British open

[bambam]

I suspect some of his driving problems related to his knee problems which started to develop after 2000. They seem to be related. As I stated last year, with his knee problems, his knee will never be normal.

His age aside, how impressive is it that Watson is playing as he is less than 10 months removed from hip replacement surgery?

Watson is an amazing player, period. You can play pretty well with a hip replacement. The medical studies on playing golf with hip and knee replacements were first done about 20 years ago, actually by me when I was a chief resident, with one of the attendings at Duke. Hip replacements do much better than knee replacements in terms of returning to high-level golf. Still, pretty remarkable.

[SQUACKEE]

Curious to get BAM's insight on Woods' monumental meltdown today. He was fine and in position through 7, then from 8 to 13 it's like he completely lost his game.

Tiger has only one weakness in his game - driving accuracy. He has not driven the ball well for accuracy since 2000. Whenever he doesn't win or play well he seems to blame it on his putting, which is unreal normally, and when he is off, it is only outstanding. But I think his problems usually relate to his driving wildly.

I suspect some of his driving problems related to his knee problems which started to develop after 2000. They seem to be related. As I stated last year, with his knee problems, his knee will never be normal. I suspect he is still affected by it to some degree and it affects his driving. At the British with its very penal bunkers and rough, when he drives it badly there is no chance of recovery as there usually is on American parkland courses.

I still wouldn't worry very much. He has still played well this year and is either the greatest ever or right there with Nicklaus and Hogan.

bam, golf is all about the short game. Tiger is one of the best putters ever. This is why he is great -- not because of his driving ability.

Putting is huge but if you are on in 3 on a par 4 cause went in the rough.....

[BillVol]

Curious to get BAM's insight on Woods' monumental meltdown today. He was fine and in position through 7, then from 8 to 13 it's like he completely lost his game.

Tiger has only one weakness in his game - driving accuracy. He has not driven the ball well for accuracy since 2000. Whenever he doesn't win or play well he seems to blame it on his putting, which is unreal normally, and when he is off, it is only outstanding. But I think his problems usually relate to his driving wildly.

I suspect some of his driving problems related to his knee problems which started to develop after 2000. They seem to be related. As I stated last year, with his knee problems, his knee will never be normal. I suspect he is still affected by it to some degree and it affects his driving. At the British with its very penal bunkers and rough, when he drives it badly there is no chance of recovery as there usually is on American parkland courses.

I still wouldn't worry very much. He has still played well this year and is either the greatest ever or right there with Nicklaus and Hogan.

bam, golf is all about the short game. Tiger is one of the best putters ever. This is why he is great -- not because of his driving ability.

[Speedfirst]

Tiger missed the cut?

There goes the weekend ratings.

His knee must've flared up...where's Trainer Phil :shock: :lol:

[guru]

Tiger missed the cut?

There goes the weekend ratings.

With 59 year old Tom Watson leading the tournament? Don't bet on it.

[TrackDaddy]

Tiger missed the cut?

There goes the weekend ratings.

[guru]

I suspect some of his driving problems related to his knee problems which started to develop after 2000. They seem to be related. As I stated last year, with his knee problems, his knee will never be normal.

His age aside, how impressive is it that Watson is playing as he is less than 10 months removed from hip replacement surgery?

[bambam]

Curious to get BAM's insight on Woods' monumental meltdown today. He was fine and in position through 7, then from 8 to 13 it's like he completely lost his game.

Tiger has only one weakness in his game - driving accuracy. He has not driven the ball well for accuracy since 2000. Whenever he doesn't win or play well he seems to blame it on his putting, which is unreal normally, and when he is off, it is only outstanding. But I think his problems usually relate to his driving wildly.

I suspect some of his driving problems related to his knee problems which started to develop after 2000. They seem to be related. As I stated last year, with his knee problems, his knee will never be normal. I suspect he is still affected by it to some degree and it affects his driving. At the British with its very penal bunkers and rough, when he drives it badly there is no chance of recovery as there usually is on American parkland courses.

I still wouldn't worry very much. He has still played well this year and is either the greatest ever or right there with Nicklaus and Hogan.

[Daisy]

bam, let's make a list of the players Jack had to face vs Tiger's opponents.

