U.S. Open

[NT19]

amazing. i love all of this extra golf. i hope Rocco pulls it off.

i only have one request for NBC...please put another logo on the screen, i wasn't sure what network i was watching.

[laxfan25]

What a great day of golf, and Rocco added several million people to his fan club. What a genuine guy, and he showed real guts out there.
I thought there was a little irony in that the first commercial after it ended, they had Phil Mickelson handing Callaway drivers to amateurs - the one club he left out of his bag the first two days.

[KnoxVegas]

Tiger wins his 14th major:

(4) The Masters
(3) U.S. Open
(3) The Open
(4) PGA Championships

Jack Nicklaus won 18:

(6) The Masters
(4) U.S. Open
(3) The Open
(5) PGA Championships

[Ryan Hanavan]

Tiger wins his 14th major:

(4) The Masters
(3) U.S. Open
(3) The Open
(4) PGA Championships

Jack Nicklaus won 18:

(6) The Masters
(4) U.S. Open
(3) The Open
(5) PGA Championships

I wonder if Tiger's done for the year? I suspect he'll make every effort to get The Open and PGA but he's probably not going to be around for many others.

It's also funny how he automatically kisses every major cup as he is hoisting it but when Tim Finchem handed him the Fedex cup and stated "never been kissed" Tiger grabbed it and said thanks. It's going to take a bit of tinkering to make that more than just a big payout.

Too bad Rocco couldn't have won too, what a fighter. For a 45 year old he was a real grinder. I hope he gets one (major) before he hangs it up for the senior tour where I'm sure he will grab a few.

[TexOle]

Tiger's mental toughness is unbelievable. I thought that his knee pain would lessen that toughness, but he fought through the pain. Rocco will have great career on the Champions Tour.

[KnoxVegas]

Tiger will play at least the following tournaments:

AT&T National (His tournament)
The Open
PGA Championship

He also has the Ryder Cup coming up in September at Vallhalla.

Rocco will play a couple tournaments a year for the next five and probably do some more tv. The Champions Tour is made for him and his generation of players. He could easily have a career out there like a Brad Bryant or Denis Watson.

If anyone saw the HBO documentary that is airing now on the Back Nine at Cherry Hills, there was a stat at the end that I had never heard before that Nicklaus was the only player to win each of the Majors at least three times. Tiger has equaled that now. While it is easy to root against him because of his accomplishments, he is the greatest golfer to ever live and we are seeing him in the prime of his career.

The question I have is how long does he play? He is on track to eclipse Nicklaus' 18 Major victories within the next four years. Woods will be 36 then. So he plays to 40, while putting his records farther out of reach and then hangs it up. A follow up is what happens to pro golf after Tiger retires? The Tiger Effect on the young golfers emerging in waves to challenge him has yet to happen. We are 11 years into the Woods Era with no successor in sight.

[Ryan Hanavan]

Tiger will play at least the following tournaments:

AT&T National (His tournament)
The Open
PGA Championship

He also has the Ryder Cup coming up in September at Vallhalla.

Rocco will play a couple tournaments a year for the next five and probably do some more tv. The Champions Tour is made for him and his generation of players. He could easily have a career out there like a Brad Bryant or Denis Watson.

If anyone saw the HBO documentary that is airing now on the Back Nine at Cherry Hills, there was a stat at the end that I had never heard before that Nicklaus was the only player to win each of the Majors at least three times. Tiger has equaled that now. While it is easy to root against him because of his accomplishments, he is the greatest golfer to ever live and we are seeing him in the prime of his career.

The question I have is how long does he play? He is on track to eclipse Nicklaus' 18 Major victories within the next four years. Woods will be 36 then. So he plays to 40, while putting his records farther out of reach and then hangs it up. A follow up is what happens to pro golf after Tiger retires? The Tiger Effect on the young golfers emerging in waves to challenge him has yet to happen. We are 11 years into the Woods Era with no successor in sight.

It would be nice to see another run at the "Tiger Slam". Sounds like Sunday ratings were highest since '97 Masters.

I can see Tiger go until early to mid 40's and then maybe just the majors for a few more years. By that point I can see him going all out into course design.

As for the next class to challenge. I don't really know. Seems like everyone wants the guys our there to do it but the only thing they really bring is a better workout regimen and tight clothing. The mental discipline seems to keep Tiger floating up with the other super athletes and that commercial this weekend with him and his dad really summed it all up. We'll see though in years to come.

Rocco will be awesome on the champions tour and I agree he is fit for it. I just love his attitude and hope he brings a major with him!

[Jac Coyne]

While it is easy to root against him because of his accomplishments, he is the greatest golfer to ever live and we are seeing him in the prime of his career.

Nope. Jack Nicklaus is the greatest golfer of all-time. And, as Al Gore would say, the debate is closed.

[Zeuslax]

Rocco will play a couple tournaments a year for the next five and probably do some more tv. The Champions Tour is made for him and his generation of players. He could easily have a career out there like a Brad Bryant or Denis Watson.

According to the numbers he's having quite the career ranked at 158. He's up to either 13.7 or 18.7mil prior to the Open. I can't remember exactly, but that seems like a pretty healthy job to me.

