Is Tiger REALLY 'the greatest player who has ever played the game'?

[Herbie]

Tiger has all the skill and commitment, but gives up too easily when things are not going his way,
He still has records to beat, I hope he matures into a great golfer, because he isn't very mature sometimes.

What is this based on he has a win record of 49% and something like 90% 10 from 12 top tens where is the giving up.

Well part of that is in your reply...49% for someone hailed as the messiah of golf. If you watch his play when things dont go his way you can see him give up, well I can? And in comps where he faulters (or gives up) you dont see him in the top 10 often, even not making the cut sometimes. In my memory someone like Jack was always there or thereabouts, rarely faultering .

 

[freddielong]

no doubt after Tiger someone will come and move it on again hopefully it will be my Son and I will be able to buy Turnberry and retire happy but who knows.

Too bad... it'll be MY son!

However, I'll let you play Turnberry for reduced fees

I'll print that off just in case you deny it later Turnberry is expensive so any discount would be nice

 

[Robobum]

Tiger missed the cut @ Turnberry, the previous cut he missed was in 2006!!!

What a quitter

 

[Herbie]

Tiger missed the cut @ Turnberry, the previous cut he missed was in 2006!!!

What a quitter

But that has nothing to do with giving up, the most vivid example at Turnberry, Im pleased you mentioned it.

 

[freddielong]

Tiger has all the skill and commitment, but gives up too easily when things are not going his way,
He still has records to beat, I hope he matures into a great golfer, because he isn't very mature sometimes.

What is this based on he has a win record of 49% and something like 90% 10 from 12 top tens where is the giving up.

Just felt you needed to read this again

 

[Dodger]

HNJ gets most absurd post of the week prize.

 

[Robobum]

.....And in comps where he faulters (or gives up) you dont see him in the top 10 often, even not making the cut sometimes.........

Sorry, must have misread this qoute from you.

In nearly 250 starts he has finished top 25 in over 200 of them, you must set very high standards if you think that shows he has "given up". He also showed how much he quits at Torrey Pines when he had that little scratch on his knee........man up Woods!!!

 

[freddielong]

I can totally understand people not likeing Tiger, but I find it hard to understand anyone denying his ability. I also think we need to come up with a better measure of greatness than majors, on current scale Todd hamilton is better than Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia, Paul Casey and Monty put together.

 

[Dodger]

100% correct...shaun Micheel better than Monty/Garcia???

My arse.

 

[grumpyjock]

Tiger can turn on the magic but is also able to loose it as well.
watched the two rounds of the bridgestone and must admit he is good and totally focused.
but the greatest ever, there will always be someone better in the future.
Seve, Gary or Jack were all good in their days but just let the youngsters and the technology overtake them.

 

[MattysDad]

My first post, be gentle folks.

"If you aspire to be the greatest, you must at first have a clear picture of greatness."

"The one thing of which I'm certain is that Jack remains the standard. I think what we all remember about Jack is that he's not only the greatest player of all time, but he's a true champion on and off the course. Maybe he hasn't won the most tournaments, but the fact that he was able to do it in the majors for a longer period of time-and win more of them than anyone else-is the most incredible thing about his career. I only hope that one day I'll be eye level to him in accomplishments."
Tiger Woods writing for Golf Digest in July 2000.

The whole thing is worth a read
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0HFI/is_7_51/ai_63015233/?tag=content;col1

Tiger's never taken his eye off the prize, but I think if you asked him today who is the greatest he'd say Jack. Today I'd say Jack, but I know it won't be long before I'll happily put Tiger top of the list.

 

[ball_basher]

not yet, and in my book he needs to win a few more than jack, if you think back to the nicklaus days you also had tom watson on the scene , so jack may have won more if there wasnt as many world class golfersat the time

 

[freddielong]

I think that in general the feild is stronger today than it was in Jacks day, yes there was Tom Watson, Lee Trevino Gary Player etc but once you got past those the standard dropped off, I would say today almost the whole field is good enough to win as seen this year with Cink and Glover so I think that argument actually works in Tigers favour.

 

[bobmac]

Once you got passed Trevino, Palmer, Watson, Player Kite, Couples, Seve, Faldo, Norman, Weiskopf, Millar, Floyd, it was easy Showing my age here lol

 

[Robobum]

Once you got passed Trevino, Palmer, Watson, Player Kite, Couples, Seve, Faldo, Norman, Weiskopf, Millar, Floyd, it was easy Showing my age here lol

Tiger only has Phil, Padraig, Vijay, Furyk, Goosen, Cabrera, Love, Ernie, etc etc etc.......all major winners + loads more quality in the fields top to bottom.

These arguments are great as there isn't, and never can be, a definitive answer, I read an interesting article about this very comparison where it fell in the favour of Jack.

The reason behind it was down to the losses!! Jack had 19 2nd places in a major as well as all his wins which is pretty damn impressive. Or from HNJ's perspective, Jack gave up on many more chances than he actually took!!

 

[Herbie]

HNJ gets most absurd post of the week prize.

Yet again jumping in and directly insulting someone elses remarks or opinion, is this all your contribution ammounts to?

 

[Herbie]

.....And in comps where he faulters (or gives up) you dont see him in the top 10 often, even not making the cut sometimes.........

Sorry, must have misread this qoute from you.

In nearly 250 starts he has finished top 25 in over 200 of them, you must set very high standards if you think that shows he has "given up". He also showed how much he quits at Torrey Pines when he had that little scratch on his knee........man up Woods!!!

The point you and many others miss is the standard all Tiger supporters set for him, you included as you have just done so if you read your own post.Im not surprised you are confused?? And bugger the knee, if he wasn't fit he would not have played.

 

[Herbie]

I can totally understand people not likeing Tiger, but I find it hard to understand anyone denying his ability. I also think we need to come up with a better measure of greatness than majors, on current scale Todd hamilton is better than Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia, Paul Casey and Monty put together.

Who is denying his ability?

 

[drawboy]

Ask yourself this, I'm three shots up last day of a tournament I look up as I practice my shots on the range and I see Tiger in his red shirt warming up.Can I beat him? That red shirt must be one of the most intimidating sights in sport. Ask Padraig he couldn't. I think he is going to be the greatest golfer of all time, can't see anyone challenging him much at present. Try and win a U.S. open on one leg. Yes he spits,yes he curses, but the quality of his shot making and course management makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up every time he tee's it up like no other golfer.

 

[Robobum]

The point you and many others miss is the standard all Tiger supporters set for him, you included as you have just done so if you read your own post.Im not surprised you are confused??

Sorry HNJ, I haven't missed that point, it's just one that I don't agree with. Somebody's "greatness" cannot, IMO, be measured on the expectations of his supporters. This is especially true about TW. He has brought interest to the game from people who would not be able to tell one end of the club from the other. Their belief that Tiger could "slam dunk a hole in one inside the end zone" every time he plays is not a good yard stick.

Tiger's record is there for all to see, how each of us choose to interpret it is a personal choice and cause for good debate such as this. For the record, I think TW is the best ever, but then I've seen him since his entry on the scene and due to the vastly improved coverage (attributable to him) I have a better awareness of his ability. But I still maintain that TW would have been a great back in Jack's day and vice versa.