Retief - right or wrong?

[birdieman]

Goosen is in the news for suggesting that Tiger was feigning or at least exaggerating his knee injury, for what reason I don't know. Is Retief right to say this - personally I think he should keep an opinion like that to himself. Lots of us wondered about Tiger's knee but I don't think Tiger would milk it.
If you've had recent knee surgery and hit the ball as hard as Tiger does then sometimes it will hurt. It's not true that he didn't wince on good shots - several times he grimaced in pain after teeing off and I thought he must have hit it in the rough because of his expression only to see the ball split the fairway.
When Tiger has been runner up or worse in many other Majors he has never cited an injury as a reason for failing, he just says he putted poorly or drove it badly etc.
All this will do is make Tiger dislike Retief. Questioning the integrity of the world's best golfer, who has nothing left to prove to anyone, seems foolhardy to me.

 

[theeaglehunter]

agreed it is a needless comment and if anything can only be some sort of publicity stunt if it is true. Whilst he may have a point there is no place to air your negative views on fellow professionals as it is inevitably going to cause friction. It wouldn't surprise me though if it is the press blowing something out of proportion similar to the whole Faldo, Azinger debate a while back. Eventually both cleared it up and said that it has been completely exaggerated and no grudge was held. Plus Retief doesn't seem to be that type of guy anyway, and the comment has little bearing when Tiger won anyway- if he had finished second and blamed the knee it would have been more relevant.

 

[SS2]

It was a daft and pointless thing to say by a top pro who should know better.

 

[The23rdman]

I think it was tongue in cheek, but he should know better than to expect the media to do anything other than blow it up.

 

[surefire]

It probably wasn't the right thing to say, but I reckon he had a point.

If Tigers injury was really bad he wouldn't have played. Plus as he did play it is likely he had some anti inflamatory like cortisone and some kind of painkiller.

He winced a lot, but he didn't really limp too much or struggle to transfer his weight. This is usually a better sign of how much pain someone is in than facial expression.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think it is probably a case of some hack trying to make a story out of a few simple quotes. Goosen has never struck me as someone who needs or looks for controversy. I have to say a mere TV spectator there were times when I thought Woods (particularly in the final round when he was with Westwood) was using it to slow the pace down and maybe gain some sort of advantage.

That said he is entitled to do so providing he doesn't hold play up unncessarily and it was a fighting perfomance to get into the play-off and then win it.

I think this wil blow over fairly quickly. Woods will probably make some quote in the meida saying it doesn't bother him or Goosen was misquoted and it will kill it anyway

 

[wilf_74]

Light hearted apparently?

http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5g9V_2tGOv0OYM8JzB2kEvwPJPgFg

 

[The23rdman]

Walter Hagen would have loved it ;-)

 

[WGC]

I think its just a bit of banter. Padraig Harrington asked Woods if he needed a crutch after spotting him 'limp' into the clubhouse. We probably dont see the half of it(comments ade in the clubhouse)and its all just a bit of fun.

 

[madandra]

I know South Africa is world famous for its wine but I didn't know Goosen's vineyard was growing SOUR GRAPES !!!!!

 

[Nico]

I think he was wrong to say it but even some of the pundits on Sky (Butch included) were saying he didnt limp when he hit a good one.

Storm in a teacup,will pass in days I reckon.

 

[Junior]

Media are obviously hyping it up. I think it would have been said tongue in cheek

 

[Parmo]

Tiger looks in some pain there

 

[birdieman]

Rotational strain on a knee is totally different from a straight-ahead knee flex strain as in the pic above. The position of the knee is most twisted just after you've hit the ball when your foot is planted but your upper body is rotating to the left fast.

Tongue in cheek - probably but daft to say it anyway.

p.s. I'm playing only my second card of the year this evening in a stableford but will quite happily use my dodgy back as an excuse when it all goes horribly wrong!!

 

[rgs]

I think Goosen comment was a bit light hearted but with Woods out for the season it confirrms Woods was injured and not feigning.

 

[TonyN]

I think Goosen had a good point. And if he wants to say it, who are we to stop him. Up to him if he wants upset the worlds best player.

I personally believe that Tiger was using the knee as an excuse to fall back on had he not done so well. Dont know why he would need to as the fact he aint played for a month or so is justifiable.

How many Times did Tiger wince when he hit the rough or a bunker? How many times did he when he split the fairway???

I think if he was a good 10 shots off the pace at the halfway point he may have pulled out on 'medical grounds'.

Just my opinion though guys, dont take it to heart.

 

[OldWindy]

Slightly dim thing to say but we're not sure how much context we have from the media - amusing timing tho, given TW's announcement!

 

[birdieman]

p.s. I'm playing only my second card of the year this evening in a stableford but will quite happily use my dodgy back as an excuse when it all goes horribly wrong!!

Ole, went quite well tonight, 41 pts and cut 0.2 - yeehah!!

 

[theeaglehunter]

Nice one birdieman. Our forums very own Tiger playing decently through injury. Do you know how you did overall in the event?? Oh yea and 41 points 'quite well' what would you consider a good score!

 

[birdieman]

This course is at my other club and has an SSS three below par so you need 39 just to play to handicap, so 41 is good but not that great.
Round 1 of a 2 rounder, 1st place at the moment but several close behind.
Have 4 rounds of Club Champs next week ay my home course so a nice confidence booster before that.