U.S. Open

[CATLAX MAN]

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.

Don't count on him playing his tourney or even the British Open this year. His knee was injured more than he is letting on. Don't be surprised if he takes another long layoff this year to allow the knee to heal more. He may have to do that to preserve his career. Knee injuries like he has cn lead to the development of arthritis if the healing process is not carefully monitored. Tiger played this tourney against the advice of his doctors and it appears that his doctors were right.

[Andy Sharp]

I picked up a framed photo, while at the MCLA champs, featuring autographs by Arnold, Jack, & Tiger as a gift. It gave me a player on all but one of the bases. Should cover about 50 years of who's the best player arguments.

[Dr. Jason Stockton]

Mickelson , Els, Singh, etc. would each have multiple majors if there was no Tiger.

For the record, Mickelson, Els and Singh all already have multiple majors.

He will have proved he is the greatest golfer of all time when it is all said and done.

I think you're right. . .but it isn't all said and done. He's had 3 surgeries on the same knee, and you just never know what might happen. The odds are very long that he won't get to Jack's record 18 majors. . .but until he gets there, I'm not going to annoint him the "best ever" just yet. . .but he is certainly on his way.

1 year ago every tennis enthusiast annointed Roger Federer the "best ever". . .but watching him get demolished by Nadal reminds us that you just never know. . .is there another young golfer that will challenge Tiger? I doubt it. . .but I would have said the same thing (and many did) about Roger Federer a couple years ago.

[LaxTV_Admin]

Mickelson , Els, Singh, etc. would each have multiple majors if there was no Tiger.

For the record, Mickelson, Els and Singh all already have multiple majors.

Thank you. That is what I get for not making sure I have all my ducks in a row.

He will have proved he is the greatest golfer of all time when it is all said and done.

I think you're right. . .but it isn't all said and done. He's had 3 surgeries on the same knee, and you just never know what might happen. The odds are very long that he won't get to Jack's record 18 majors. . .but until he gets there, I'm not going to annoint him the "best ever" just yet. . .but he is certainly on his way.

1 year ago every tennis enthusiast annointed Roger Federer the "best ever". . .but watching him get demolished by Nadal reminds us that you just never know. . .is there another young golfer that will challenge Tiger? I doubt it. . .but I would have said the same thing (and many did) about Roger Federer a couple years ago.

This is true. I don't disagree with the possibility injury could come to bite Tiger. There is the possibility of a young buck coming along and knocking Tiger off his stoop. I think even with Federer losing to Nadal, most would argue he is at the very least in the conversation as the best ever. But I digress, this is about Tiger!!

Still though, why do you care about seeing him win from behind on Sunday?

[Dr. Jason Stockton]

Still though, why do you care about seeing him win from behind on Sunday?

Tiger is the best frontrunner in the history of sports. . .and his win with the knee injury adds to his legacy. . .

But every great golfer has had a signature comeback charge on Sunday. Many of Tiger's major wins were a result of the competition crumbling, not Tiger making a brilliant comeback. . .he's done it in regular PGA Tour events, but never in a major.

Jack on Sunday at Augusta in 1986 at age 46 made the charge. . .I want to see something like that from Tiger - but it seems when someone else has the lead he can't catch them. I guess I just want to see it.

I want to see Tiger shoot the 30 on the back nine on Sunday, not Friday. I guess it's really nitpicky, and I understand that. But it just adds to the argument that Tiger is playing in an era full of great swings, but players with no heart. . .and they crumble every time Tiger has the lead.

The one exception, of course. . .is Zach Johnson, who trailed Tiger at Augusta on Sunday in 2007 but came back to beat Eldrick. Tiger, of couse, did not start the day with the lead.

But you can't blame a guy for his competition crumbling. It is certainly not his fault. . .and when he has a 10-shot lead on a Sunday he doesn't need to shoot 30 on the back nine.

I'm rambling now. . .I think you get my point. I just want to see him do it. . .the way Jack and Watson and Palmer and Bobby Jones and the rest of the greats did.

[Jac Coyne]

Courses are in better shape and equipment technology is much, much improved - but those conditions favor everyone.

Everyone except Jack in this argument (which I understand is moot). I think if you put Tiger and Jack in their prime with Jack's equipment (driver heads the size of a fist, etc.), Jack wins. I think if you put Tiger and Jack in their primes with Tiger's equipment (drivers=frying pans, etc.), Jack wins again.

Alas, I guess Kobe is better than MJ, too.

[Dr. Jason Stockton]

Alas, I guess Kobe is better than MJ, too.

Please don't start this discussion. . .

[LaxTV_Admin]

Still though, why do you care about seeing him win from behind on Sunday?

Tiger is the best frontrunner in the history of sports. . .and his win with the knee injury adds to his legacy. . .

But every great golfer has had a signature comeback charge on Sunday. Many of Tiger's major wins were a result of the competition crumbling, not Tiger making a brilliant comeback. . .he's done it in regular PGA Tour events, but never in a major.

Jack on Sunday at Augusta in 1986 at age 46 made the charge. . .I want to see something like that from Tiger - but it seems when someone else has the lead he can't catch them. I guess I just want to see it.

I want to see Tiger shoot the 30 on the back nine on Sunday, not Friday. I guess it's really nitpicky, and I understand that. But it just adds to the argument that Tiger is playing in an era full of great swings, but players with no heart. . .and they crumble every time Tiger has the lead.

The one exception, of course. . .is Zach Johnson, who trailed Tiger at Augusta on Sunday in 2007 but came back to beat Eldrick. Tiger, of couse, did not start the day with the lead.

