Archive for the ‘Tiger Woods’ Category

The US Open is upon us and it returns to Pebble Beach in 2010. For me Pebble Beach is      everything you expect from a test of golf and as host for the US Open will be set out to be  an even bigger test. Holes 17 and 18 are wonderful finishing holes and I look forward to  the drama over the course of the next four days. Mention Pebble Beach and I always  remember Tom Watson in the 1982 US Open ( Watson US Open 1982).  Watson played his  tee shot into rough on the edge of the 17th Green. Trailing Nicklaus he probably thought  it was all over however, what does he do, chip it in! A fantastic shot which was no mean    feat given what I always remember about US Golf Opens and how the rough is kept long  so close to the greens.

It will be interesting to see how Tiger in his current state of mind plays on a course where  he triumphed so well in 2000 (Woods Pebble Beach 2000). I don’t expect him to repeat that feat and do feel that he finally has competition – Mickelson and Westwood to name but two. Here’s to an exiting weekend.

Tiger Woods missed the cut at Quail Hollow. The reason he has given is a poor short game. Understandable. Those golfers reading this will know the impact of taking time out from the game. A couple of weeks off no problem but a few months and the short game is the first to suffer. A good short game relies on “feel”. In the case of Woods though, something else needs to be considered. Wood’s would have being doing practice over the past few months. Sure, he has not had tournament golf but he would still have maintained that “feel” so important to a good short game. No, what is to blame here is mind games – being mentally strong.

Throughout his career to date, Woods has been way ahead of his competitors in his ability to remain mentally strong. It can deliver so much more to a golfer. Being mentally strong will often make the difference between win or lose.  What Woods has put himself through over the past few months will no doubt have made what was once a strong mental game into mush. It has to be playing on Woods mind and will only resolve itself when he has made the decision on where his priorities lie – golf or family. Now I don’t now the current situation and I was surprised when Woods came back to play the Masters, but if the priority is family I would suggest Woods forgets about playing tournament golf and focuses on family life. Golf can take a back seat and when resolved he will be much better placed mentally to win those 4 majors and overtake Nicklaus’s record.  He has the game to make it happen the question now is is his mental game, always so strong, up to it? Either way an enormous amount of personnel change is required and one should not underestimate the impact this has mentally.

And by the way congratulations to Rory McIlroy in winning at Quail Hollow – a new kid starting to deliver.