Tiger wins another Major - US Open 2002 (1 Viewer)

[Scott Merryfield]

Golf's living legends certainly do not think much of Tiger's competition:
http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/story?id=1396374

 

[MickeS]

Interesting article, Scott, and I think there's a lot of truth in what they're saying.
Look at the PGA Tour Money Leader list, for example. The 100th ranked player on the US tour has made $306,773 so far this year. I bet several of the golfers on the 100-150 ranking are perfectly happy travelling around the country making a few hundred thousand dollars a years for finishing relatively mediocre (compared to the other players, of course).
Another thing about Tiger, it really bothers me that he plays so few tournaments. I don't have any stats to back it up, but I bet Jack played more tournaments every year than Tiger does.
/Mike

 

[Jeremiah]

IMO the people using the "no competition" argument for a reason Tiger is not on par with Jack doesn't realize what kind of player Tiger Woods is. Tiger would thrive and I mean thrive on a rival that would push him to his limits and to think otherwise is just not realizing the type of player Tiger is.

Remember Tiger and Bob Mays epic battle? That was some of the greatest golf anyone has ever seen.

IMO Tiger is already the greatest golfer who has ever played the game and in time he will surpass Jack's Major total. Tiger has 8(!!) now and has won 7 of the last 11, who's to say he will not when the next 10 of 15? Tiger's game has matured and so has he and it is not surprising that he has won 7 of 11 since then.

Also, Tiger holds the record score for EVERY Major, every one(that's unreal).

I think some of the old timers are jealous of Tiger and will not give him his just do.

Tiger will also get a Grand Slam before his career is done and he might get it this year.

 

[Drew Bethel]

>>>>Besides Woods, Nicklaus sees no disciplined players

 

[Robert Crawford]

He plays in the ones that count the most which include the majors, tournaments just below the majors and tournaments run by some of the greatest golfers of all-time. With the money being paid out today along with his endorsements, why should he play in as many tournaments as Jack? Tiger shows up enough for any of his competitors to take their shot at him.




Crawdaddy

 

[Patrick Sun]

I think the rest of the field is glad Tiger doesn't play in every single tournament...
Tiger's main objective is to win every Major championship that he plays in, and he puts himself in position to do just that with careful selection of non-Major tournaments that he uses as tune-ups for the Majors.

 

[Greg Sarlo]

All of the scoring records are a direct reflection on the equipment technology.

When Jack came on the scene, he was hitting it 50 yards by everyone, just like Tiger. Problem is, after his monster persimmon headed drive, he was still left with a middle iron to the pin. Now, the players hit sand wedge and 9 iron most of the time.

I remember though, in 1972 in Akron Ohio at Firestone. My dad took me to see the then Akron open. We followed Jack that day and stepped off one drive at ~350 yards, so it could still be done then as it is today. By the way, Have any of you guys ever hit a circa 1970's iron? It ain't nothing like we have today.

"Remember Tiger and Bob Mays epic battle? That was some of the greatest golf anyone has ever seen."

Tiger Woods and who? Greatest golf? It was good, but I guess you haven't been around long. An epic battle is when two titans at the top of their game collide. This wasn't it.
Alas, I guess David and Goliath was an epic battle...

If any of you are comparing the likes of Mikelson, Els, Duval or the rest with Player, Palmer, Watson and Trevino then I guess your not really a golf fan or are too young to remember.

I believe Tiger may end up being the greatest golfer of all time. He was bred to do it. Time will tell.

Currently, he's not even close.

 

[Jeremiah]

Greg, your bias against Tiger is ridiculous to say the least.

Tiger has the record for every Major, you can try and put that down but that is an incredible feat.

All you can come up with to describe Tiger Woods against Bob May in the PGA Championship is "it was good". Your out of your mind if you didn't think that was awesome. I don't care if Bob May was a nobody, when you are tied with your opponent holding the RECORD score for that Major you are playing some unbelievable golf. Period. The shots those 2 were making were not just "good" they were outstanding. On that day Bob May was playing probably as good as anyone and I don't care if he turned into a pumpkin the following day when it counted they put on a show.

