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Players Championship: Has Tiger Woods lost his mojo?

Sunday May 10, 2009 | 07:20:48 pm 347 words, 3513 views  

At best, Tiger Woods was playing with his “C” game this week at The Players Championship at the TPC at Sawgrass. Nonetheless, somehow it was good enough to get him into the final pairing with Alex Cejka on Sunday.

And when Woods is in the final group, you expect him to make a charge, especially in a big event like The Players, which many players consider a “fifth major.” You always get the feeling that Tiger can turn it on at will.

Guess what? Apparently he can’t. He really isn’t super human.

Today, it was Henrik Stenson who played the Superman role. Starting five shots off the lead set by Cejka after three rounds, Stenson shot an incredible bogey-free 66 in a dried-out fast golf course and blew by Cejka and Woods. And he didn’t have to undress to do it (see this year’s WGC-CA Championship at Doral).

Although Cejka’s collapse was monumental (final round 79), it wasn’t shocking. But for Woods to shoot 73 and bow out of contention early was pretty surprising. As Johnny Miller said toward the end of the broadcast, Woods is no longer “making it look easy,” which is what we had come to expect over the years.

You can’t help but wonder how much effect the layoff from knee surgery is still having? Are other players merely stepping up? Will Hank Haney be able to help him? Are we sure Woods will indeed eclipse Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 majors. Not long ago, that was certainly a given.

Woods is only four off the record, but there really is no guarantee he will ever win another major, much less four or five.

Woods obviously has plenty of career left, and he will not fall off the map like David Duval, but a lot of things have to go right to win majors. Woods has clearly been much better than everyone else in the world, but that gap could be closing.

My guess is he will get a few more majors and the record, but it might not come as quickly as we thought it would.

Permalink 4 comments

Comments, Pingbacks:

Comment from: Marks [Visitor]
Without winning the TPC is previous years, Tiger has won plenty on Tour after the failures. Knee surgery recovery and time off has more speculating. Look at Mickelson and rest of the Tiger chasers, they failed worse, they were healthy. Stenson now is a Tiger chaser this season.

Gap is closing, not really. Just more variety of winners.

The TPC is a Tiger Tamer because he makes it that way. I know why. The overly self importance of that "5th Major" to be relevant.

The island 17th is a gimmick. Waste areas in previous years are sand traps now. Every ball has a chance, isn't a Major test. One of the Par 5's had three holes in one? Really flat green on that hole. I don't think it equals the other Major tournaments in course design.

Tiger's mental imagining previous locations where he won is one part of his ability. He hasn't won there on the TPC enough to retain many good memories. His swing is off now, but he's not failing and getting worse. Anyone else that far off in driving direction misses the cut. He's in the top 10 this week.

Tiger is not a top 10 player, cashing that check, he wants to the best.

The US Open is at Bethpage Black where he's won before is the next Major.


He won't win another Masters until it's at the end of winning the US Open, British Open and PGA again. When he held all four Major titles that way, he's mentally wanting that ride of success again.

When that will happen this season, I don't know, but that's his goal to make it occur again.

PermalinkPermalink 05/10/09 @ 23:19
Comment from: John D [Visitor]
Ah, it was a great Sunday. Probably one of the finest in a while. Tigger losing and Gary McFarce was not in the announcement booth.

It doesn't get any better than that.
PermalinkPermalink 05/11/09 @ 07:47
Comment from: DSIMPSON [Visitor]
This great game we call golf yet again proved there is no master. Yes, Tiger is the best player of this generation, without question. There are many very talented players as well. For Tiger to break Jack's major record, he will have to win approximately ten percent of the majors he plays in and that means not missing a major in the next 10-12 years !!!! I think that makes it sound less likely that Tiger will break Jack's record after all !!!!
PermalinkPermalink 05/12/09 @ 11:05
Comment from: OverTheTopGolf [Visitor]
Regarding the Player's Championship, none of the writers would dare say it but you have to remember that it was played on a Pete Dye course and if you have ever played on one of Pete's monstrosities you know that there was also a lot of luck involved in winning.

Frankie C from OverTheTopGolf
PermalinkPermalink 05/16/09 @ 10:02

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The Accidental Golfer The Accidental Golfer

The Accidental Golfer (AKA Mike Bailey) has spent more than 15 years writing about the game that has brought him unbridled joy and temporary bouts of insanity. Now on staff at WorldGolf.com, Bailey is a former senior editor for PGA Magazine, senior writer for Golfweek's SuperNEWS and Turfnet magazines and past president of the Texas Golf Writers Association. He has covered every facet of golf, including the PGA and LPGA Tours, equipment and course architecture, as well as the bane of his golfing existence: instruction. The last has led to at least 30 different golf swings, which all feel different but appear to his playing companions to be the same.