Arnold Palmer
Tom Watson
Tom Weiskopf
Johnny Miller
Lee Trevino
Greg Norman
Brian Theriot
Tom Kite
Ben Crenshaw
Gary Player
Ray Floyd
Seve Ballesteros
Hale Irwin

Who else for Jack?

Tiger -- Phil, Vijay, Els.

bam, you have to admit that there is NO comparing the two eras. Tom Watson is 59 and he's whooping up on these kids

He always seems to do well on the British links. Good to see him at the top again.

[guru]

Curious to get BAM's insight on Woods' monumental meltdown today. He was fine and in position through 7, then from 8 to 13 it's like he completely lost his game.

[bambam]

bam, let's make a list of the players Jack had to face vs Tiger's opponents.

Arnold Palmer
Tom Watson
Tom Weiskopf
Johnny Miller
Lee Trevino
Greg Norman
Tom Kite
Ben Crenshaw
Gary Player
Ray Floyd
Seve Ballesteros
Hale Irwin

Who else for Jack?

Tiger -- Phil, Vijay, Els.

bam, you have to admit that there is NO comparing the two eras. Tom Watson is 59 and he's whooping up on these kids. BTW, unlike Kenny Perry who choked at Augusta, Watson is a champion. He has that intangible. Watson can win this thing!

Look, I'm as much into historical comparisons and usually back up the older guys as much as anyone. I still think Ben Hogan is the greatest golfer ever. But much of your argument is flawed. Norman and Ballesteros never actually competed against Nicklaus when he was in his prime (1962-1980, 1986 is an aberration).

Of the others you mention, Palmer, Trevino, Player, and Watson are legitimate great, great players, among the greatest of all-time. Weiskopf has 1 major, Kite has 1 major, Crenshaw has 2 majors, Johnny Miller has 2 majors. Palmer won most of his majors before Nicklaus's ascendancy. Watson won the bulk of his as Nicklaus was winding down. Trevino and Player were concurrent with Nicklaus and were tremendous adversaries. But Tiger has Mickelson with 3 majors, Vijay has 3, Nick Price had 3, Retief Goosen has 2, Faldo (end of his career for Tiger) had 6, and he had a little bit of Norman at the end of his greatness. I think the only increased competition you could give Nicklaus would be Trevino and Player and some of the reason that Mickelson, Vijay, et. al. don't have more majors is how dominant Tiger has been. Its a chicken-and-egg argument? Are today's players less good because they can't win majors, or do they not win majors because Tiger is so good.

Remember, Tiger is usually chosen by the PGA Tour players each year as the most underrated player on tour, because the general public cannot actually appreciate his greatness unless you've played at that level.

[Marlow]

WOW! Tiger did miss the cut! Whoda thunk? Certainly not the bookies!

[BillVol]

bam, let's make a list of the players Jack had to face vs Tiger's opponents.

Arnold Palmer
Tom Watson
Tom Weiskopf
Johnny Miller
Lee Trevino
Greg Norman
Tom Kite
Ben Crenshaw
Gary Player
Ray Floyd
Seve Ballesteros
Hale Irwin

Who else for Jack?

Tiger -- Phil, Vijay, Els.

bam, you have to admit that there is NO comparing the two eras. Tom Watson is 59 and he's whooping up on these kids. BTW, unlike Kenny Perry who choked at Augusta, Watson is a champion. He has that intangible. Watson can win this thing!

[bambam]

Agree. Jack's win in '86 is one of the more overrated athletic feats.

Now, Tom Watson leading the Open after two rounds at age 59 is another story.

And Tiger is projected to miss the cut. Tiger will probably go on to break all the golf records. But how would he have done if he'd had to play when Nicklaus did? Jack said recently that he had to play against Palmer, Watson, so many other great ones. Who does Tiger have to compete against? Nobody. But as Jack said, shouldn't he break the records first before he is declared the best ever?

I would not call Phil Mickelson nobody. I don't think you guys realize how good Mickelson is because he "only" has 3 majors, but playing in the Tiger Era, that's not so bad. He a golf Hall of Famer for certain. Vijay Singh also is, and possibly Ernie Els although he appears to beyond his best now.

[SQUACKEE]

Ya got love Tom Watson and im rooting for him but i just dont see him holding up for 2 more days- god i hope im wrong. He's already shocked me.