2024 PGA Championship (1 Viewer)

[RJ in Lafayette]

My feelings about Tiger are those of Madmarsha. He historically remains one of the two greatest and most impactful golfers of all time. And when he was younger, he was the best golfer who ever played. He was a child prodigy who exceeded expectations and who at a young age saw incredible success and made hundreds of millions. But there was an arrogance that Tiger intentionally exhibited that I personally did not like, especially in golf. It worked--he intimidated others on the tour. But I liked the image--perhaps the illusion--that golf was different was other sports.

Tiger is only 48. At 50, Phil Mickelson won the PGA, and at 46, Jack Nicklaus won the Masters. But Tiger has the orthopedic profile of an old NFL offensive lineman, with four back surgeries and surgery for a severely broken leg he sustained in a car accident.

His story is Greek tragedy. He experienced public humiliation but survived and seems a better person as a result. His presence at a tournament still draws crowds and TV cameras.

 

[Bill]

My feelings about Tiger are those of Madmarsha. He historically remains one of the two greatest and most impactful golfers of all time. And when he was younger, he was the best golfer who ever played. He was a child prodigy who exceeded expectations and who at a young age saw incredible success and made hundreds of millions. But there was an arrogance that Tiger intentionally exhibited that I personally did not like, especially in golf. It worked--he intimidated others on the tour. But I liked the image--perhaps the illusion--that golf was different was other sports.

Tiger is only 48. At 50, Phil Mickelson won the PGA, and at 46, Jack Nicklaus won the Masters. But Tiger has the orthopedic profile of an old NFL offensive lineman, with four back surgeries and surgery for a severely broken leg he sustained in a car accident.

His story is Greek tragedy. He experienced public humiliation but survived and seems a better person as a result. His presence at a tournament still draws crowds and TV cameras.

Tiger didn't just make a name for himself in the game of golf... he put golf on the map in ways that it had never been before. He not only exposed the game to a segment of the population that would never have given the sport a second look, but the heightened interest in the game forced sponsors to shell out big bucks to be involved with the game. The total purses went from 6 figures to 8 figures as viewership increased tenfold.

Tiger was the first golfer to exceed $10 million in tour earnings in a single year. (While making over 10 times that amount in endorsements each season.) Players who were once struggling to earn enough to remain in the sport were now making a decent living even if they had never won a tournament. Before long a player who simply finishes in 40th place at a signature event earns more money for that week than most of us make in an entire year!

I know that it bruises some egos on the tour that Tiger still gets a lion's share of TV coverage when he clearly won't be playing winning golf anymore. But every golfer on the tour should not only thank Woods for his contribution to the game, but perhaps even cut him 5% of their purse money for making their job so lucrative.

 

[Madmarsha]

Tiger didn't just make a name for himself in the game of golf... he put golf on the map in ways that it had never been before.

I was gonna disagree with you and say that golf HAD been on the map before, but you're right, not like he did it. It exploded with Tiger and then it became ALL about Tiger. And that's what I didn't like about it. I like an underdog and Tiger was just a .... oh, I think I used to call him an automation. You know, no soul, wasn't doing it for the "love of the game". But it wasn't fair for me to hold anything against him when the media was all, Yeah, that guy's got the lead BUT WHERE'S TIGER? I don't think he ever meant for it to be like that, he was just all business for himself and that's what you need to do, he just did it better than anyone ever had. He became a rock star and made golf sexy and not about older, out-of-shape white guys with polyester slacks.

 

[Bill]

I was gonna disagree with you and say that golf HAD been on the map before, but you're right, not like he did it. It exploded with Tiger and then it became ALL about Tiger. And that's what I didn't like about it. I like an underdog and Tiger was just a .... oh, I think I used to call him an automation. You know, no soul, wasn't doing it for the "love of the game". But it wasn't fair for me to hold anything against him when the media was all, Yeah, that guy's got the lead BUT WHERE'S TIGER? I don't think he ever meant for it to be like that, he was just all business for himself and that's what you need to do, he just did it better than anyone ever had. He became a rock star and made golf sexy and not about older, out-of-shape white guys with polyester slacks.

