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

Posted Jul 18, 2008 12:09PM By Ryan Wilson (RSS feed)

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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.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

7-18-2008 @ 12:51PM

mike said...

Sour grapes I say. I might buy this argument if Woods had never won a major, but he has won 13 prior to this one. Woods is just better. Peltz is a putz.

7-19-2008 @ 11:41PM

Stephen Moskal said...

Tiger is very lucky!!!!!!! Lucky that he gets to play against Phil and the other losers out there and not against Jack, Tom, Gary, Palmer, Ballesteros, Lee, ......

7-24-2008 @ 6:26PM

Ron said...

I agree with you 100%. All Pelz does is alibi for Phil and they both are whiners. Mickelson is not in the same league as Woods and they will not admit it. Mickelson is a major disappointment to his fans and TV ratings never count on Phil as they do with Woods. Check it out.

7-18-2008 @ 1:27PM

Steve said...

I agree 100% with Pelz and have said so for years. He can drive into a tar pit and get a good lie. Tiger is both the best and the luckiest golfer in the world. It is absolutely unbelievable.

7-18-2008 @ 1:52PM

Janet said...

Screw Dave Pelz; Go Tiger!!!!

7-18-2008 @ 4:06PM

Michael Mendershausen said...

NASA physicist, huh? I guess NASA was lucky they hit the moon. Michael Jordan was lucky all those balls went in. Bill Russell was lucky all those missed shots bounced his way. Phil's better than Tiger; Phil's just unlucky. NOT!

7-19-2008 @ 4:58PM

Ronald said...

Darn tootin' Tigers' Lucky - he wakes up to that little Swedish girl every mornin'...

7-21-2008 @ 9:08AM

edward smith said...

Tiger is one if not the best golfer the world has ever seen. Yet, there are people who for some reasons are always trying to find fault with him.

In addition to being a outstanding golfer, Tiger is a credit to the game of golf by his attidute and work ethic.

7-22-2008 @ 2:40AM

Denny said...

ANYONE who has ever competed at anything KNOWS that luck, whether good or bad, is often a big factor in any competition.

Sorry to burst your air head Mr. Peltz, but you being ABLE to be in the position of writing commentary while RIDING THE COAT TAILS of Phil and other PGA players to make your living IS a PRIME EXAMPLE OF LUCK!

7-22-2008 @ 3:50PM

Jim said...

13 Majors is a bit more than luck. When guys like Palmer, Trevino and Player all admit that Woods is the best they have ever seen, it means a heck of a lot more than anything coming from Dave"they that can't do,teach" Pelz.
By the way his Short Game school for us mere mortals is pretty worthwhile.

7-22-2008 @ 5:07PM

jeff said...

Nobody has ever played golf like tiger woods.once-in a-lifetime shots to win a tournament are the norm for tiger. i think that he would have won even more majors by now if he hadn't changed things a few years ago.and no, i don't think he was lucky to win the open.he almost won another Masters this year and really didn't play that good.

7-22-2008 @ 6:26PM

Michael said...

Tiger is lucky not to have Dave in his camp & HEAD! Phil is a great golfer but a HEAD case and I think Dave is alot of Phil's problem. Keep winning Tiger and keep the LUCK! Number is not far away!!

7-22-2008 @ 10:17PM

Ed Brooks said...

Pelz is just mad because his star pupil, Phil, just doesn't have what it takes in the clutch. No matter what Pelz does, his short game work has not gotten Phil in the same zip code as Tiger, and that bothers him. Perhaps he should be more concerned with Phil's continuing failure in the Open championship and the U.S. Open than his saying the greatest golfer of this era, if not ever, was "lucky." Was Tiger "lucky" to play the U.S. Open with a torn ACL and two stress fractures of his leg? If that happened to Mickelson, he'd have been on his couch eating cheez its, not winning a major. For someone smart enough to work for NASA, his comment was incredibly stupid. You play the ball as it lies, and Tiger is the best ever at digging himself out of bad situations. His putting is worlds better than Phil's. Maybe that's what really bothers Pelz.

7-30-2008 @ 7:44PM

FG MAIZ said...

IT'S JUST AMAZING, HOW THE MORE THEY THINK THEY KNOW,
THE LESS THEY APPEAR TO UNDESTAND.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN AN UNLUCKY WINNER.
MR. PELZ, WHEN YOU TEACH MICKELSON HOW TO BE LUCKY
INSTEAD OF HOW TO PUT HIS GOLF BALL, HE WILL WIN.
BUT PERHAPS, YOU ARE NOT LUCKY.

7-31-2008 @ 12:47AM

George B Vieto said...

Tiger was lucky and skillful to win the US Open due to the fact that Rocco Mediate was too busy kissing Tiger's ring instead of thinking of beating Tiger. Getting Mike VI the LSU tiger mad is more scary than the world's number one golfe teed off. Get it ? Teed off? Ha ha ha!