We all know the story with Tiger. He was on top of the world, not just the golf world, but one of the richest, most recognizable, and most admired PEOPLE in the universe. At this time last year, I couldn't have told you the difference between Graeme McDowell and graham crackers. But here is this guy with his geeky Callaway painter's cap, his golf shirts that look like they came straight out of 1987, and he is making New Tiger look like a chump yet again.
I'm sitting here watching the Chevron World Challenge and the duel between Graeme McDowell and Tiger Woods is coming down to the 17th hole. McDowell has a one shot lead andl has just pulled off a tremendous bogey after declaring his tee shot unplayable, taking an imaginative drop on the 9th tee box, pitching it to 8 feet, and then draining the putt. New Tiger makes a ho-hum par with a tee shot to 20 feet, a mediocre birdie putt that didn't even sniff the hole, and a tap-in. Earlier in the round, New Tiger gave up a one shot lead by making a double bogey on a Par-5 while McDowell made a simple birdie. A three shot swing on a Par-5 and Tiger got the worst of it? Unheard of for Old Tiger.
Now tied, New Tiger stiffs his second shot on 18. I think I am going to have to eat my words. No worries, McDowell just calmly rolls in a 20 foot birdie to put the pressure squarely back on New Tiger. A two footer? New putter? Never a doubt, it's a birdie and a playoff.
Now, while we get ready for extra holes, I have to say that the golf world needs New Tiger to play well. You can hear it in the voices of the announcers. They are desperate for the stories, the magic, and the ratings that follow. Dan Hicks even mentions that "it feels like old times" when Tiger stuffs it close on 18 again, trying to stir up the way it used to feel. Why do we need Tiger for golf to be exciting? He is still an icon, still polarizing, and still captivating, whether you like him or not.
Holy cow! On the first playoff hole, McDowell rolls in the same 20 footer on 18 that he made to prolong the tournament only minutes earlier. New Tiger has 12 feet to tie, aaaaaaand, Noonan. Putt slips by on the low side. Fans and announcers seem disappointed. McDowell being interviewed by Dottie Pepper almost seems to defer to Tiger, calling him the "greatest golfer of all time". New Tiger tells Mark Rolfing "he fought hard". Would Old Tiger ever say something like that? He would have just won the thing by 6 shots going away. We are living in a bizarre world. Who would have ever predicted this?
The fact is, McDowell has owned Tiger in 2010. He came back from four shots down to win the Chevron World Challenge at a course that is basically Tiger's backyard. Sherwood hosted his event for years. McDowell won the final match of the Ryder Cup, gaining the clinching points against Hunter Mahan. He had a 2-1-1 record and was involved in winning several key matches on the way to taking the cup. Despite Tiger's amazing 67 in the third round, McDowell beats Tiger by three shots to win the US Open trophy at Pebble Beach. Remember that in 2000, Tiger lapped the field, setting numerous records in the very same event at the very same course.
I hate to admit it, but I was planning on watching football today. Tiger DOES draw you to watch. Tiger DOES inspire me to spend an hour writing blogs. And this match with Tiger today DOES make me look forward to the new season starting in January! So who needs him, anyway?
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