He's Back -- Golf FanHouse

He's Back

Posted Mar 30, 2009 1:30PM By Shane Bacon (RSS feed)

Filed Under: PGA

Every Monday during the PGA Tour season, Monday Pin Placement will run as a wrap-up of the weekend's action. Basically, we'll focus on what you missed while you were out grinding on the putting green.

Tiger ... Where Incredible Happens -- Lewis Black once joked during his show at Carnegie Hall, which is the Augusta National for entertainers, "what do I do after this?" He was referring to reaching the apex of comedic halls, and how after that, everything would feel a little less extraordinary.

Tiger Woods has played Carnegie Hall more times than any other athlete in this lifetime, but the man continues to one-up himself, as he did at Bay Hill on Sunday.

Down five shots to Sean O'Hair heading into the final round, I chatted with a gentleman who spends a lot of time in Las Vegas. "What do you think the odds are in Vegas that Tiger wins this tournament," I asked my friend. He told me later that the head-to-head bet between final round opponents that is normally at sports books in Vegas wasn't even on the board because it was so much in Tiger's favor.

The winning putt was incredible, but you already know that. What is so unique about Tiger is the fact that I actually thought he had the best chance of winning on Sunday. He was losing by five shots! The best sports comparison I can come up with, sadly, is dear to my heart -- the Illinois-Arizona Elite Eight game from 2005. The Wildcats were up 15 points with four minutes to go and lost the game. That was O'Hair. He had a five-shot lead, but did it even matter? It could have been eight. It probably could have been 10.

Michael Jordan once said, and I'm paraphrasing, that Woods always gave him 10 shots when they played. He mentioned, if memory serves me, that he shot 77 that day, and Tiger shot 66 to win by a shot. Asked what would have happened if Jordan had shot 74, he answered, "Tiger probably would have shot 63."

That was the Arnold Palmer on Sunday. It was a lead for O'Hair, but it was never really a lead. Tiger has never won a major championship coming from behind on Sunday, but he's won his fare share of PGA Tour tournaments that way, and this one almost seemed inevitable.

Trust me, I know I slobber over Woods. I am in awe of the guy. But he won his third start after eight months off from knee surgery. Name another player who could have done that? Hell, name another athlete who we would have expected so much out of at such a rapid rate. There isn't one. He's it.

Caddie Tales -- If you haven't heard (WHY?!?), I spent the week caddying for Erica Blasberg of the LPGA at the J Golf LPGA International in Phoenix, Ariz. My shoulders hurt, my feet are tired and I only upset Erica once over the course of the week (on our 72nd hole, mind you), so all in all, it was a success.

You can check out my full reports right here if you'd like.

Highest Rated Tourney Since Torrey -- One more thing on the Woods putt heard 'round the world. According to Nielsen Media Research, the Sunday duel between Tiger and O'Hair was the highest rated golf tournament since last year's U.S. Open, registering a 4.9 overnight rating with a 10 share.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

3-30-2009 @ 2:16PM

dinohealth said...

What is there to say...you said it all: Tiger's Back! Great story, Shane.

3-30-2009 @ 3:34PM

bvz590 said...

It was even more predictable this time that Tiger would win because of what Jack Nicklaus used to say about his positions entering the final round of a tournament, especially a major. Jack would always count the number of players between himself and the leader, not necessarily the number of strokes he was behind. He knew that if there were several players in the mix there is a better chance someone will shoot a good score and move into the winners circle. However, with no one or just a couple players between Tiger or Jack and the leader, Tiger or Jack look(ed) at that as a better opportunity. Because they are(were) such better players they have(had) the ability to come back more often and just knowing that they are(were) lurking adds additional pressure to the leader. The leader must stand up to that pressure over four hours on a tough course. Very difficult to hold the the physical and mental together when a Tiger or Bear is right behind you.

3-30-2009 @ 5:00PM

Steven said...

Can't wait for the Masters this year! Except, I have to work actually during most of the tournament!
A friend of mine told me that they're streaming the Masters on CBSSports.com.
I looked it up today and it turns out they are!
Here's a link for them to notify you when the streams are live: http://www.cbssports.com/golf/tournaments/masters/v

3-30-2009 @ 5:02PM

Looks like the URL got cut off: http://www.cbssports.com/golf/tournaments/masters/video

3-30-2009 @ 7:08PM

capecod389 said...

posted this once but dont know if it got posted..tiger has no class..when he made the put he just should have picked up the ball and thanked the other players..his reaction was to put a knife in his opponent..a nice young kid...and for that i wish him nothing but bad luck this year...he has 300 million and acts like its his first win...no class at all would jack do that...noooo.so there you are

3-30-2009 @ 8:28PM

Rabbit said...

I agree 100%.

3-30-2009 @ 7:21PM

ooh boy sorry to put another in but i have to:when jack played he used wooden clubs..when tiger plays he uses the most up to date clubs in the world..which get another 50 yards.tiger couldn't carry jacks bag..jack could hit a 3 wood 250...tiger couldnt hit a 3 wood 200 in the old days,jack always had the people he was playing with in mind and always was a gentleman..tiger thinks he is playing with his own god and has no respect for anyone..money does not make the man..

3-30-2009 @ 8:39PM

tom said...

Sorry to break it to you man but Tiger is god.

3-30-2009 @ 10:35PM

mark said...

Capecod...Your point in regards to Jack and the equipment is well taken...be reminded that in Jack's era, I am sure that the other golfers played with comparable equipment. Just as the case now where Tiger may play with state of the art equipment, so are other golfers. In reality, what one Tiger this tournament, was not his driving (because there are so many golfers now who can hit it farther then him) but it was his putting. I don't care what type of putter you have, you still have to judge the green and know one does that better then Tiger.....COME ON NOW..HE'S BEEN GONE 8 MONTHS...HASN'T THAT BEEN LONG ENOUGH FOR YOU TIGER HATERS...I KNOW IT'S HARD SWALLOW BUT...HE'S BACK!!!

3-30-2009 @ 11:08PM

elpgolfer said...

capecod, yes the equipment is different than when jack played. but when jack played his equipment was better than what the great bobby jones used. they played with wooden shafts and balls that didnt hold their shape. the game, as well as the equipment, has evolved. trying to compare the difference between jack and tiger is ridiculous. and do you act the way other people think you should act? doubt it.

3-31-2009 @ 4:37AM

bastion78 said...

You know capecod, you can go on about tiger not having class, however, both Jack and Arnie have nothing but positive things to say about him--they also praise him for the level of class that he maintains, on and off the greens. So who are you to judge whether or not Tiger has any class when two of the greats say that he does?

3-31-2009 @ 7:10AM

obamaizadope said...

Earl Woods, and Tiger's mother may go down in history as the greatest parents in history..This guy is the total package, cutthroat killer, and complete gentleman.

3-31-2009 @ 5:57PM

jmnardihrt said...

NOBODY ELSE WAS INVITED SO TIGER COULD WIN

3-31-2009 @ 11:43PM

NOBODY ELSE WAS INVITED SO TIGER COULD WIN? what an asinine statement. no one invited you to this site yet you still found your way here. quite remarkable.