I guess it doesn't matter how great a person played in a major unless his name is Palmer or Player etc. right? I am willing to bet you didn't even see that match.

Like I said, Tiger would thrive if he had a competent rival and to think otherwise suggest you don't know the type of player he is. So the talk about no competition doesn't fly with me.

How can you sit there and say Tiger Woods isn't even close to Jack? What is holding him back?

 

[Greg Sarlo]

Time is holding him back. Tiger is undoubtedly the most talented ball striker I've ever seen. His competitiveness is second to none.

Time will tell if he's the best professional golfer of all time.

Jeremiah, you keep forgetting about the technology advantages. You can never quantify one era to the next through raw numbers. Scoring records are meaningless.

The Bob May/Tiger PGA was some of the most exciting golf I've seen in some time. But it wasn't Jack/Tom at the Open or Jack/Tom at the British in my mind. The magnitude of those earlier championships due to the mere presence of the competitors dwarves what we are seeing today. By the way, Jack lost both of those championships.

And yes, I watch more golf than I care to admit. I do have the Golf Channel, you know.

Here's a few of jack's records for you to ponder. Mind you, they ARE records. When Tiger gets there, Let me know!

Selected PGA TOUR Records
Most Major Championship Victories (Masters, U.S. Open, British Open, PGA, U.S. Amateur) 20 - Total
6 - Masters
5 - PGA Championships
4 - U.S. Open
3 - British Open
2 - U.S. Amateur
Most Masters Victories 6
Most U.S. Open Victories 4
Most PGA Championship Victories 5 (tied with Walter Hagen)
Most World Series of Golf Victories (old and new format combined) 5
Most Tournament of Champions Victories 5
Most Players Championship Victories 3
Most Memorial Tournament Victories 2 (tied with Hale Irwin, Greg Norman and Tom Watson)
Most birdies in a row to win PGA Tour event 5, Jackie Gleason Inverarry Classic, 1978 (last five holes)
Most consecutive years winning at least one tournament 17, 1962-78 (tied with Arnold Palmer)
Most consecutive years, top-10 money list 17, 1962-78
Most years No. 1 on final money standings 8

 

[Drew Bethel]

>>> Here's a few of jack's records for you to ponder. Mind you, they ARE records. When Tiger gets there, Let me know!

 

[Reginald Trent]

And how many years did it take Jack to accomplish those feats? And how long has Tiger been on the professional tour?

 

[Greg Sarlo]

"Right. Funny I don't see a record of winning 4 consecutive majors?"
Right, because Tiger never had someone with the talent under pressure to chip in on 17 and bury him! Now you're getting it

 

[Greg Sarlo]

So you guys are ready to hand Tiger the "Greatest Ever" award and he's only 26 with a mere 8 majors?

What if he falls off the face of the earth tomorrow?

Is he still the greatest? Better than Nicklaus, Jones, Hogan...That's pretty stiff company IMO.

 

[Drew Bethel]

Tiger is only 26...

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Most PGA TOUR Wins In One Year

Player Year # of Wins
Byron Nelson 1945 18
Ben Hogan 1946 13
Sam Snead 1950 11
Ben Hogan 1948 10
Paul Runyan 1933 9
Gene Sarazen 1930 9
Tiger Woods 2000 9
Horton Smith 1929 8
Gene Sarazen 1930 8
Sam Snead 1938 8
Byron Nelson 1944 8
Arnold Palmer 1960 8
Johnny Miller 1974 8
Tiger Woods 1999 8

WHERE IS JACK?
====================================
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Most Consecutive PGA TOUR Wins


Player Year # of Wins
Byron Nelson 1945 11
Ben Hogan 1948 6
Tiger Woods 1999-2000 6

