I'm pretty sure Woods will be one of the captain's picks for the Ryder Cup, providing he wants to play. Even if he doesn't gain much in the standings between now and then -- he's close enough. Mickelson will get chosen as well.

He'll play the Masters and the Open as long as he's physically capable. As far as the Champions Tour -- he'll play the majors and a few other tournaments a year, like Nicklaus did, to satisfy sponsors and keep his face out there. And if he has a rookie year like a lot of guys do, winning several times, maybe he'll make more effort. In many ways, I see Woods as following Nicklaus' path -- if he doesn't think he can win, he won't be out there much. While I see Mickelson as emulating Palmer -- playing as much as he can because he really likes to and still thinks he can catch lightning in a bottle.

RobertThomas I believe it is taking everything he has to project to others that he has changed. Is he good for golf- absolutely! But I do not have to like him.

Never said you have to like anything or anybody. But, it's quite charitable to notice that he's been making the effort.

    garyt1957 It doesn't fit his personality, imo.

    For the life of me... Can we give our sports celebrities a little wiggle room?! What makes one think they know any individual based upon their public persona and what the media and/or tabloids present? Objectively, is that really any accurate way to judge another? Who would want to be judged this way? I would not.

    Example: Perhaps you think you know me, from FGI, Golfdope, GolfBuzz? You don't. There is one member here who is a real life friend. He's knows I'm only half the asshole I am on the internet. Ask my adult children who know me longer and better. They'll tell you I'm only 25% the asshole I am on here (and that in most of those cases, they deserved it.) LOL

    No, I'm not comparing myself to Tiger. (I'm more accurate off the tee.) I'm just referring to the fact that I don't know Tiger's personality.

        professor He's knows I'm only half the asshole I am on the internet.

        Why are we getting twice the asshole? LOL.

        I agree with your point in general. Everyone looks bad under a microscope, and we're encouraged to look through it specifically when the bad stuff is happening. Tiger's home wrecking ways ARE pretty damning, and it's fair for people to hold him accountable for all of that. It's a level of badness far beyond not shaking somebody's hand.

        Back to the main point, why are you admittedly double asshole (your words, I don't necessarily agree!) on the internet? Why is anyone?

            professor Uh, because it's a discussion forum and what we do here is give opinions. Which is why I put in the "imo" at the end. I have opinions about all sorts of things. If you don't like it, don't read them. Am I right, who knows?

              5 days later

              Well.... a weekend meltdown at a course where he's won on 8 prior occasions... played +6 over the weekend, level par for the tournament, finishing well back at T31st. He was only a handful of shots back of the lead heading into the weekend, and in reasonable position to make a run, especially on a course where he's enjoyed a lot of success over the years. Struggled with all aspects of his game on Saturday and Sunday. When he's hitting less than half the fairways off the tee and hitting half the greens in regulation... and the short-game and putting aren't able to clean up the scrappy play like it had the two days prior to the weekend - it's nowhere near good enough to contend with the players in the field who are playing well, regardless of whether it's the guy ranked 124th in the FedEx Cup standings or the guy ranked 1st, whether it's a course he's won on 8 times throughout his career or a course he's playing for the first time. Some might argue that he threw caution to the wind because he was trying to win Sunday, but he was so far out of the picture that it really didn't matter. He played poorly on Sunday, admittedly, and made no excuses.

              It causes me to appreciate what @Par4QC said in the third post of the thread when he opined, And that makes him just as good as the next guy; not the Tiger of 10 yrs. ago......the next guy. Quite capable of winning any tournament. Same as......the next guy. Not sure why everyone keeps expecting to see 'that guy' from 10 yrs. ago. Gone. 10 yrs. ago.(I think😉)

              Very astute observation by one of our very own.