[Adam G]

Tiger wins his 14th major:

(4) The Masters
(3) U.S. Open
(3) The Open
(4) PGA Championships

Jack Nicklaus won 18:

(6) The Masters
(4) U.S. Open
(3) The Open
(5) PGA Championships

I wonder if Tiger's done for the year? I suspect he'll make every effort to get The Open and PGA but he's probably not going to be around for many others.

It's also funny how he automatically kisses every major cup as he is hoisting it but when Tim Finchem handed him the Fedex cup and stated "never been kissed" Tiger grabbed it and said thanks. It's going to take a bit of tinkering to make that more than just a big payout.

Too bad Rocco couldn't have won too, what a fighter. For a 45 year old he was a real grinder. I hope he gets one (major) before he hangs it up for the senior tour where I'm sure he will grab a few.

I wonder in what non-major tournaments, if any, Tiger has contractual obligations which require him to play. The Buick, I'd assume, but what others?

And what a great tournament. It's a shame I had to resort to refreshing my browser on the Golf.com blog to follow all but the last two holes. (Went downstairs to the bank in my building and said I was waiting for a loan officer, so I could catch the end in the lobby.)

Edit: Just read that Tiger plays next weekend in the Buick... got to imagine he'll be withdrawing from that.

[laxfan25]

While it is easy to root against him because of his accomplishments, he is the greatest golfer to ever live and we are seeing him in the prime of his career.

Nope. Jack Nicklaus is the greatest golfer of all-time. And, as Al Gore would say, the debate is closed.

Well, Al Gore was a loser, and I'd say that the greatest golfer debate is wide open. Tiger is on a faster track to major titles than Jack was. Don't get me wrong, Jack Nicklaus was a terrific golfer and the best of his time, but in my opinion (since that's all we're really debating) Tiger is the best ever. I think the overall level of competition is much higher now - there are many more great golfers competing on the tour and it is much more of a global competition. Tiger is just at a different level than the rest - his winning percentage is unbelievable. Courses are in better shape and equipment technology is much, much improved - but those conditions favor everyone. Tiger keeps putting little additions to the record book - only golfer to ever win twice in a season on the same course (US Open and tourney stops) - and let's not forget that he did hold all four major titles at the same time - another unequalled achievement. I dare say that he might do them all in the same year before he steps aside.
Speaking personally, I hope he doesn't retire early (like before hitting the Seniors Tour). Playing golf isn't all that much of a burden, especailly with the limited schedule he plays.
IMM, Tiger is the best golfer of all time - case closed.

[KnoxVegas]

Tiger has to play four of Buick events plus he likes to has to play the Deutsche Bank and will play the tour Championship.

As for Nicklaus vs. Tiger, Nicklaus has said that Tiger is the greatest, os for me that seals it. It is subjective to debate it so I won't but when the man that everyone compares Tiger to say that he is better than him, that is good enough for me.

[Dr. Jason Stockton]

I think the debate between Tiger and Jack is still wide open. Yes, Jack said Tiger is the best. . .but that is exactly what a classy guy like Jack is supposed to say.

Tiger does have 6 USGA titles in addition to his 14 GS titles. . .pretty freaking impressive. And if you ask Jack, he'll tell you he has 20 majors, not 18. . .he counts his 2 US Amateur titles as Majors. . .

By Jacks count, it's 20 for Jack and 17 for Tiger at this point. Jack had Palmer, Player, Seve, Watson, Casper, J.Miller. . .some pretty unbelievable peers. Tiger has Ernie, Vijay, Phil, Sergio. . .

You can argue that Ernie or Phil might have 8-10 majors in a Tiger-less world and that there is no player like Player in Tiger's era because he's eating up all of the titles. . .

I'd also just once like to see Tiger come from behind on Sunday in a major. It has never happened. . .

I say Tiger wins his 20th Major event and then hangs it up and moves on to fatherhood, charity, family, etc. I don't see him ever teeing a ball up on the Champions Tour.


The stat I thought was the most amazing they showed on the telecast was that Jack has 73 top-10 finishes in Majors. . .to Tiger's 28 (now 29). . .and that Tiger would need to finish in the top-10 of every Major between now and the 2019 U.S. Open to catch Jack.

I think there is still some room for debate. . .

[LaxTV_Admin]

I'd also just once like to see Tiger come from behind on Sunday in a major. It has never happened. . .

Why? Does it make it better or worse if he locks it up on Saturday or he comes back to win it on Sunday?

Not to nit pick, but did Rocco Mediate not have the lead in the clubhouse and Tiger had to birdie 18 to send it into a playoff? Are we saying he has to be behind at the end of the day on Saturday and come back on Sunday?

Mickelson, Els, Singh, etc. would each have multiple majors if there was no Tiger. The man is a freak and could smash all the records, but like you said, I think he hangs it up as well. He will have proved he is the greatest golfer of all time when it is all said and done.

[CATLAX MAN]

While it is easy to root against him because of his accomplishments, he is the greatest golfer to ever live and we are seeing him in the prime of his career.

Nope. Jack Nicklaus is the greatest golfer of all-time. And, as Al Gore would say, the debate is closed.

Correction: Jack Nicklaus was the greatest golfer of all-time. Not any more.