Finish at AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Shows He’s Lost ‘The Edge’ On Sundays
Sundays used to be ecstasy for Tiger Woods; now they are just agony.
There were shots that looked as if he never left the game. Towering drives down the fairway, blasted bunker shots (one of which he holed for a birdie) and perfect putts.
But mixed in with that brilliance to which we’ve all been accustomed were off-kilter drives and approach shots and several missed short putts.
Tiger Woods had a presence at the AT&T Pebble Pro-Am, but never quite got over the hump. He had a chance Sunday, starting at 11-under just four shots off the lead, but never made a real threat to win the tournament. Never put together a string of hot holes that got him to contention. Instead, he finished at -8, a 75, nine shots off the lead, topping if off by missing a tiny putt on 18. As he approached the turn, he bogeyed three straight holes. He used to birdie three straight holes on Sunday.
At Pebble Beach, he was three over on the final day. On Sunday! A day that used to be ecstasy is now agony for Woods.
Instead it was Phil Michelson, who shot past Tiger and took the tournament. Tiger is now left with the satisfaction of a well-played tournament but also the frustration that he’s not yet ready to win one.
At times, Tiger Woods displays his typical sweet swing, but not often enough on Sundays.
The mystifying part is that Tiger is falling apart where he used to thrive: On Sundays.
When he was the game’s most dominant player he crushed opponents with his tenacity and ability to put other players away on the final round. If Tiger was anywhere near the leaderboard after Saturday, he was going to win the tournament. The fans knew it, the media knew it and the other golfers knew it.
Now, however, he’s lost “the edge.” The very thing that made him great, made him so intimidating. First, it was Tiger’s marriage and reputation that collapsed. Now it’s his performance on Sundays.
Tiger Woods Is Better But Not Yet Ready to Win Tournaments
Finish at AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Shows He’s Lost ‘The Edge’ On Sundays
Sundays used to be ecstasy for Tiger Woods; now they are just agony.
There were shots that looked as if he never left the game. Towering drives down the fairway, blasted bunker shots (one of which he holed for a birdie) and perfect putts.
But mixed in with that brilliance to which we’ve all been accustomed were off-kilter drives and approach shots and several missed short putts.
Tiger Woods had a presence at the AT&T Pebble Pro-Am, but never quite got over the hump. He had a chance Sunday, starting at 11-under just four shots off the lead, but never made a real threat to win the tournament. Never put together a string of hot holes that got him to contention. Instead, he finished at -8, a 75, nine shots off the lead, topping if off by missing a tiny putt on 18. As he approached the turn, he bogeyed three straight holes. He used to birdie three straight holes on Sunday.
At Pebble Beach, he was three over on the final day. On Sunday! A day that used to be ecstasy is now agony for Woods.
Instead it was Phil Michelson, who shot past Tiger and took the tournament. Tiger is now left with the satisfaction of a well-played tournament but also the frustration that he’s not yet ready to win one.
At times, Tiger Woods displays his typical sweet swing, but not often enough on Sundays.
The mystifying part is that Tiger is falling apart where he used to thrive: On Sundays.
When he was the game’s most dominant player he crushed opponents with his tenacity and ability to put other players away on the final round. If Tiger was anywhere near the leaderboard after Saturday, he was going to win the tournament. The fans knew it, the media knew it and the other golfers knew it.
Now, however, he’s lost “the edge.” The very thing that made him great, made him so intimidating. First, it was Tiger’s marriage and reputation that collapsed. Now it’s his performance on Sundays.