841 replies to this topic

[Clears Cleaver]

Tiger misses a six footer to tied on the 18th hole. His game is pretty mediocre. Watney did not play well. I really don't think Tiger is going to win again. he still cannot move the ball right to left and his putting is atrocious.He is better than he was a year ago, but if you didn't know it was him, you'd think he was just an average tour pro.

[BigMike]

Tiger played much better today than he did yesterday, yesterday was just awful golf from both players. Neither Tiger nor Whatney were on fire today, but they both played quality golf all day

[Greg29fan]

Can't putt any more. Get a belly putter

[terrynever]

I don't even expect him to make those putts anymore. He's just another good player on the Tour with holes in his game. The shot into the green on 18 was vintage Tiger, though. But the short stick is where the nerves creep in. And that is his problem, and has been for the past year.

[Freddy Linn]

Tiger misses a six footer to tied on the 18th hole. His game is pretty mediocre. Watney did not play well. I really don't think Tiger is going to win again. he still cannot move the ball right to left and his putting is atrocious.He is better than he was a year ago, but if you didn't know it was him, you'd think he was just an average tour pro.

Does his win three events ago count?

He's favored to win the Masters.

[Freddy Linn]

Dustin Johnson and Snedeker are both 4 down on the front.

McIlroy, if he wins today, can get to the finals by playing these stalwarts:

Coetzee
Hansen
Jiminez (at 48)
Senden/Bae
Hanson/Wilson

[FL4WL3SS]

The putting has been atrocious all week, by everyone. Way too many misses inside 6 feet all week that should not be missed by professionals.

[Freddy Linn]

The putting has been atrocious all week, by everyone. Way too many misses inside 6 feet all week that should not be missed by professionals.

The green complexes are absolutely diabolical, and this is even after they had to blow some up:

They were concerned enough about the green contours that for Accenture, green speeds were braked somewhat from normal velocity, with the course playing to 9.5-10 on the Stimpmeter. During a combined grand opening, walkthrough and play of five holes on March 28, Nicklaus grudgingly acknowledged the greens renovation, but defended his basic approach in building complex putting surfaces for championship speeds and hole locations. He said “as far as these guys hit the golf ball today, you have to try to – your only defense of a golf course anymore is its greens.”

[FL4WL3SS]

Kind of explains why Tiger struggled so much on the greens this week. He's atrocious on slower greens.

[Freddy Linn]

Kind of explains why Tiger struggled so much on the greens this week. He's atrocious on slower greens.

Some evidence - most birdies in a round this week? David Toms.

You can't leave yourself four-footers on this course.

[cshea]

Some ugly golf going on in the early matches today. Kuchar looks like shit, Mahan is 3-up through 6 and has made all pars.

[Lupe Whalewatch]

Does Kuchar want to beat up Sir Nick Faldo??

[cshea]

Yeah, that was a really bizarre interview.

Early matches are basically over. Mahan beats Kuchar 6 &5 and Mark Wilson is about to finish off Peter Hanson on 15.

The 2 afternoon matches have been good, particularly Rory vs. Bae. This Bae kid can play, he's matched Rory shot for shot.

[johnmd20]

Pretty good day thus far. Westwood was up 3 after 4 and Rory stormed back on the next two holes, including hitting a 35-40 footer for birdie on a tough par 3 to get it to 1 Down.

Mahan is playing really well, unless something changes he should win in a walk.

I like the early start time, the low sun, the long shadows, it looked REALLY cool when it first started.

[Freddy Linn]

Mahan-Westwood would be a great final. They are playing the best golf, and Hunter could purge some of his demons from the Ryder Cup.

It will have a little Ryder Cup preview feel no matter what.

[cshea]

All Square in the prize fight. Rory seems to have the putter dialed in, but he's been erratic tee to green.

[johnmd20]

All Square in the prize fight. Rory seems to have the putter dialed in, but he's been erratic tee to green.

Man, what a turn in that match. Rory birdies 9 and takes the lead 1 up. Being down 3 after 4 and taking the lead at the end of 9 is amazing. Nearly impossible to do.

[cshea]

Lee hasn't even been playing that bad. Rory's just making shots right now.

[Freddy Linn]

Not giving Rory the short one on 5 might have been a huge mistake.

[cshea]

Wow, what a chip from Rory. Pressure's on Westwood big time right now.

Lee answers to halve the hole. Game on.

Edited by cshea, 26 February 2012 - 11:46 AM.

[johnmd20]

Wow, what a chip from Rory. Pressure's on Westwood big time right now.

Lee answers to halve the hole. Game on.

Rory wins 12, up 2 now. Westwood hasn't won a hole since 4.

[cshea]

Yeah, Lee's starting to break down. He can't get a putt to drop, and Rory's draining 25-30 footers on him.

Lee's making a mess of 13. Tee shot goes into some woman's shirt, and his second shot gets yanked into the desert. Meanwhile. Rory's got a look at eagle.This match could be over shortly.