The tour's main job is to promote the game to the point that people want to see the big dogs eat. It's the same with the NFL. The league has a love affair with every pseudo-dynasty and every marquee player. The household names like Brady, Mahomes, Rodgers, etc got that way because their success was promoted by the NFL and the sponsoring networks as 'must-see-TV'. More viewers mean higher contracts for TV broadcast rights. And these highly touted players want to be rewarded handsomely for their contribution. Of course it's hard for such scrutiny and attention not to affect a professional athlete... even if it's just to avoid the fans and media as much as possible. I can only imagine how hard it can be for them to enjoy themselves in public settings. Some fans can go from 'zero-to-aggravating' very quickly.

I'm a diehard golf fan mostly due to being an avid golfer myself. I would have watched most of the tournaments even if there had never been a Tiger Woods. But I fully expect that every time a young golfer begins to show some of the amazing skills that Eldrick displayed in the early part of his career, the tour and the network will start to promote him as the 'next Tiger Woods'. It happened with Sergio, it happened with Rory, it happened with Thomas, it happened with Spieth, and it happened with Rahm as well. And if you are a true golf fan, get ready to see wall-to-wall coverage of Scottie Scheffler for as long as he is enjoying the incredible level of success that he has been demonstrating the last few seasons. But frankly, he has quite a ways to go before he can approach Tiger Woods' level of golf greatness.

 

[RJ in Lafayette]

I need apparently to offer a clarification. In my first post, I said that though the police had booked Scheffler on four criminal offenses, no formal charges had been filed. However, I am reading that an arraignment is set for Tuesday. If true, I have no idea how the criminal justice system in Kentucky works. Normally, the police make an arrest. The district attorney then screens the case to determine whether formal charges should be filed and, if so, what charges should be filed. The screening usually takes some time--it is not done on a Friday afternoon. If charges are formally brought, the district attorney usually files a bill of information, after which there is an arraignment when the defendant largely pleads guilty or not guilty and some scheduling takes place.

Again, I can't believe Scheffler intentionally blew off a police officer directing traffic, much less intentionally tried to injure one. It sounds as though the scene was chaotic, which to some extent falls on the police department.

 

[Madmarsha]

I'm a diehard golf fan mostly due to being an avid golfer myself. I would have watched most of the tournaments even if there had never been a Tiger Woods.

Same with my husband and he mos def wasn't watching cos of Tiger (he's a diehard Golden Bear fan) but he didn't complain about him like I did.

 

[Saintman2884]

When he crashed and burned in his personal life, a lot of his game went as well. I don’t have golf heroes or role models, so I don’t get involved in all the news/stories about golfers outside of what happens on the golf course. It’s a shame when any golfer loses his playing edge due to the issues in their personal life.

Bill, in terms of his failed marriage to Nordgren and the publicity-laden tabloid disaster slow-burn train wreck that unfolded with the painful, shameful details that emerged in 2009, plus the numerous, seemingly endless infedilities, his recurrent substance abuse issues which finally lead him to that near-fatal wreck in 2021, ironically to meet up with Drew Brees to have a private celebrity golf game, in L.A. he's got no one to blame but himself.

And, IMHO, its a forking, bullshirt shame because even despite these deep flaws, his presence, focus, iron-clad determination, killer instinct to win and dominate PGA Tours, winning all those Master's and bringing some well-needed positive, fresh publicity to professional golf, it was a revelation, a professional golfer with the following of a rock star, the Tom Brady of PGA Golf, easily. People will still discuss and debate his contributions decades from now in almost mythical terms. And yet...

From 1997-2008, that was Woods' golden period and then it gradually, then systematically began crumbling and falling apart, until we're left with a hollow, broken-down shell of a once-great, legendary American sportsman. That's also an inescapable part of his overall legacy, too and damn it, it didnt have to be that way, Bill.

 

[Madmarsha]

Tiger is only 48. At 50, Phil Mickelson won the PGA, and at 46, Jack Nicklaus won the Masters. But Tiger has the orthopedic profile of an old NFL offensive lineman, with four back surgeries and surgery for a severely broken leg he sustained in a car accident.

His story is Greek tragedy. He experienced public humiliation but survived and seems a better person as a result. His presence at a tournament still draws crowds and TV cameras.

Indeed, with his training regimen, which was perhaps unlike any other golfer before him, the physical specimen he was portended the promise of longevity and perhaps still winning majors in his 60s. Twas not to be but he's still out there doing it and I'm almost .. almost .. rooting for him now!!

