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#1
08-20-2007, 02:30 PM
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Golf - Tiger too tired for BMW champs
Do any of you golf fans give a shit about this season ending tournament series?
Have any idea what the points mean? (Don't worry about trying to explain them to me, I don't care.) I mean, I'll be glad to watch some of the tourneys over the next 4 weeks, as they will have a good field. Kinda bothered that they took the Western away from Chicago every other year. What do you think about Tiger bagging the first tourney claiming "exhaustion"? Personally, I would prefer if he just said, "I don't want to play it" instead of claiming he's exhausted. A stud like Tiger doesn't take 2 weeks to recover from a golf tournament. Last edited by Dinsdale; 08-20-2007 at 02:31 PM. Reason: typo (in title no less!) 
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#4
08-20-2007, 02:40 PM
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 I think maybe they renamed the Western the BMW. They've been showing those point totals all season. All it meant to me was Tiger was way ahead of everyone else. With 5 wins and a major he's a lock for Player of the Year. The TPC is a great tourney, but not a major. This season-ending series seems like a blatant marketing ploy.
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#5
08-20-2007, 02:41 PM
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Here is a potential scenario that illustrates how stupid it is.
Say (for example) that Tiger is leading in the points race going into the last hole of the last event. He is partnered with some nobody that can't catch him even if he wins, and they are tied for the tournament lead. The last hole is a par 5 with water in front, and Mr. Nobody drills a three wood onto the green in two. You are Tiger - Do you lay up and essentially concede the tournament and it's $1M purse in order to protect your lead in the playoff series and it's $10M payoff? It is a poorly thought out and planned non-event, as evidenced by Tiger (and Steven Ames) skipping the first event and having no chance at being eliminated from the "elimination" tournament. Last edited by Lamar Mundane; 08-20-2007 at 02:42 PM.
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#6
08-20-2007, 02:47 PM
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I think if Tiger really wanted to play, he would, so I think it's fair to read at least a level of indifference into his absence. He would never skip the Masters over exhaustion. He'd tough it out and credit his physical fitness for allowing him to do so.
He's so far ahead in the points scheme that Dinsdale doesn't care about that he could still plausibly win the whole series without playing the first event anyway. But, no, I don't really care. I think the prize money system is odd, too. The winner gets, essentially, 10 million dollars worth of retirement annuities, collectable only after the age of 45. Most of the guys who could conceivably win the FedEx cup are already millionaires many times over, and presumably are set for life. The low guy on the totem pole -- the guy who's 145th on the money list and may only last a year or two on tour, possibly without winning much -- would certainly benefit, but I"ve read that the PGA's own simulations suggest that only the top 13 guys in the standings really have a shot at the prize. So...it's a bit like offering Lebron James a retirement annuity as an enticement to play in some basketball tournament. What does he care -- he's been set for life since high school. Having said all that, though, I'll reserve judgment on the Cup until after it's over. As prideful and competitive as golfers are, it may very well bring out some exciting play. I'd be happy for that. Last edited by Figaro; 08-20-2007 at 02:48 PM.
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#7
08-20-2007, 02:50 PM
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Absolutely the only point to the whole charade is to try and convince major golfers to play in the tournaments coming in the late summer, early fall season. The tour was tired of trying to round up sponsors for events that would never see the likes of Woods, Mickelson, et al. For the most part, it seems to have worked; most of the big names intend to play in most of the four tournaments.
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#8
08-20-2007, 03:47 PM
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I just see this as one more thing that will put more money in Tiger's pockets. He's so far ahead in points right now it's ridiculous. And the system is so complicated-- I've read and read and read about it, and I just barely understand it. The points get reset at the beginning of the "playoffs", where the point leader gets something like 100,000 points (or some crazy, high number) and the guy in second gets 99,000, and so on. Then half the players get eliminated in each of the 4 tournaments, with the point leader at the end getting $10M. I guess they accumulate points again in the 4 playoff tournaments to determine the overall winner.
Lamar: I don't think your scenario is even remotely likely. If Tiger is winning in points, and he gets second in the final tournament he almost certainly will win the cup. And don't even get me started on those crappy commercials...
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#9
08-20-2007, 04:03 PM
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{Announcer} Tiger has to carry 230 yards to the green. He needs to make eagle to win! But he pulls out a nine iron and is going to lay up! He loses! But he wins the
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#11
08-20-2007, 04:16 PM
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Tiger plays when he wants, where he wants.
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#12
08-20-2007, 04:23 PM
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#13
08-20-2007, 04:25 PM
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#14
08-21-2007, 01:49 PM
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#15
08-21-2007, 02:02 PM
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Exhaustion is probably too strong a word (although it's the one most people will understand), but Tiger probably realizes that he's too worn out to play his best and Tiger doesn't play when he can't bring his A game.
