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Dave Pelz Thinks Tiger Woods Was Lucky to Win the U.S. Open

7/18/2008 12:09 PM ET By Ryan Wilson

    • Ryan Wilson
    • Ryan Wilson is FanHouse's Back Porch Editor

I get what Dave Pelz, Phil Mickelson's short-game coach, is saying, but, you know, it's probably better to keep such sentiments to yourself. Or at the very least, avoid making the comments to a guy who will promptly put it online. No such luck. Via the always reliable Belfast Telegraph, Pelz explains why Tiger Woods was fortunate to win the U.S. Open:
"I give Tiger all the credit in the world but I'm a stats guy," Pelz said at the opening of one of his renowned short-game schools at Killeen Castle in Co Meath. "I look at Mickelson's worst three drives and he made two doubles and a bogey and then I look at Tiger's worst three drives and he made eagle, birdie, par. Tiger's three-under, Phil's five-over. Tiger's drives were worse than Phil's, yet finished in better spots.

"When Phil hit his bad three woods they went in the deep six-inch rough; when Tiger hit his bad ones they went into the next fairway or the trampled-down dry dirt. So if you're going to miss, miss big and have a unique set of circumstances when your knee hurts so bad before the tournament that all you do in the build-up is putt all day, every day and go on to make 75 footers, 50 footers, 40 footers...
Yes, we get it, Pelz, a former NASA physicist, is a stats guy. Fine, but, um, any explanation for having Philbert keep his driver in the bag at Torrey Pines? I mean, since the numbers say he should've carried one?

Whatever, It's hard to argue that Tiger wasn't lucky -- or that any major champion isn't lucky on their way to victory. I don't think Pelz was making excuses for Mickelson -- just stating his beliefs -- but he would've been better off just avoiding the conversation altogether. Because nobody likes Tiger when he's angry. Or something.

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