[johnmd20]

Westwood hit a drive on 13 that landed in a woman's shirt. Seriously, in her shirt. Way better than the Mickelson shot that landed in a dude's shorts last week. The lady should have walked to the green.

Also, Westwood appears to have forgotten how to golf. Rory looking good, on the green in two, Westwood hitting 3 from 144 yards away.

[Lupe Whalewatch]

I could watch Rory swing a golf club all day.

A bunch of reachable par 5's, a couple reachable par 4's and some real tough par 3's...this is a great match play golf course.

[Lupe Whalewatch]

If he made that putt is it a shirtie??

[johnmd20]

Rory and Mahan in the final. I think that is an awesome matchup. Westwood has been choking since before McIlroy was born.

[Freddy Linn]

So far his biggest win is the ugly trophy...



Hopefully he can win the good-looking one:




For a while it was looking dicey, but this is a great final.

[cshea]

Rory and Mahan in the final. I think that is an awesome matchup. Westwood has been choking since before McIlroy was born.

Yeah, thankfully Rory won that match and will be in a position to take over the World #1 spot. Atleast Rory's got a major championship under his belt.

If Rory beats Mahan, he may not give up the #1 spot for a while.

[Freddy Linn]

That halve is more on Mahan's caddie than anyone. He has to know that Rory is going to have the ball in his hand and that 4 wins the hole 90% of the time.

[johnmd20]

Rory didn't give Mahan a putt right after Mahan gave Rory a putt that was longer. It was on the 3rd or 4th hole, not sure. Mahan hit the putt and they stayed tied.

Since then, Rory has been awful and Mahan has been completely locked in. Hunter up 4 with 8 holes to play. He almost holed out from 179 on the 10th but it was a tap in bird and Rory missed his birdie putt. In summary, if a guy gives you a putt and then you turn around make him hit a putt of the same distance, expect that guy to come storming back.

[cshea]

Chip in eagle on 12 gives Rory some life. He's running out of holes.

[Freddy Linn]

Wilson just locked up a spot on the Ryder Cup team, I imagine. Big win for both Americans.

[cshea]

Tiger goes birdie-birdie to finish up his second round at the Honda Classic, and likely save him from being cut. 7 shots off the lead right now, but that could easily swell to 10 depending on how the afternoon shakes out.

[Freddy Linn]

If you don't think putting is important, yesterday he hit 15 greens in regulation (second in the field) and shot 71 with 34 putts (second worst in the field). Today he hit 10 greens and shot 68 with 24 putts, which will likely be top five in the field.

[FL4WL3SS]

I feel like Tiger is real close. He just needs to be able to put the putting and ball striking together - his ball striking has been awesome.

[BigMike]

I feel like Tiger is real close. He just needs to be able to put the putting and ball striking together - his ball striking has been awesome.

Except for the times it hasn't been, like the final round in abu Dabi.

The problem is you can say that about a lot if not most of the guy on tour, when they put it all together they are awesome. Now admittedly Tiger may be closer to being consistent, but we'll see

[cshea]

Tiger is making a push today. -4 through 7 holes. It is likely too late, but if the weather picks up and the leaders falter a bit, he may have a chance if he can somehow post -9 or -10.

[Freddy Linn]

I think -9 might be good enough. Rory needed to birdie 3, since there are only two par 5's on the course.

Gillis uses graphite shafts in his irons (graphite core, steel fiber outside). So do Kuchar and Snedeker, two pretty good iron players..

[Bob Montgomery's Helmet Hat]

Rory has been playing with fire all day so far. Ultimately, it's going to catch up with him, as I doubt he can make 18 stressful pars.

[Bob Montgomery's Helmet Hat]

or maybe he can

[Greg29fan]

another birdie for Tiger and he's now 4 back

[johnmd20]

another birdie for Tiger and he's now 4 back

Justmissed another birdie, too, on the next hole. Solid day for him, -5 through 12.

[cshea]

Tiger birdie's the impossible 17th to get to -8. He's going to need Rory to implode through the bear trap, but an impressive round from Tiger.

[PayrodsFirstClutchHit]

If Tiger can get the putter working, he is going to win a bunch.

His irons have been solid for awhile now.

[Dave Stapleton]

Wow. And now he's got an incredibly makable eagle putt.

[johnmd20]

Tiger birdie's the impossible 17th to get to -8. He's going to need Rory to implode through the bear trap, but an impressive round from Tiger.

Pretty frickin' impressive 2nd shot on 18, too. As Payrod said, if he can get his putter to improve, he'll be back in the mix.

[cshea]

Money.

[Dave Stapleton]

And just like that he's one off the lead. What a round.

This sport is so much more interesting when Tiger is in the mix. Let's see if Rory can hang in there.

Edited by Dave Stapleton, 04 March 2012 - 04:11 PM.

[bostonbeerbelly]

That was one really impressive round.

[gtg807y]

Right down the middle.