 

[Wisco Steve]

Indeed, with his training regimen, which was perhaps unlike any other golfer before him, the physical specimen he was portended the promise of longevity and perhaps still winning majors in his 60s. Twas not to be but he's still out there doing it and I'm almost .. almost .. rooting for him now!!

Yeah it was definitely 'unlike' any golfer before...he was (imo) juicing his arse off and his body has been paying the price for awhile now.

 

[Madmarsha]

From 1997-2008, that was Woods' golden period and then it gradually, then systematically began crumbling and falling apart, until we're left with a hollow, broken-down shell of a once-great, legendary American sportsman. That's also an inescapable part of his overall legacy, too and damn it, it didnt have to be that way, Bill.

I guess I'm agreeing with you here. I've already said I'm not a Tiger fan, but I don't really want to beat on him too bad. But while I do think his success did a lot to engender a lot of new fans to the sport in an overall positive way, I'm hard pressed to say it's done a lot to enrich his life besides literally enriching his life.

 

[Madmarsha]

Yeah it was definitely 'unlike' any golfer before...he was (imo) juicing his arse off and his body has been paying the price for awhile now.

Ohhhhh, I forgot about all that. So is it okay to totally hate Tiger? Cos I can do that.

 

[Bill]

Bill, in terms of his failed marriage to Nordgren and the publicity-laden tabloid disaster slow-burn train wreck that unfolded with the painful, shameful details that emerged in 2009, plus the numerous, seemingly endless infedilities, his recurrent substance abuse issues which finally lead him to that near-fatal wreck in 2021, ironically to meet up with Drew Brees to have a private celebrity golf game, in L.A. he's got no one to blame but himself.

And, IMHO, its a forking, bullshirt shame because even despite these deep flaws, his presence, focus, iron-clad determination, killer instinct to win and dominate PGA Tours, winning all those Master's and bringing some well-needed positive, fresh publicity to professional golf, it was a revelation, a professional golfer with the following of a rock star, the Tom Brady of PGA Golf, easily. People will still discuss and debate his contributions decades from now in almost mythical terms. And yet...

From 1997-2008, that was Woods' golden period and then it gradually, then systematically began crumbling and falling apart, until we're left with a hollow, broken-down shell of a once-great, legendary American sportsman. That's also an inescapable part of his overall legacy, too and damn it, it didnt have to be that way, Bill.

I totally agree with you here. I’m undeniably mad at Tiger Woods for taking away from me the ability to observe in my lifetime the undisputed king of golf in every noteworthy category & statistic that has ever been archived. Tiger totally destroyed his ability to hold that distinction simply due to character flaws. At the moment he won the U.S. Open playoff against Rocco Mediate in 2008 (with a broken leg!) it seemed that nothing could stop him from owning every prestigious record available in the game.

No, it didn’t have to be that way. And nothing would have made (most) true golf fans happier than to watch Tiger perform his magic for at least another decade without all the self inflicted drama that ultimately led to his golfing demise.

I don’t know Mr Woods and I certainly can’t say where his level of regret stands at this point in his life. But I’m sure that he’d be lying if he ever said (publicly or privately) that if he had to do it all again… he wouldn’t change a thing. Hopefully he has learned things that makes him a better man inside. But none of his antics has made him a better man on the golf course. And as a golf fan, that’s what I care about the most.

 

[Bill]

Indeed, with his training regimen, which was perhaps unlike any other golfer before him, the physical specimen he was portended the promise of longevity and perhaps still winning majors in his 60s. Twas not to be but he's still out there doing it and I'm almost .. almost .. rooting for him now!!

Interesting that you mentioned this.
Prior to Woods arrival on the tour, few golfers made physical dominance the hallmark of their game. Tiger was the one who proved that it took more than yardage precision and short game touch to conquer courses that humbled most other mortals.

Soon his golfing competitors knew they would have to become gym rats as well in order to reach the plateau that Tiger had discovered. These days if a player isn’t working on his body as much as his game, it’s unlikely that his name is on the leaderboard much.

 

[texasjefe]

How's the Bonesaw Classic going this week? I see Scheffler leads all other golfers in felonies.

 

[Madmarsha]

No body cam.

No body cam footage of Scottie Scheffler's arrest, Mayor Greenberg says

The mayor said other footage shot from another angle will be released in the coming days.

www.courier-journal.com