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It seems that everybody folds when playing Tiger Woods. The mindset that he displays is incredible in match play. Just goes to show that it's not just physical talent.

Thanks for sharing!

time to take this off the blog

Alex,

Interesting to watch yesterday - Holmes spit the bit.

If it happens to Phil, it was "given" to him.

If it happens to Tiger, he "intimidated" them...

2under,

The latest absurdity these guys are spouting is that Woods might actually win every tournament and every match he enters this year.

They must surely realize that that will never happen, but they rant on as though there is a possibility that it might.

Alex,

I took a break from this site for awhile. Seems
like nothing has changed. I look down the headlines
on these blogs, and they all seem ridiculously
contrarian, for the sake of being ridiculously
contrarian. When I scan the titles and see that
Mr. McDonald believes the LPGA has more "guts" than
the PGA, it almost makes me laugh.

Maybe we should start our own blog.

2under,

Punter and others have a way of looking at practically the same set of circumstances surrounding Tiger in one event and Phil ion another, and arriving at two diametrically opposed conclusions.

If Tiger were to shoot a spectacular round on Friday and vaulted into a four-shot lead, something he has done many times, and then played somewhat cautios and safe golf to maintain his lead and eventually win the tournament, Punter et al would say that Tiger showed his class and his guts by holding safe his only pursuer. And this despite that pursuer making a whole string of unlikely putts AND scoring a hole-in-one. And they would be quite correct in that analysis.

But when Phil does exactly that, somehow according to these guys, Phil was lucky and undeserving.

Two weeks ago, when Phil made up four strokes in the final round to tie J.B.Holmes and get into a playoff, none of these fellows thought much of it.

When Phil lost in sudden death, these folks saw fit to say that Phil "choked" in the playoff, while saying nothing about J.B's spectacular birdies on eighteen, once in regulation and again in the playoff for the victory. But no matter. If Phil had won in that playoff, he would have been "lucky" according to Punter and the boys.

Alex USMC 1969-73 Semper Fideles

Punter,

How many tournaments has Tiger won, where he
hasn't necessarily done anything spectacular, yet
others "melt-down" around him? Plenty. It happened
at Dubai, just very recently. Did you watch Ernie melt
down? Yet we're not lambasting Tiger, are we?

Phil played his game. Quinney made some long putts
which kept him in the match. Anyone watching knew he
wouldn't be able to keep that up. Phil, I suspect, knoew
it as well.

He didn't have to do anything spectacular. Quinney did
all the work for him.

Surely you mean Jeff Quinney? Seems to me that Phil only missed two putts that he SHOULD have made - par putt on 15 and birdie putt on 8.

Tiger purring? You mean about how he could never get the job done at Riviera (which is probably why he doesn't play anymore).

Like he purred when Phil beat him in Boston.....BANG!

Tiger must have purred loudly as Mickelson's hammer missed the coffin-sealing nails on more than one occasion. Putts that The Woods makes to seal opponent's doom missed the hole entirely when struck by the Son of Mickel. Tiger truly is an endangered species, one that self-spawns once every three-four generations.

irresistible - I was laughing too much.

I'm sorry but this is just irrestable! I make a habit of scrawling through Last Comments and came across the above absolute beauty from Maureen. (Actually I think she may simply have googled McGinley and come up with your post). I am still clutching my sides. Please tell me it wasn't a spoof?!

Of course I then had to read your post,( which was great as usual, although as you know we Brits don't usually do compliments). 10-2 to USA in the Singles, hmmm. Almost completely the reverse of course. Even my predictions were closer.

Much appreciated Dawg, and don't let that Ron Mon put you off (though he's right of course!)

I disagree, Dawg. I don't believe that it Riviera evaluates great talent. If you go to this URL (http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/r007/winners.html) and look at the list, the only multiple-major winner over the last quarter century is Nick Faldo in 1997. Jack Nicklaus never won at Riviera. Why can't Mickelson run away from anyone? He lost to J.B. in a playoff, and had ample opportunity to separate himself from Quinney today (round 3), yet failed.

IMHO this is one of the most enjoyable reads on the day to day happenings of any event on the PGA Tour. If Mickelson plays well on this "ball-strikers" course, he can play well anywhere.

And yet many object to the new cut rule. Speed up, play better or ship out. Can't remember the last time I didn't play in the flaming wind. A bitter easterly this morning. Sorry if I sound bitter - still thawing out, but still round in under 4 hours, thank goodness.

Yes Jake, of course they halted because of darkness, but why did it take them so long that they couldn't finish before it got dark?These things are supposed to be organised so that rounds are completed on the day they are started - otherwise it's unfair on those caught out at the end of the day, like the unfortunate Dustin Johnson who I see is 2 over half way through his second (morning) round, having first had to get up at the crack of dawn to finish three holes from yesterday. The only thing I can think of that slowed them up so much was the windy conditions. If they'd just been dawdling surely they would have been put on the clock.

The missed cut 2 weeks ago was disconcerting and reason enough to pass on him this week. But the form of 4-5 years ago was not the same golfer of the past 2 years Back then he couldn't find the fairway with a compass and Riviera is not the place for a wild driver. Also, some of that time he even didn't have a Tour card.

You said before nightfall?? I'm pretty sure they halted play because of darkness? The tour wouldn't halt it because of wind.