slim was designed to fit in between the Ultra Slim 1.0 and the Slim 3.0 that was a popular grip on tour.
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
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Dave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
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Justin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
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Pat M
Aug 7, 2014 at 2:55 pm
Graham DeLaet said his recovery was 18 months. Tiger rushed it or something else. Either his doctor should be charged with malpriactice or Tiger does not listen to anyone. Stupid.
tessie
Aug 8, 2014 at 5:48 pm
Golf is a sport for gentlemen not animals lacking self control. Tiger Woods should never have compared himself with Jack Nicklaus…
Welcome1
Aug 5, 2014 at 10:51 am
Sad when the golfing community has to talk about Tiger Woods all the time.
al
Aug 4, 2014 at 8:07 pm
We don’t even know what kind of back surgery Tiger had so speculation so when the pundits say that he came back too soon, they are really talking out of their arse.
MK
Aug 4, 2014 at 6:30 pm
Haha another thread where 99.9% of the posts are Tiger bashing. They should rename this site to wehatetigerwoods.com
Bunch of hacks.
Brad B
Aug 4, 2014 at 6:18 pm
Just my opinion ….
The headline is a bit misleading. While we know it’s a back injury, “re-injures surgically repaired back” suggests the injury is to that which was surgically repaired. Right now, we don’t know that’s the case – the story suggests some sort of muscle injury, not a disc issue.
Hoping that’s the case.
Fred
Aug 6, 2014 at 12:27 am
I believe Tiger has stated that the problem is not with the surgically repaired area of his back.
Sven Olsen
Aug 4, 2014 at 3:16 pm
I have always liked Tiger, but he has deteriorated these past years – and it is strange, that his old injury shows up, when he is playing badly.
Sad to see this – really! Tiger used to be a grand sportsman, but now?
Dan
Aug 4, 2014 at 1:48 pm
One thing I don’t quite understand is that if you are Tiger Woods, you just came off major back surgery, why would you risk further injury by playing such a shot. Chip it into the fairway and get off the edge of the bunker. What difference is one shot going to make when you are that far off the pace?
I think that its all very curious, but I guess it serves its purpose. He gets to miss the PGA, which he definitely would not have contended at, perhaps miss the cut. It solves his inability to make the Fed Ex cup and also spares him being left off the Ryder Cup team.
“He’s Hurt” End of discussion.
Fred
Aug 4, 2014 at 2:48 pm
Guess he just made Tom Watson’s decision on Tiger’s appearance at the Ryder Cup a lot easier. Unless he could have straightened out his drives by then, he [probably would have just embarrassed himself anyway, not to mention the US team. Would still like to see Phil play.
Sven Olsen
Aug 4, 2014 at 3:17 pm
Tom Watson made the right decision, no doubt about it, and I, too, would like to see Phil on the team
talljohn777
Aug 4, 2014 at 4:35 pm
Tiger has never driven the ball in the fairway during his entire career. So, what is your point about his needing to drive it straight now???
MHendon
Aug 4, 2014 at 4:40 pm
Tiger was the best driver in the game early in his career when he was under Butch’s tutelage playing that fade.
Pat M
Aug 7, 2014 at 3:04 pm
He should go back to Butch but I guess that is over. He is probably done.
Fred
Aug 6, 2014 at 12:33 am
My point is this: when he continually hits the ball into the rough and in and around sand traps, it puts undo pressure on his back to get the ball back into play. Believe he proved this point when he hurt himself with that awkward stance he used to hit the ball situated in the rough above the bunker Sunday. He stated that that was when his back started hurting him again.
MHendon
Aug 4, 2014 at 4:36 pm
Hell Phil’s just as crooked with the driver.
Brad B
Aug 4, 2014 at 6:37 pm
Your first paragraph makes all kinds of sense … the second does not, suggesting as it does that Tiger really isn’t that badly hurt, that he’s using a convenient “out” to avoid not making the playoffs, not getting selected for the Ryder Cup team, etc.
You don’t win 14 majors running from a challenge.
Dan
Aug 5, 2014 at 9:57 am
Challenge? This man is waaaay past challenges. Its all about image control for Tiger IMO. He bullies and manipulates the press, and appears to be functioning on bravado. His quotes are clearly fantastic (“I’m getting more explosive”, “I expect to win this week”, “I’m getting stronger and faster” and of course “I just need more reps”etc etc).
What does he have to gain by playing? He wont contend at the PGA. If he doesn’t win, he gets left off the Fed Ex Cup. If he doesn’t play the Fed Ex, Watson leaves him off, if he hasn’t already.
