May
10
Can Butch Harmon checkmate Tiger Woods using Phil Mickelson?
Do you think Butch Harmon was bitter when given the “heave-ho” by Tiger Woods? Current teaching professional Hank Haney claimed, “those other instructors never wanted to give us a chance. The result was never going to make them look better.”
Now that Harmon has picked up Phil Mickelson as a student, could he be grooming Lefty for a win at this year’s Players Championship? It’s always been known as the PGA Tour’s “fifth major” and the players consider this event one of the most important of the season, hence the name.
If Haney is correct, then Harmon’s interest lies in using Mickelson to surpass Woods in the battle of the PGA heavyweights. Of course both Harmon and Mickelson are interested in the same thing; that is making Phil the best golfer in the world and claiming the season-ending FedEx Cup.
Harmon’s resume would get a boost and Mickelson would gain the place in history that he probably feels was taken from him because of Tiger Woods’ exceptional ability.
Lefty has two third place finishes since Butch Harmon became his coach and his driving accuracy has improved. If this is any indication of his future prowess, then it might be Mickelson’s year to shine.
9 comments
Comment from: Oliver Sudden [Visitor] 
I think it's quite possible Harmon could make Phil #1. I have always believed and always will believe Tiger made a big mistake when he fired Harmon ( supposedly because Harmon was using his relationship with Woods to make money, same reason he fired Mike Cowen ). I don't care how many tournaments Tiger wins it is obvious he is not as good now as he was under Harmon. I think Butch is a genius golf instructor.
2007-05-10 @ 23:04
Comment from: fianchetto [Visitor]
Tiger is not Tiger because of Harmon!, that should
be clear since 2005. These tired arguments always
come out of the woodworks whenever Woods
has a bad round or Mickelson does well in an
event. Tiger is a fighter and this argument will be
settled, he is far too consistent and talented to
be ruffled by Mickelson. Just rewrite these
arguments at the end of the year. I am pretty sure
that for the next 3 years, the gap will in fact
widen and the arguments will be Tiger vs Nicklaus
rather than dumbed down arguments of Tiger vs
Mickelson. Of course Mickelson is talented to win
more majors and tournaments but he will win at a
lower rate than Tiger and the limelight seeker
Harmon will be where he deserves to be in the
background.
be clear since 2005. These tired arguments always
come out of the woodworks whenever Woods
has a bad round or Mickelson does well in an
event. Tiger is a fighter and this argument will be
settled, he is far too consistent and talented to
be ruffled by Mickelson. Just rewrite these
arguments at the end of the year. I am pretty sure
that for the next 3 years, the gap will in fact
widen and the arguments will be Tiger vs Nicklaus
rather than dumbed down arguments of Tiger vs
Mickelson. Of course Mickelson is talented to win
more majors and tournaments but he will win at a
lower rate than Tiger and the limelight seeker
Harmon will be where he deserves to be in the
background.
2007-05-11 @ 03:19
Comment from: Stats [Visitor]
Oh for gosh sakes - look at Tigers stats in the past year, and compare them to the 2000 run. He's much better today than in any other period in his career. Plus, with the amazing club and ball technology being used by the pros - you just have to marvel what Tiger's done, and continues to do. Lefty is streaky, and doesn't have the mental power. Tiger is the whole package.
2007-05-11 @ 20:20
Comment from: Johneli [Visitor]
I'm as frenzied a Tiger Wood's fan as exists, but I
see a problem looming for him. Butch Harman guided
Lefty to victory Sunday by making Phil realize that
golf tournaments are won from the fairway. The first
thing Butch did was to use Lefty's "natural" swing to
ensure hitting fairways; even if it meant starting
the ball over the water and carving it back into
the fairway. Of late Tiger just cannot hit fairways.