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#16
08-21-2007, 02:15 PM
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He's 30 or so and rock solid. After the PGA he said he felt as strong leaving the 18th green as he did stepping up to the 1st tee, and attributed it to his hard work and conditioning. Either he was lying then, or he's lying now when he claims exhaustion. Fuck it. I'd prefer it if he simply said he didn't want to play a certain event, and is rich enough and has diverse enough business interests that a few million here or there isn't enough to entice him to do something he doesn't want to.
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#18
08-21-2007, 02:58 PM
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His website requires registration to read his blog. I demurred.
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#19
08-21-2007, 03:15 PM
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So, it's not a physical thing, it's a mental thing. He's mentally worn down from playing back to back tournaments, both in tough conditions, both important tournaments, one a major, both of which he won. He'd like to take a break because he's not mentally ready to go back out and undertake the effort it takes to win.
Geesh, cut the guy some slack.
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#20
08-21-2007, 04:10 PM
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#21
08-21-2007, 04:29 PM
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I don't read that as a "mental thing", but rather a "physical (and possibly also a mental) thing". But I don't really think it's all that big a deal. This FedEx thing seems more like a gimmick to me, anyway. A very expensive gimmick, mind you, but I don't see why Tiger has to support it by playing all 4 events just because the PGA officials decided they wanted to try and lure golfers into the late season games. Especially since there's a good chance he can win it by playing only 3 events. If he does, that'll make this whole thing a bigger joke than it already is-- at least as long as Tiger is around.
I guess tennis is like golf with such a long season, but most sports have a much shorter season of 4-6 months, not 10 months long.
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#22
08-21-2007, 04:44 PM
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#23
08-24-2007, 03:57 PM
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Tiger might regret his decision.
Choi, Stricker Sabatini, Garcia, Mickleson, Els, Furyk all can pass Tiger with a win, and they're all in it. It might just make Tiger win at least one of the final three tournaments to win the whole thing.
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#24
09-04-2007, 02:23 PM
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OK. We're halfway through it and I have to say that I don't care a bit. Despite all the reinforcement from the broadcasters, all I cared about yesterday was if Mickleson would choke away another win.
It seems much more likely that this playoff format will be a big dud. It could end up with Tiger shooting 57 on the last day of the last tournament and winning by 23 shots on Mickleson, but finishing second in the "playoff" because Phil comes in second instead of third when KJ Choi triple bogeys the last hole. There is no drama associated with the "cut". Boring. And now I see that Mickleson has withdrawn from next week's event. Dud. Last edited by Lamar Mundane; 09-04-2007 at 02:28 PM.
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#25
09-04-2007, 03:09 PM
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Did Mick withdraw? Yesterday he said he might, but wasn't definite.
I'm still not thrilled with the whole playoff except for one thing - it seems to be encouraging (most of) the top players to compete in what are usually the dog days of golf watching on TV. I mean, Tiger and Mick played together the 1st 2 rounds this week because of their standings, and the 4th round because of their tourney play. With them narrowing the field, you are really getting closer and closer to a cream-of-the-crop field for the next 2 weeks. This week will be 70 players, next week 30. Both are no-cut tourneys. So you pretty much have the guys who had the best seasons, tweaked by the guys who are really hot now. Should make for a couple of fun tourneys. And I was glad to see Mick win again, especially in the same pairing as Tiger. What was he THINKING with that shot to the green leading to double?!  But no, I couldn't care less about who wins that godawful trophy.
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#26
09-04-2007, 03:15 PM
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Oh yeah - I thought the TV guys should cool it with the constant color-coded projections. Especially way early in the round/tourney.
And I have yet to hear anyone in this area refer to the upcoming tourney as anything other than the Western.
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#27
09-04-2007, 10:19 PM
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I'm kinda "meh" about it.
His claim for recovery might be a silly headgame. If it is, whee. If it isn't, whee. He still puts on a hell of a show in the majors.
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#28
09-05-2007, 12:17 AM
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In most sports, it's still possible to get snooty and say "So-and-So has to understand, he is NOT bigger than the game."
Problem is, that's not true in golf any more. Tiger Woods IS bigger than the PGA. He knows it, his fellow golfers know it, and Tim Finchem knows it. Any tournament in which Tiger doesn't participate becomes, de facto, a non-event. Any tournament in which he plays but isn't a top contender will have zero viewers on Sunday. Hence, he can play or not play whenever he feels like it, knowing that the PGA needs him a lot more than he needs their lesser tournaments. Like it or not, Tiger only cares about the majors and a handful of other tournaments. The FedEx "classic" means even less to him than the Ryder Cup (and we've seen how little THAT means to him). He has more money than he'll ever be able to spend, and he's already firmly established as the best (or, at worst, second best) golfer of all time. What else does he have to prove to anyone? Maybe he's truly tired. More likely, he just doesn't give a rat's behind but doesn't feel like saying so on the record.