Its obvious to all that he came back waaaay too early. Whether he really thought he could win a Major or its just the way this guy thinks, that he’s a special case and can buck the odds is debatable. Maybe he’s so twisted about get 19 majors, that he did something foolish.
I think its all very convenient, but one thing is clear, he needs to sit the rest of the season out. He not doing himself any good and he would only hurt the US RC team.
Oh, the drama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fred
Aug 6, 2014 at 12:36 am
A lot of people thought he was faking it when he won the `08 U.S. Open while hobbling around on a bad knee. That stopped when he landed on the operating table less than a week later.
Dan
Aug 6, 2014 at 9:40 am
I thought it was a broken leg???????????
Philip
Aug 4, 2014 at 11:24 pm
I never understood the shot. He only hit it 90 yards. He could of punched it with an iron or even his 5W and not have to fall back into the bunker behind him. He was only 147 yards from the hole so all he needed to do was to get the ball in play and not land it in the bunker in front. He even could of stood partially in the bunker and punched it to the immediate left – would of left maybe 140 yards.
He did hit the bunker pretty hard though when he landed in it.
JEFF
Aug 4, 2014 at 11:57 am
BOO HOO..IM PLAYING BAD SO I QUITE…..WHAT A JOKE!TAKE THE $AND RUN LITTLE KITTY!
Chuck
Aug 4, 2014 at 1:59 pm
Tiger is a effing joke! Exactly what I said, playing like crap so I’ll just withdraw using an excuse about his back… Although he was grabbing his knee but who cares! He’s been done since 2009, after Elin beat him with a club!!! Hahaha
Christosterone
Aug 4, 2014 at 2:05 pm
He won 5 tournaments last year including the Players. Youre right, total joke.
Fred
Aug 4, 2014 at 2:44 pm
Didn’t Jason Day withdraw because he wasn’t playing well?
Rich
Aug 5, 2014 at 12:01 am
No one knows. This website (nor any other) didn’t even bother reporting his withdrawal let alone why. A reoccuracne of his hand/thumb injury would be my guess. Yet we know all about boofhead.
Kim
Aug 4, 2014 at 10:50 am
The next big Tiger news will be the firing of Sean Foley so Tiger has an excuse. The only major teacher he has not used is David Leadbetter, so watch for him in the Tiger camp. Tiger must adjust, smooth it out there 280-300 and win the big tournaments on iron play and experience, but he will not match Jack. If no majors in the next two years, he will retire.
Christosterone
Aug 4, 2014 at 1:46 pm
Sean Foley should be put in shackles for changing Tiger’s short game.
This is tantamount to retouching the Mona Lisa.
Pat M
Aug 7, 2014 at 3:06 pm
LOL! Tiger is his own worst enemy. Fires Hank Haney and Stevie. Has his back operated on and comes back early. He **was** a good golfer but he lacks any common sense.
KK
Aug 4, 2014 at 10:08 am
First time I think this is something Tiger may not overcome.
Mark
Aug 4, 2014 at 9:09 am
The fascination with Tiger amazes & disappoints me. He has been an incredible golfer but I am totally over him. I am also over Fox Sports. In the 3rd round Scott shot the equal lowest score 65 & what did Tiger shoot?…72. How many times did I see Scott (who also happened to be at that time No.1) on the telecast? I saw him hit 1 approach shot & a few putts but nothing until the 16th hole, unless I missed something earlier somehow. How many times did they go to Tiger?…I don’t know as I lost count. What a load of XXXXing BS!! I don’t want to see Scott when he’s playing crap or anyone else for that matter so why do we have to look at Tiger? The director calling the camera shots is obviously a fxxxwit & wants to sleep with Tiger.
Captain Oblivious
Aug 4, 2014 at 9:38 am
I must agree. Fox Sports’ coverage was miserable. In fact, they never showed one single bit of the tournament in my area.
But, that could have been because it was televised on CBS.
Robeli
Aug 4, 2014 at 11:46 am
Captain Oblivious, are you one of those that thinks everything revolves around USA? Or do you not realize that there is more than just CBS? In Australia and other parts of the world, Fox Sports is THE main sport channel. Just a little education to think a little ‘outside the box’.
ken
Aug 4, 2014 at 1:10 pm
Uhh. CBS has the domestic(USA) rights to this particular event.
Now, if your Fox Sports affiliate picks up the coverage, fine.
It’s STILL CBS’ deal.
Quite frankly, you are posting to a US based website, to a US based audience. And your problem is?