              And then to see what can happen when one of the best players in the world who's won 3x this season, won 9 events total including a major since joining the tour back in 2014, kicks his game to a higher level? It really does put into perspective how difficult the challenge is for Tiger to get back into the winner's circle, even if he's healthy and playing well. Justin Thomas tapped into a higher gear on Sunday and cruised to victory without much stress. I don't think Tiger has that "higher gear" anymore. Or if he still does - we've yet to see it materialize. Maybe it's a bit too early to put any stock in that, or him for that matter. Like I said - he's gotta win something.

              Time will tell.

              Firestone's a good test of golf, a throwback to traditional tee-lined courses with tight driving angles. Given where the event has fallen there on schedule over the years also leads to scruffy lies and heavy rough. Sad to see it leave there for TPC Southwind in Memphis starting next season. Not that TPC isn't a worthy replacement venue, but that Firestone demanded a very high degree of decision making and course management. I'll miss seeing these guys play this course.

                professor For the life of me... Can we give our sports celebrities a little wiggle room?! What makes one think they know any individual based upon their public persona and what the media and/or tabloids present?

                Does the same logic apply to Bryson?

                  PA-PLAYA Glad FedEx is spending money on the tour and very glad they'll be bringing an elite field to Memphis. But Memphis in August is very often an uncomfortable place to be outdoors. Bad enough to journey back from the UK links and cool weather to a parkland course with tree lined fairways and rough next to the greens like Firestone, but now the same type of course (I think TPC is a fabulous course) in the hotbox of Memphis in August? Ought to be fun watching the contract reps try to pick out shirt and pants combinations that look good when soaked with sweat.

                      johnnydoom Ought to be fun watching the contract reps try to pick out shirt and pants combinations that look good when soaked with sweat.

                      So you are saying no white?
                      LOL

                          Spuzz Well it might give some a chance to "inadvertently" show off the tattoos they've been keeping hidden.

                            PA-PLAYA It causes me to appreciate what @Par4QC said in the third post of the thread when he opined, And that makes him just as good as the next guy; not the Tiger of 10 yrs. ago......the next guy. Quite capable of winning any tournament. Same as......the next guy. Not sure why everyone keeps expecting to see 'that guy' from 10 yrs. ago. Gone. 10 yrs. ago.(I think😉)

                            Very astute observation by one of our very own.

                            Been saying this very thing for years. What plays a role and IMO a more significant role is that there are guys who hit it longer, straighter, and have better up and down ability now vs. when Tiger was in his prime (ie competition way better). He was that guy, and very clearly better than everyone else, now there are a handful of guys, maybe more. If we could transplant that guy in today's game it truly would be a marvel to watch vs. the new guys, who are simply following the old TW mold.

                                johnnydoom

                                Trust me - it can be just as hot in Akron that time of year as it is in Memphis. Tree-lined course, no air circulating even if there is a breeze... just a hot, sweaty round of golf.

                                I wouldn't think of walking 72 holes in this weather this time of year. I'd croak.

                                I guess that's why they do what they do and why I sit at home in air-conditioning, eating chips and salsa and sipping on a Corona while watching them sweat their asses off. 😆

                                  ode

                                  Yep. Experience means a lot, but there's no denying the youth factor. And these younger guys are ready to win no sooner than they get on tour, whereas it used to take at least 7-8 years for them to make that adjustment. That bellcurve is no longer in play.

                                  Russell Henley is a good example, won his very first event start as a rookie. And the talent that has come after him has been no less impressive.

                                  Between playing collegiate golf at very competitive universities and spending a year or so on the web.com tour - these guys don't need 10 years to figure it out. They don't even need half that time. They've performed under a high degree of stress, be it in college or the web.com, and are ready to hit the ground running when they earn the cards.

                                  Remember when there was this fallout not all that long ago about Q-school and how players would no longer have that as a direct route to the tour, that they would have to earn their PGA Tour cards via the web.com?

                                  A lot of older guys who cashed a lot of checks by just making the weekend cut and an occasional top-20 - they bitched like no tomorrow. They felt like they were being shortchanged. But today - you don't see many older guys playing like it used to be, guys taking up space just to cash in on a weekend cut. This change with how the tour decided to reroute the avenue to earn a tour card - it made things much more highly competitive. Younger guys who want to win, who have the game to win, vs the older players simply trying to hang on for 3-4 more years until they qualify for the Champions Tour.

