by Old Tom on April 16, 2011
Tiger,
I write as a huge fan (and Cardinal.) One who has enjoyed watching you since you won your final U.S Amateur. Your putt on the 35th against Steve Scott is still burned in my mind.
On Sunday at the Masters on the front nine, and even with your second on 15, your play caused my spirits to rise once more.
Finally, after 17 long months, it looks like your game is almost back.
It’s been a tortuous wait for all your fans. In fact, it’s been horrible.
We’ve had to listen to every wannabe-swing-guru dissect your swing and rip it to shreds. We’ve heard idiots like Johnny Miller liken you to Mike Tyson. And we’ve defended you on message boards and forums when you’ve been pilloried from all corners by the Tiger haters.
They’ll never be silenced for good and we’re going to have to endure them forever.
But there is something you can do for your fans besides winning again.
And that is to think of us and talk to us each time you are in front of a microphone. Even when the dumbest interviewer asks the dumbest question.
Talk as if we your fans are right there with you.
Go beyond the stock answers and just share with us.
Tiger, please do this, we need it.
by Old Tom on April 16, 2011
A couple of days after the Masters debacle, Rory announced “The only shot I’d want back is the drive at number ten.”
And that only goes to show that Rory doesn’t get it. Because his downfall was set in motion long before that. On the first green to be precise.
That was where Rory yanked his short par putt left of the hole. The downward spiral continued on the 2nd hole where he drove into a fairway bunker then hit the lip trying to get out with his second shot. He scraped a par. Then on 3, after a glorious pitch to just a few feet, he yanked the birdie putt left again.
This type of play does not inspire self confidence.
He did sink a long birdie putt on 7, but it was clear on the front 9 that he was jittery. And even though he made the turn with a one shot lead, the writing was on the wall.
In the December 2010 Chevron tournament (Tiger’s event) I watched Rory have an awful week with his short game. Not just putting but chipping also. So it was no surprise that Rory wilted under the pressure of the Masters.
I’d hate to see him be like Fred Couples who was always missing short ones under pressure and with a more sound putting game would have won more than just the one major.
I do hope someone on his team – or maybe G-Mac – pulls him aside and tells him what his real problem is because the sooner he fixes his putting the sooner he starts winning majors.