Robeli
Aug 4, 2014 at 4:07 pm
As if a USA based website cannot be accessed from overseas and have non-USA members. HAHA!
Fred
Aug 4, 2014 at 11:51 am
Captain: my understanding was that if the tournament wasn’t being covered by the Golf Channel, it was on CBS. I wasn’t aware that FOX had anything to do with the Bridgestone tournament.
Mark
Aug 5, 2014 at 6:35 am
You are correct Captain. I should have just mentioned the coverage, not what network it was as on..however, you get the drift of my comment. What dry wit you have 🙂
Fred
Aug 4, 2014 at 11:47 am
Speaking as someone who’s worked in sports television, I can assure you that it’s all about viewership. Like it or not, more people care about what Tiger is doing than any other player on the tour. Period. The networks know this. The Masters suffered a 50% loss in viewers because Tiger wasn’t there. Sponsors don’t like that; it’s not good for business. Bottom line: regardless of how well he’s playing, the network will keep Tiger on the air, and viewers will keep watching. It will be interesting to see how many tune into the PGA if Tiger isn’t there.
ken
Aug 4, 2014 at 1:17 pm
Firday Ratings were a 1.6 in 2014 vs 2.5 in 2013..Yes Tiger moves the needle.
I think after this incident, that will begin to wane.
Tiger may very well not recovery from this.
MHendon
Aug 4, 2014 at 4:45 pm
Sad but true. Just goes to show most viewers are Tiger fans not fans of the game.
Rich
Aug 4, 2014 at 11:56 pm
I think people are tuning in to see the train wreck as much as anything else now.
Mark
Aug 5, 2014 at 6:39 am
+1 MHendon
jim
Aug 4, 2014 at 7:55 am
If his back was in spasm, or he had some sciatica as well there is no way he can swing a golf club. Unless you’ve had back problems there is no way to explain the unbelievable pain that it causes and how much swinging a golf club hurts even more. And it doesn’t take much to create the problem either, sometimes just hitting a jarring shot can do it and you’re done. However if he had the surgery then he most likely should be fine in 3-4 days, unless it’s something worse then longer. And the working out is actually very good for the back as a strong core helps to support the back difficulties. It isn’t hurting Rory to get in much better shape is it? Hopefully Tiger can come back and be respectable on the course, but getting to 18 majors is not looking too good any more.
Rich
Aug 4, 2014 at 4:33 am
So still no story about Rory’s win. I bet if this bloke won there would have been a story about it in 2 seconds. I guess it’s official. This website has now been transformed into TigerWRX.
carl marcus
Aug 3, 2014 at 11:28 pm
Of course he is faking, finally Faldo calls him on it.
Here is the proof: When he is “injured” and playing poorly he quits. When he is “injured” and playing well he continues.
I am to the point where I don’t even believe he had the surgery. Who the heck comes back from BACK SURGERY in THREE MONTHS!? No one!
I understand how much money he brings into the game, but enough is enough.
By the way, I don’t understand why he cares so much that he can’t perform anymore? He has NOTHING to prove! He has 14 MAJORS!
If I were Woods, I’d try to patch things up with Butch Harmon – I think he could back on track of he did.
Brian
Aug 4, 2014 at 1:03 am
Haha hope you were kidding re: faking injuries……
Jack
Aug 4, 2014 at 2:49 am
LOL, best post in the thread!
Jack
Aug 3, 2014 at 11:27 pm
He has so many excuses, I’m not a cowboys fan but I watched Emmitt Smith play with a dislocated shoulder, getting tackled by NFL linemen, Rory is the new Man!
Fred
Aug 4, 2014 at 12:03 pm
Yes, and if you ask most physicians how smart it was for Smith to play with a dislocated shoulder, they would say the team docs were stupid for letting him do it – that is, if it was really dislocated. The Giants went after his shoulder on every play he ran. Did the Cowboys really need a win so bad that they would let the best running back in the game at that time play with a dislocated shoulder? To this day, there are sports medicine docs who don’t believe it was dislocated – the pain would have been too distracting.
nikkyd
Aug 3, 2014 at 10:42 pm
Hey man. An aching back is a big deal. Not a fan of tigers character, but had i been there, i woulda helped the guy to his car. A bad back is nothing to joke around with
Roger
Aug 3, 2014 at 10:06 pm
He is finally finished, done! What a whimp can’t tuff it out….quitter:(
Double Mocha Man
Aug 3, 2014 at 10:42 pm
I’m not a Tiger fan at all. I was once. But a bad back is the real thing… and it is so crucial to the golf swing. He may, in fact, be done. But he’s not whimping out. He wants to be there. He wants to win.
kyle
Aug 3, 2014 at 9:49 pm
Funny how he can fight through a “broke” leg to win a major but when he is sucking it up he can’t finish a round and withdraws. Please Rory keep winning so there’s more to talk about than the princess.