WHERE IS JACK?
=====================================
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Most PGA TOUR Wins in Two Consecutive Years


Player Year # of Wins
Byron Nelson 1944-45 26
Ben Hogan 1946-47 20
Ben Hogan 1947-48 17
Sam Snead 1949-50 17
Tiger Woods 1999-2000 17

UMMM...I CAN'T FIND JACK...WHERE IS HE????
====================================
====================================
Most PGA TOUR Wins In Three Consecutive Years


Player (Years) Wins
Byron Nelson (1944-46) 32
Ben Hogan (1946-48) 30
Tiger Woods (1999-2001) 22

THERE'S THAT SLOUCH, TIGER AGAIN
=====================================
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Most PGA TOUR Wins Before 25th Birthday


Player Wins
Tiger Woods (2000) 24
Horton Smith (1933) 17
Jack Nicklaus (1965) 12
Johnny Revolta (1936) 9
Paul Runyan (1933) 8
Johnny Farrell (1926) 7
Gene Sarazen (1927) 6
Harry Cooper (1929) 5
Vic Ghezzi (1937) 5
Jerry Pate (1978) 5
Phil Mickelson (1995) 5

NICE OF YOU TO RANK A DISTANT THIRD, JACK!
=======================================
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Most PGA TOUR Wins Between Ages 20-29


Player Wins
Tiger Woods 32
Jack Nicklaus 29
Gene Sarazen 27
Horton Smith 27
Sam Snead 27

THIS IS GETTING OLD
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Most PGA TOUR Wins After 25, 50, 75, 100 Starts


Player 25 Starts 50 Starts 75 Starts 100 Starts
Tiger Woods 6 7 17 28
Jack Nicklaus 3 8 12 17
Ken Venturi 5 7 9 10
Gene Littler 2 4 7 8
Arnold Palmer 1 2 5 8
Phil Mickelson 1 3 4 8
Ernie Els 1 3 5 7
Mike Souchak 0 2 5 7
Gary Player 1 1 4 6
Seve Ballesteros 2 4 5 6

 

[Drew Bethel]

Greg, first it was the equipment...now it's the competition. What's next, global warming?

 

[Jeremiah]

So you guys are ready to hand Tiger the "Greatest Ever" award and he's only 26 with a mere 8 majors?

What if he falls off the face of the earth tomorrow?

Well, we all know that will not happen.

If the only thing holding a person back is the fact he hasn't played in enough Majors to of won as many a Jack it's safe to say we are dealing with the best. So once he breaks Jacks records will that all of a sudden in that moment make Tiger the best? No. He already is and we are just watching golfs greatest career unfold.

 

[Greg Sarlo]

Drew, you still fail to grasp that Tiger has no one to play.
If Tiger is Jack, where was the Arnold Palmer of this time for him to de-reign as king of golf?
Arnie was darm near unbeatable when Jack came up, It took him a while before he overtook him consistently. It wasn't that easy to rack up 7 of 11 majors back then with "the King" lurking. Then there was Player, Trevino, Watson...Different era, greater players. This takes nothing away from Tiger, mind you.
There was nobody in Tiger's way when he broke on tour and it doesn't look as if there will be for some time. Tiger has conquered mediodcrity, as he should. He's the greatest golfer playing today.
As someone said, I would really like to see some young whippersnapper come along in the next 5-10 years who will push Tiger to be his absolute best. Then, we will see some golf.
Jeremiah,
Watching history unfold is a beautiful thing, isn't it? Tiger is not even in his prime. The best is yet to come.
If they ever did one of those time lapsed competitions between eras, I bet Jack would kick Tigers arse

 

[Robert Crawford]

Let's keep this discussion friendly, if you can't then leave it alone!
Crawdaddy

 

[Greg Sarlo]

I thought we were playing nice. Fore!

 

[Robert Crawford]

Seems like a lot of people wanted to see this recent tournament as indicated here.
Crawdaddy