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#29
09-05-2007, 12:27 AM
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#30
09-05-2007, 12:31 AM
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I read it as mental/emotional exhaustion. He just had a baby and grueling end to the season. He needs some mental health time. Big deal. I don't think "exhaustion" is necessarily an inaccurate characterization of how he feels. All that travel time alone has to become wearing after awhile.
I also agree that this is just not a significant event for him. He doesn't need the money or the points or the cred. He can do whatever he wants. Last edited by Diogenes the Cynic; 09-05-2007 at 12:32 AM.
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#31
09-05-2007, 08:48 AM
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Just wanted to point out that at this point this thread could veer away from Tiger himself, towards discussion of the FedEx Cup "playoffs." Would a new thread or a changed title be appropriate?
Tiger took the first week off. Last week Choi and Ells took off. This week Michelson and Harrington are taking off. Also, I wonder how realistic it is for the tour to get buy-in from the top players to play 4 weeks in a row, when this is followed immediately by the President's/Ryder Cup. So that effectively makes it 5 weeks in a row, at a time when the top guys are generally taking it pretty easy. In the paper today, they said given the points at stake there is a very small number of folks who could pass the idle Mick for the lead if they won or finished near the top this week - maybe 8-10. And, tho I haven't crunched the numbers, when it gets down to the final week I bet there will be a limited number of golfers who have a chance of winning the whole thing. Certainly not all 30 who will be competing. Given the way it is set up, I really don't have an issue with a player taking a week off. They are all sole contractors, so they can make their decisions as to what is in their personal best interest. And if one of the top guns can win it all despite taking a week off, more power to him.
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#32
09-05-2007, 09:42 AM
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It just seems to me that this scoring system (Fed-Ex) doesn't fit the game of golf at all. It isn't golf when a player (could be Mickleson, or Tiger, or Stricker, etc.) can go into the final event knowing that as long as they finish fourth, they will win the playoff. What the hell kind of a playoff is that?
If they wanted it to be a real playoff, they could have kept the scoring system as is for the first three events, then had the final 32 play match play to the end. The way it is now, the 30th ranked guy could win the final tournament but not sniff the top 5 in the "playoff". Now it could be "Phil wins if he wins, or if he finishes second and Tiger doesn't win, or if he finishes third - sixth provided KJ Choi doesn't win, Stricker doesn't come in first-third, and Tiger misses the cut." Yes, I know that there isn't a cut in the final event.
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#33
09-05-2007, 10:25 AM
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As it stands, there will be very few of the top 30 the last week who actually can win the Cup.
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#34
09-05-2007, 10:36 AM
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Another rating is the voting for the player of the year. Which is generally won by the guy who has the highest winnings - especially if he won at least 1 major. If the top money winner did nothing in the bigger tourneys, tho, it is possible that a lower money winner will be voted PotY. The Vardon Trophy goes to the player with the lowest scoring average. Generally that player will have won a bunch of $ and a tourney or 2, but that is not guaranteed. A guy could finish in the top 2 thru 5 in every tourney he enters, and have the lowest scoring average despite never winning. What I'm saying is that under all of the traditional methods of identifying the best golfer of the year, players have considerable leeway in determining what tourneys they do or don't play. So in that respect, this playoff system strikes me as very much in the traditional spirit of golf. Face it, if Tiger finishes 2d in this FedEx Cup, is there anyone on earth who will think he did not have the best year of any pro golfer? If Steve Stricker wins this playoff, will that mean he is better than Tiger or Phil? Of course not. But it can still make this end-of-season exercise enjoyable. Maybe a step above football's ProBowl. It is fun to see how the players conduct themselves in different situations. That is one reason I enjoyed the occasional Stableford or match play tourneys, or the bestball/alternate shot matches in the Ryder/President's Cups. To me, this end of the season spectacle is just another wrinkle that I can derive enjoyment from watching. I'm surprising myself in finding that I am more interested in the tourneys as time goes on.
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#35
09-07-2007, 10:16 AM
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Well, if yesterday is any indication, Chicago fans are expressing their lack of support for the change of the July 4 Western to the every-other-post Labor Day BMW. Trib said opening day crowds were 20K, compared to usual 35K. True, a risk of bad weather (which never materialized) caused them to move teetimes earlier.
Right now the PGA Tour site says play has been suspended due to weather - but I have been unable to find when play was suspended, how bad the weather was, when it is expected to resume, etc. Seems like relevant info they should have and should think to make available. Relevant to me, cause I've got a 12:30 tee time url=http://www.mistwoodgolf.net/]here[/url], just west of Cog, with a couple of guys who were planning on attending the tourney this a.m. If you hear about an idiot golfer who got hit by lightning this aft, and I stop posting, there might be a connex! Hell, what am I talking about? i think it is letting up! The heavy stuff isn't going to come down for some time... 