This really troubles me. He is still able to win
because he is the all time world's best at
extricating himself from trouble. But if Lefty
keeps doing what he did Sunday (now he is #2 ahead
of Furyk) he will start getting beat by Mickelson
on a regular basis. I say, if not Butch, another
coach who can keep Tiger on the fairways.
see a problem looming for him. Butch Harman guided
Lefty to victory Sunday by making Phil realize that
golf tournaments are won from the fairway. The first
thing Butch did was to use Lefty's "natural" swing to
ensure hitting fairways; even if it meant starting
the ball over the water and carving it back into
the fairway. Of late Tiger just cannot hit fairways.
This really troubles me. He is still able to win
because he is the all time world's best at
extricating himself from trouble. But if Lefty
keeps doing what he did Sunday (now he is #2 ahead
of Furyk) he will start getting beat by Mickelson
on a regular basis. I say, if not Butch, another
coach who can keep Tiger on the fairways.
2007-05-14 @ 08:38
Comment from: JPadgett [Visitor]
What unit did Butch serve with in Vietnam? Sounds like he saw a great of action during his 6 month tour.
2007-05-14 @ 14:06
I think Phil will have a great run this summer - and while he may not officially become #1 -- there will finally be an argument who the best might be? Not historically -- there's too much for Phil to catch up...but for right here and right now
2007-05-14 @ 18:29
Comment from: FIANCHETTO [Visitor]
Right here, right now, it will be clear that golf
is not a question of swing coaches. When what Tiger
has been developing with Haney comes together as
the glimpses we have seen in WGC last year
, plus crucially he settles
back to his putting skills, the results will be
clear. Mental toughness, genius, grit, clear thinking
at crucial moments and will to win are ingredients
that create legends. Phil has worked hard and must
be congratulated for the package of his choices,
but I believe Phil will finally provide an
opportunity for the world to realise the genius and
champion spirit of Tiger Woods. As things stand, Phil
has only equalled VJ and there is no hyperbole or
hyper inflated expectations on VJ
As a TW fan, I am
really looking forward to the summer with the
PM threat
that has been so quickly factored in, with the
erroneous
assumption that Tiger is static. Tiger is a competitor
and he loves this threat. And Tiger is Tiger because
of Earl not because of Butch.
is not a question of swing coaches. When what Tiger
has been developing with Haney comes together as
the glimpses we have seen in WGC last year
, plus crucially he settles
back to his putting skills, the results will be
clear. Mental toughness, genius, grit, clear thinking
at crucial moments and will to win are ingredients
that create legends. Phil has worked hard and must
be congratulated for the package of his choices,
but I believe Phil will finally provide an
opportunity for the world to realise the genius and
champion spirit of Tiger Woods. As things stand, Phil
has only equalled VJ and there is no hyperbole or
hyper inflated expectations on VJ
As a TW fan, I am
really looking forward to the summer with the
PM threat
that has been so quickly factored in, with the
erroneous
assumption that Tiger is static. Tiger is a competitor
and he loves this threat. And Tiger is Tiger because
of Earl not because of Butch.
2007-05-20 @ 06:50
Comment from: Fianchetto [Visitor]
To true, Fianchetto. Tiger will always be in contension. If you ask me, Phil really needs to tighten up his swing a bit. He needs to turn his "bad" shots into OK shots. He's always been a "swinger" of the golf club-- but he needs to tigheten up, just like Tiger. When Tiger has an off day, his shots are close enough to where he can get them up and down-- that's part of the reason Tiger can still score on and off day.
2007-06-02 @ 16:54
Former coach Butch Harmon believes Tiger Woods' heroics in winning last year's U.S. Open while seriously injured may have hurt his chances of overhauling Jack Nicklaus' record 18 Major titles.
"We hope that what he did by playing at the U.S. Open with a broken bone and a problem with the cartilage in his knee, we hope that doesn't take away his chances to win it (the record), but we don't know," Harmon said in an interview.
"We hope that what he did by playing at the U.S. Open with a broken bone and a problem with the cartilage in his knee, we hope that doesn't take away his chances to win it (the record), but we don't know," Harmon said in an interview.
2009-02-28 @ 13:28
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