But you can't blame a guy for his competition crumbling. It is certainly not his fault. . .and when he has a 10-shot lead on a Sunday he doesn't need to shoot 30 on the back nine.

I'm rambling now. . .I think you get my point. I just want to see him do it. . .the way Jack and Watson and Palmer and Bobby Jones and the rest of the greats did.

Fair enough. I was just curious. Though I don't think his legacy is tarnished one way or the other if he gets that comeback, I do think there is something about the nostalgia. I mean, how awesome was it in this US Open when Tiger had the lead, lost it, then hit that clutch putt to send it to a playoff....and that wasn't even to win!

[laxfan25]

Courses are in better shape and equipment technology is much, much improved - but those conditions favor everyone.

Everyone except Jack in this argument (which I understand is moot). I think if you put Tiger and Jack in their prime with Jack's equipment (driver heads the size of a fist, etc.), Jack wins. I think if you put Tiger and Jack in their primes with Tiger's equipment (drivers=frying pans, etc.), Jack wins again.

Well duh. Jack and his compatriots all were playing with the same gear on the same courses. They also weren't playing courses at 7,600+ yards. All things were equal. Jack vs. Tiger would have been great theater.
If Tiger continues to play to the same age as Jack did in majors I think he would eclipse the top 10 record, after he puts the Major Titles record way beyond reach.
Nadal also beat Federer on clay, which is Nadal's home turf. Let's see if he takes Roger down at Wimbledon. And yes, he is the best tennis player ever.

[KnoxVegas]

Tiger has said he will play the AT&T National. As for him not coming from behind to win a major. Ok, I am not his biggest fan but I have to respect him and his accomplishments. Whether he comes from behind or not, he has won 14 of them which is three more than Walter Hagen and five more than Ben Hogan. Not too bad. Barring a tragedy, he will surpass 18.

[KnoxVegas]

I think if you put Tiger and Jack in their prime with Jack's equipment (driver heads the size of a fist, etc.), Jack wins. I think if you put Tiger and Jack in their primes with Tiger's equipment (drivers=frying pans, etc.), Jack wins again.

I think that ESPN is readying a season a la the Dream Season from 1987 on this very thing.

[KnoxVegas]

Nickalus's 18 major victories and his standing after 54 holes:

Masters
1963 Leader by 1
1965 Leader by 5
1966 T-1 Won in a Playoff over Gay Brewer & Tommy Jacobs
1972 Leader by 1
1975 2nd (-1)
1986 T-9 (-4)

US Open
1962 T-5 (-2 ) Won in a Playoff over Arnold Palmer
1967 T-2 (-1)
1972 Leader by 1
1980 T-1

The Open
1966 2nd (-2)
1970 T-2 (-2) Won in Playoff over Doug Sanders
1978 T-3 (-1)

PGA Championship
1963 3rd (-3)
1971 Leader by 4
1973 Leader by 1
1975 Leader by 4
1980 Leader by 3

[Dr. Jason Stockton]

Nadal also beat Federer on clay, which is Nadal's home turf. Let's see if he takes Roger down at Wimbledon. And yes, he is the best tennis player ever.

I understand that. . .but it was such an absolute throttling. . .and Nadal took Roger to 5 sets at Wimbledon last year. I think Rafi is ready to win majors on other surfaces. . .and he may keep Roger short of Pete's tennis GS record.

And please don't think I'm hating on Tiger - he's absolutely unreal. . .maybe I just can't let go of watching Jack as a kid --the 1986 Masters is still one of my favorite all-time sports moments. . .

[CATLAX MAN]

The fact that he has won so many tournaments and hasn't had to come from behind is even more impressive than if he had a number of come-from-behind wins. Holding a lead in a golf tournament is one of the hardest things to do. So many different things can go wrong. It's not a matter of other players falling off and giving it to Tiger. It's more that Tiger is so focused, so mentally tough that he is very difficult to beat. He does not succumb to the errant shot ruing a round. Usually, he comes right back and does the unimaginable, like the bunker shot from another hole onto the green against Mediate in the playoff. He has done that so many times, we have all come to expect it from him. It's an expectation that does not associate with any other golfer on the planet.

[laxfan25]

Breaking news from the AP....

Tiger Woods will miss the rest of the season because of surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left knee, an injury he has been dealing with the last 10 months despite winning nine of 12 tournaments.

Woods also said he suffered a double stress fracture of his left tibia while preparing to return to the PGA Tour last month, which forced him to miss the Memorial and was the source of his pain at Torrey Pines when he won the U.S. Open.

He had arthroscopic surgery April 15 to clean out cartilage in his left knee, bypassing ACL surgery with hopes it could get him through the 2008 season. But going 91 holes for his 14th career major made it impossible to play any longer.

“Now, it is clear that the right thing to do is to listen to my doctors, follow through with this surgery and focus my attention on rehabilitating my knee,” Woods said.

Woods was last seen in public late Monday afternoon walking with a pronounced limp across Torrey Pines toward the parking lot, the U.S. Open trophy in his arms. Upcoming surgery makes his 14th major title even more staggering— despite the stress fractures, he managed to win a U.S. Open that required 91 holes over five days.

Woods played only seven times worldwide this year and won five of them. He will miss a major championship for the first time in his career and will not be available for the Ryder Cup in September

Torn ligament, double stress fracture and surgery to clean out cartilege - oh, and I'll just go out and win the U.S. Open. I hope he heals up well - imagine what he might do if he was healthy.