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#36
09-07-2007, 10:27 AM
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All right, finally found among the video that play was suspended at 9:11. Funny, I'm less than 20 miles pretty much straight N of there, and tho it is overcast there is no sign of rain. Some showers came through here around 6 a.m. or so. Radar map looks pretty clear.
I'd better bring my sunsceen! 
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#37
09-08-2007, 07:34 PM
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If Tiger wins this one outright, I think he can't be worst than second, maybe third, even if he skips next week. What kind of playoff can you do that when you miss half the tournaments? (not that Tiger will skip it, just in theory)
But yes, I'll watch Tiger. I'm one of those kind of fans. Villegas is also of interest. I can really do without the projected standings every five minutes, especially with the crazy scoring. Is a 300 point difference a lot or a little? no idea. I hope they rethink this, but I am enjoying the field.
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#38
09-09-2007, 09:51 PM
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This thing seems to be cursed. The PGA posted notes on everyone's lockers this morning saying that players will not be allowed to set foot on the greens at Eastlake until the tournament starts on Thursday.
"But the overall conditions of all the greens will not come close to normal expectations," the tour notice said. Some players have never played the course before. http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/new...v=ap&type=lgns Haven't they heard of sprinklers in Georgia? Last edited by Lamar Mundane; 09-09-2007 at 09:52 PM.
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#39
09-10-2007, 06:47 AM
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#40
09-10-2007, 08:25 AM
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Got no idea about the growing requirements of bentgrass, but you'd think this is the kinda thing the Tour might have anticipated, given all the bucks they are throwing at this thing.
Heck, up here in Chicago a green or 2 have been known to get burnt out in the fall. So what is the story? Only 5 players have any chance at all of winning the playoff, and of those 5, only Woods, Stricker, and Mick are realistically in it? Anyone know the permutations - how high do Stricker or Mick have to place to win it all, combined with how bad of a showing by Tiger? If someone other than one of those 3 win it, then is it Tiger's?
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#41
09-10-2007, 09:37 AM
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As for East Lake: this has been an incredibly hot and humid summer in the South. But, yes, I suspect that it was a bit silly of the Tour to choose an Atlanta course for a tournament in September. There is a reason that Augusta National closes down during the summer.
Last edited by DSYoungEsq; 09-10-2007 at 09:39 AM.
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#42
09-10-2007, 09:46 AM
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Stricker and Tiger are the best putters of the contenders, although Mickleson has had a great year in that regard - they are likely to suffer the most if the greens are as bad as they say. The field will creep up on them if they lose that advantage.
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#43
09-10-2007, 09:54 AM
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Basically I'm wondering how high these 3 need to finish for what results. Say Tiger is in the top 5 - how high must Mick or Strick finish to beat him? Last place this week gets 395 points. That would give Tiger 113,028. So Stricker would need approx 3500 points to win, and Mick about 4500. Any idea what places give those numbers? Maybe they should let Mick and Strick play best ball against Tiger to make it interesting! I guess if the conceit is to identify the best player of the year, it only makes sense that Tiger wins it.
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#44
09-10-2007, 10:04 AM
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2 -- 6,200 3 -- 3,900 4 -- 2,800 5 -- 2,300 6 -- 2,060 7 -- 1,920 8 -- 1,780 9 -- 1,660 10 -- 1,550
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#45
09-10-2007, 10:36 AM
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All right. That gives me a clearer idea.
Essentially Mick/Strick need to finish 1st or 2d to have any chance, no matter what Tiger does. Well, Strick could finish 3d if Tiger finishes dead last or skips the tourney, but I don't see that happening.
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#46
09-17-2007, 10:37 PM
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http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/...t&lid=tab5pos1
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#48
09-18-2007, 09:42 AM
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Tiger's last five tournaments, all against the very best in the world -
WGC - Bridgestone - 1st PGA - 1st Deutsche Bank - 2nd BMW- 1st Tour Championship - 1st I hope he's paired with Steve Stricker at the President's Cup, they seem to get along great. He needs to find a partner he can play well with.
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#49
09-18-2007, 03:06 PM
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Tiger is in a league of his own. When he shoots a par round, people wonder what is wrong with him. All other players, when they shoot par, no one blinks at it (even Phil, Ernie, Furyk (who was NOTICEABLY absent as a top competitor during the playoffs), Vijay). Tiger has won an incredible one-half of the last 30 or 31 tournaments he has entered, if I understand correctly. There simply is no other golfer in the history of the game who has accomplished that. Maybe the Tour should let others take him on in two-man scramble teams.
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#50
09-19-2007, 08:29 AM
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Insane!
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