Jeff Trigger
Aug 4, 2014 at 10:19 am
As someone who was in a car accident that required knee surgery and a back brace, I can tell you for a fact, that the back hurt a lot worse than the knee, and my knee had to be put back together. The knee hurt for a month. I still have back pains, and when it flares up, forget golf, I can’t even stand over it.
Rcalfo
Aug 3, 2014 at 9:27 pm
Why does he continue to believe a large muscular frame is great for golf. Where is the spider monkey guy? He’s terrible swinging the club. Woodland is not great. Stopping continuing this Navy seal delusion and realize you are a golfer. No one believes you could ever be a soldier, you have been pampered your whole life. It’s funny about the steroid, hgh talk. He looks just like bonds, McGuire, and arod, small skinny hard gainers that now look like massive beasts. That’s not just weight lifting when your body doesn’t naturally gravitate towards large muscular build
Fred
Aug 4, 2014 at 12:06 pm
Have you ever seen Tiger in person? He doesn’t come across as being that big.
MHendon
Aug 4, 2014 at 4:51 pm
That’s the thing with television, it’s hard to really judge how big someone is. I to thought Tiger looks kind of small in person, but then I am 6 foot 235. No but really what makes him appear big on TV is how small his waist is. I’d say it’s no bigger than 30 inches about the same as mine was at 12.
sean
Aug 3, 2014 at 8:43 pm
Well Well Well yes i am not a Tiger fan but cmon you just can’t ignore the fact the back gets attention after errant shots do you think for one minute if after the sand shot he goes birdie birdie birdie he would withdraw NO way. he’s got a poor attitude always has and why he should never be deserving of breaking a true winners legacy.Tiger grow up your a selfish ego maniac and you learned it from your father just ask around he was a chump as well most of the time.
Curt
Aug 4, 2014 at 11:23 am
Talking about someone’s dead father is really off limits, a__hole!
MHendon
Aug 4, 2014 at 4:52 pm
I agree his father came across as a class act to me.
Rich
Aug 3, 2014 at 8:36 pm
What? No story about Jason Day’s WD? I can’t believe it!
Joseph
Aug 3, 2014 at 6:36 pm
Tiger has to take a good hard look at what he wants his legacy to be. His body can no longer withstand the violent nature of his swing mechanics. He talks of needing to be more explosive ? He needs to understand he’s 38 and no longer a 25 year old. McElroy is going to bomb it by him regardless of what he does getting some strength back. A new game plan is in order. Keep the ball in play, 280 off the tee with a great iron game and solid putting is his only chance of playing another 5 years and winning some more tourney’s.
Brian
Aug 3, 2014 at 8:09 pm
agree with everything you say – I just don’t think it’s in his DNA –
Tony Lynam
Aug 3, 2014 at 9:13 pm
Great point.
Jack
Aug 3, 2014 at 11:16 pm
Yeah, just take a half swing every time. Good luck with that. Athletes are not like us. Their swings are much more powerful, and thus more stressful on the body. Not to mention they’ve done it many more times than any normal human would. This is not looking good for him. I think he should have taken longer. Most people were surprised at how quickly he came back.
Fred
Aug 4, 2014 at 12:15 pm
Excellent point, Jack. And let’s face it: Tiger’s back problems would probably not be such a big issue if he could just figure out a way to drive the ball down the fairway instead of in the rough and on the edge of bunkers, where the swings tend to be more stressful on his back. I’ve often wondered if he and Butch Harman are simply not talking anymore. It seems to be such a logical move for Tiger to go back to the source. Butch was always his version of Yoda. It’s obvious at this point that Sean Foley is doing him no good.
golfing
Aug 3, 2014 at 6:25 pm
It´s not working, open your eyes, butch will help you.
25 years of pro golf it´s not a joke…take it easy boy, you have
bean raised well to do it.
Jim
Aug 3, 2014 at 5:44 pm
Hes going to retire from golf i can see it coming sooner than later
cody
Aug 3, 2014 at 5:24 pm
Years of steroid use coming back to haunt him. Sad story.
Kyle
Aug 3, 2014 at 5:35 pm
You’re an idiot
Brian
Aug 3, 2014 at 6:29 pm
Looks like you may be the ‘idiot’…..
