***Official PGA Championship Thread***

[shemp]

"once Bob May surrendered the lead on the back nine, Tiger was done playing catch-up."

I'm sure you remember that Tiger led Medinah pretty much wire-to-wire -- not disputing the point it was exhausting battle/good theatre.

[tuq]

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"and of course at least one REALLY lucky Tiger bounce down the stretch"

People have scanned the video tape for years trying to locate the second gun man behind the grassy knolll who kept the ball on the course.

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I'm not sure if you're serious or not. You do suck at post quoting, I know that much.

Do you remember his drive in the playoff on 18? He pull hooked the mofo and it was rattling around in some low area and SOMEHOW came to rest playable. Yooge break for Tiger, and he went on to win after May almost dropped a putt from the wrong side of the ridge.

[tuq]

[ QUOTE ]
"once Bob May surrendered the lead on the back nine, Tiger was done playing catch-up."

I'm sure you remember that Tiger led Medinah pretty much wire-to-wire -- not disputing the point it was exhausting battle/good theatre.

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I have no idea what you're looking for from me here. I don't recall the 1999 PGA probably b/c it wasn't that memorable. That said, it did come down to the last putt. And that's the complaint most contemporaries have had w/r/t Tiger - people get out of his way. Annoying. To date, only a 19 (?) YO Sergio Garcia and a journeyman (Bob May) have deigned to step up to him.

[Joe_d72]

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Should be a hotly contested battle for 2nd place.

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[andyfox]

"I don't get how if you are a mediocre ball striker and a hell of a putter you get credit for being scrappy or a scrambler or a great putter. If you are a good ball striker and not a good putter, you get the y word or the choker label."

I think it's the same in most sports: a guy like, say, David Eckstein of the Cardinals is "scrappy"--that means he doesn't have a lot of talent and doesn't hit many home runs. A guy who hits .260 but his .320 in the "clutch" gets a reputation as a big play guy, but if he had been a better player to being with, there wouldn't be as many "clutch" situations come to pass.

You get your score when the ball goes into the hole, so I guess that tends to make people judge a player's "clutchness" by how well he does that. I think it's evident that Sergio has just never been a great putter. I can't imagine he ever will be.

[shemp]

"I'm not sure if you're serious or not."

In the future, when someone refers to a second gun man hidden behind the grassy knoll of the 18th hole of a PGA event, go ahead and put him on "facetious" (even if it isn't a major).

"You do suck at post quoting, I know that much."

Anything else I suck at, as long as were getting things off our chests?

[tuq]

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You get your score when the ball goes into the hole, so I guess that tends to make people judge a player's "clutchness" by how well he does that. I think it's evident that Sergio has just never been a great putter. I can't imagine he ever will be.

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Yeah I imagine his epitaph won't involve what an awesome putter he was.

That said I REALLY wish he would embrace an alternate style. Cross-handed (which he had used sporadically), claw, left-handed putter, something. It's tough to watch him in his current form. Tougher than Vijay. So much talent tee-to-green and then he pisses it all away around the hole. Argh.

[shemp]

"I have no idea what you're looking for from me here. I don't recall the 1999 PGA probably b/c it wasn't that memorable."

I'm not looking for an argument. I was merely trying to remind you of circumstances of both the 1999 and 2000 PGA tournaments which bordered on inconsistent with a few of your comments. At the same time, I'm really not disputing anything here. Have a Nice Day?

[tuq]

shemp,

I less than three you. Hope that makes sense mang.

[shemp]

A few semi random thoughts...

I think nearly all pros are amazing putters -- the ones pidgeon holed as mediocre are simply mediocre for pros.

One of the great things about spectating golf is that the amateur can identify with so many aspects of the pros' struggles.

I think putting and short game places a premium on creativity and intelligence (I'm not much of a putter -- and I'm not saying Sergio lacks either trait).

I've seen Sergio several times hit the ball very well and make nothing. I think his putting gets worse when he's in contention. And I think I've seen some tell tale putter blade flashes on shorter putts.