                                  Initially I wasn't for doing away with the traditional Q-school process... but it's bore fruit for the tour. They separated the wheat from the chaff and there is more parity in golf now than ever before.

                                  Yet the best players still rise to the top much of the time.

                                      PA-PLAYA makes the vets like Steve Stricker (there are others I'm sure but Steve comes to mind) high level of play so much more of an accomplishment. To be that good, for that long at a high level is amazing to me. He still competed well against the current crop. Seems to me this will be exception vs. the rule nowadays.

                                          ode

                                          Agree. But then again - the competitive older guys aren't needing to go to Q-school. Strick played a very abbreviated schedule the last few years leading up to his Champions Tour eligibility, yet remained competitive.

                                          The change wasn't designed to weed out guys like Steve Stricker, who still had game, and still has game. It was designed to weed out the one-hit wonders who'd made a living making well over half a million per year just simply making the weekends.

                                          Strick could still easily gain his tour card next season if he wanted. He'd have to play a few more events, perhaps, but he's still competitive.

                                          When was the last time Freddie Couples won a PGA Tour event?

                                          Anybody?

                                          The 2003 Shell Houston Open.

                                          I love Freddie as much as the next guy because of his laid-back style, but I was in my early 30's when he last won on the young guys tour.

                                          I think the changes they made have worked out very well.

                                          • ode likes this.

                                            ZWExton Back to the main point, why are you admittedly double asshole (your words, I don't necessarily agree!) on the internet? Why is anyone?
                                            Because, if I feel like disagreeing with you, you can't withhold sexual relations as a form of punishment. (Not that you'd interest me in the least.)

                                              It looks like Bellreve does not set up well for TW, most all 4 and 5 pars are dogs left. Does TW even make the cut? I'm saying he struggles to do so.

                                              We (all, perhaps) are asking a lot out of this guy named Tiger. He's just not going to return to that guy from 'back then'; imo, he cannot! We all think he stunk up the course this weekend, but did he? Compare his results with the others that are mentioned as being his 'successors'. How did they fare yesterday, as he was showing us he is indeed, human? A lot of players of caliber were making big moves, but at the end of Sunday,(& Saturday), they played no better than he did. Do we expect that of them, but not him? Ranked around #50 in the world, and they are all ranked higher. Much bigger surprises were the way Rory and Jason shit themselves(playing very similar to/worse than Tiger) when they both should have been rolling over Justin. DJ was the only one making any fireworks, and he crapped himself on the back 9; playing 'no bogey golf' instead of 'no holds barred golf'! TW played like a zombie right out of the gate Sat. and carried it over on Sunday.

                                              imo, he is back. As a fairly good player named Tiger Woods, 2018 version. Played several tournaments, done well in quite a few. He'll do fine. Remember, he's got a new putter and stance. He's been changing driver shafts around. Different swing. Different ball(maybe). etc.

                                              Ya gotta feel like you know this guy....he just hasn't made any posts here yet. Plays good. Plays bad. And apparently, has turned into the richest ho imagined. 😉

                                                Tiger's current niche is playing two good rounds the first two days and then struggling when he sees players in the fast lane passing him by. I'm guessing he feels he needs to go bonkers on the weekend to stay in contention, but that strategy hasn't worked thus far.

                                                Maybe it's much too early to expect that level of improved play under pressure from him at this point, or perhaps he simply no longer has the ability to tap into that extra gear.

                                                I no longer compare him to his prior self 12-15 years ago. I compare him to the guys playing today. I don't anticipate him running the tables and winning back-to-back events anymore. Doesn't mean he can't have a great week, but there is no fear of Tiger Woods in the hunt on Sunday these days in these young guns. He no longer has that intimidating factor going for him, these guys today aren't looking over their shoulder to see where Tiger is.

                                                And until he wins something, anything, that's not gonna change. And even if he does win something - not sure it changes anything.