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/tiger-woods-spent-200k-hgh-guru-doc-new-book-article-1.1860280
..walks like a duck, talks like a duck – too much coincidence here & this is an article from Jul 2014. We are yet to see the end of this story – golf is on the verge of it’s Lance Armstrong and I am sure they are biting their nails over this.
MHendon
Aug 3, 2014 at 6:40 pm
Hmmm interesting article Brian.
Brian
Aug 3, 2014 at 8:07 pm
Thanks – I followed LA for 8 years leading up to the fall & while maybe not as extensive or corrupt, there are a lot of eerily similar parallels.
carl marcus
Aug 3, 2014 at 11:41 pm
No you are Kyle! First for getting personal with Cody for telling the truth, and 2nd for being completely ignorant of the facts. Tiger Woods paid Canadian human growth hormone guru Anthony Galea and an associate almost $200,000 for 63 visits to the golfer’s home between September of 2008 and October of 2009; the PGA does not release these findings, ESPECIALLY when it’s their golden goose, or golden Tiger. Now that the tour tests more often, Woods cannot recover and it HAS taken it’s toll on his body.
In fact, how do we know that the “back surgery” wasn’t really a 3 month suspension? We can’t believe anything when it comes to the PGA tour anymore. They are so covert, just look at Dustin Johnson’s statement, it sounded like HE made the decision to take time off, when in fact it was a suspension. The PGA tour needs to be cleaned up!
Dreg Golf
Aug 3, 2014 at 3:03 pm
He’ll be back next year, I hope. I look forward to watching him get whupped by the likes of Sergio, McIllroy and Scott! Maybe he can learn some humility in those defeats?.
Nah, who am I thinking of …Baldrick is the biggest primadonna on tour!
Christosterone
Aug 3, 2014 at 3:27 pm
Sergio is my favorite player…but to discuss him getting “whupped” by Tiger is ludicrous.
Sergio has spent his career getting “whupped” by Tiger. As had Scott who cant putt conventially to save his life.
Expect a meteoric fall for Adam come 2016(a significant part of his prime i might add)..
Dreg Golf
Aug 3, 2014 at 5:57 pm
Hmmmmm, seems to me I’m watching Sergio playing in the final round and Woods has WD’ed…..what was Woods…like literally 20 strokes behind when he left the grounds? If that’s not a whupping, dunno what is son?
Christosterone
Aug 3, 2014 at 6:09 pm
Oh i understand now. You are referring to a single tournament.
In that case, you are correct.
It seemed as if you were so obtuse as to even have Scotts or Garcias career even in the same area code as tigers.
Because both of those players careers barely match up to one or 2 Woods prolific single years…well, maybe not Sergio as he is much more accomplished than scott whose career is good but compared to woods it is not even worth noting.
Fg
Aug 3, 2014 at 6:26 pm
His scoring average with the conventional putter wasn’t 90….he could putt. Same as now Nobody is gonna average 62
carl marcus
Aug 3, 2014 at 11:44 pm
You may be right, but I am sure Fred Couples will be done, he couldn’t make a single put before the long putter.
I wonder how Bradley and Simpson will do? It is going to be interesting – I can’t wait to watch it. Personally the ban on anchored putters couldn’t come soon enough.
Fred
Aug 4, 2014 at 12:27 pm
Carl: you make an interesting point. It amazes me that the USGA has deemed belly putters to be illegal, but is willing too let players keep using them for a few more years. Yet, in the same respect, if a player accidentally moves his ball an 18th of an inch, he gets penalized. If it’s illegal, it’s illegal.
Christosterone
Aug 3, 2014 at 6:13 pm
And one more thing if you dont understand.
In 2013(which is last year if you are not aware)
Woods won:
PGA Player of the Year
PGA Tour Player of the Year
Vardon Trophy winner
Leading Money Winner(while playing less tourneys than anyone in the top 50 other than Stricker)
Fred
Aug 4, 2014 at 12:18 pm
It’s like Kyle said. And since you’re so adamant about it – prove it!
marty
Aug 3, 2014 at 2:53 pm
He should sit out the rest of this year and next year. Then join the senior tour.
Fred
Aug 4, 2014 at 12:19 pm
Marty: don’t think you can join the Senior tour until you’re fifty.
Robeli
Aug 4, 2014 at 4:28 pm
Well, it looks like his body of 50. 🙂
Double C
Aug 3, 2014 at 2:45 pm
Time to call Dr. Galea
Johnny thunders
Aug 3, 2014 at 2:38 pm
Stick a fork in him. He’s done.