It doesn't matter how well Tiger Woods has previously played, or how many top 10s he has logged, when he has a poor week -- especially if that somehow includes a missed cut -- the reaction is predictable: Tiger needs to a) fix his swing and b) jettison Hank Haney for good measure.
I can't disagree with tightening up his swing -- Tiger looked like a 4-handicapper at Turnberry -- but Woods continues to support Haney, at least publicly. Skepticism remains (via Gold Digest's Local Knowledge blog):
Within hours of Tiger Woods missing the cut, there was already speculation that he ought to consider a serious talk with his swing coach, Hank Haney. Although Woods has gone out of his way to diffuse it, it's a line of thinking began after the Masters. BBC analyst Mark James offered the same Woods-Haney critique after Woods missed the cut here. Even though Woods worked with Haney the week before Turnberry, had said on his Web site that he and Haney were good and Woods had won at Congressional in his last tournament before he got here, the Haney Rumor Wagon is probably going to be getting new wheels.No idea if Haney is on the outs. Since joining Woods in early 2004, Tiger has six major victories in 20 events (.300 winning percentage). That's slightly better than the 8-for-28 (.286) he managed while working with Butch Harmon.
So maybe it's not as dire as some folks might have you believe. I mean, just prior to Bethpage, Tiger steamrolled the field at the Memorial, hitting 14-of-14 fairways during the final round (and 47 of 56 for the week). Nobody's was talking about Haney's job until, well, Tiger only managed a top 10 at the U.S. Open two weeks later.
For all the concerns about the state of Tiger's golf swing, best bud Mark O'Meara seemed unfazed by the missed cut:
"I would tell you that I played with Tiger on Tuesday and it was as good as I've seen him hit the ball and prepare for a major championship," O'Meara, 52, told Reuters.I think that's right, but that doesn't mean we won't be inundated with breathless "How can Tiger fix his swing before Hazeltine!?" stories. So there's that.
"As much as anyone I was shocked (when he missed the cut). It just goes to show you that even if we think that Tiger Woods is not human, he is human. ... I don't think that we need to worry too much about him. He's going to be just fine."
In the meantime, just something to keep in mind, courtesy of BBC golf analyst Peter Alliss: "It's very difficult to criticize Tiger. He's just had a bad week. He didn't play very well but it's only about the fifth bad week he's had in 13 years. He will regroup and come back and probably win another couple before the end of the year. ... I think his problems are quite small, but he's won all these things without any help from me."
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ever wonder how the greats of the game played without a swing coach? they didnt have them!woods needs to quit worrying about his swing and just play golf, he knows what to do. and btw he's still the best player in the world, he missed a cut, it happens.. get over it!!!
I am the biggest Tiger fan in the world, watch every tournament he's in. However he needs to realize that a bunch of kids watch him too and to see him throw a fit and swear every time he hit's a bad shot is not something the world's best known athlete needs to show people. Pout and swear when your out with Charles Barkley and Micheal Jordan golfing not when the whole world is watching. In his defense, geez people, he has only missed 4 cuts IN 13 YEARS ON TOUR. He is only human.
I agree. I'm second to none in my admiration for Tiger, but his temper has gone over the top. He's got to reign it in, because that's the only thing that could tarnish him..
Passion is what makes good players great. I have no problem with Tiger Woods getting upset when he plays poorly.
Class golf performer. Classless temperment. I'm sick of explaining to my 14 year old son why the number one golfer in the world acts like an idiot when he hits a bad shot!
rjkofnovi...tell me...regarding your comment, defending this idiot. So if passion for what you're doing, exuses behavior...than I am to understand that since Ted Bundy was passionate about killing women...we have to acknowledge him being great at what he did?!
I am a high school golf coach and try to teach the kids to control their emotions to get the most of their game. When I see Tiger throw his little fits every time he misses a shot, it's hard to explain that to the boys. I guess I'll have to start using Freddie Couples as an example now. I already prefer that the boys swing more like Freddie( under control ) than like Tiger ( swing as hard as you possibly can ).
I am a Tiger fan. As I watched the Open and Tom Watson in particular, I was very impressed with his swing....in tempo, smooth, balanced, etc. He had a plan as to how to play the course as well as each hole.Tiger on the other hand, appeared to not have a plan other than to bomb each hole and hope for the best. Overpower the golf course when it was not necessary. It is simply staggering to me that Tiger cannot, repeat cannot drive the ball consistently in the fairway. Why? He is going to nuke each drive no matter what the hole actually calls for and it will most likely go right off into the woods or worse. He could win most tournaments without ever hitting a driver. Maybe that should be his plan. Just imagine how it would be if 70% of his drives were in the fairway vs. him scrambling just to save par or bogey!