Should Tiger call it a day?

[bobmac]

'With his win at the 2021 PGA Championship, Mickelson became the oldest major championship winner in history at the age of 50 years, 11 months, and 7 days.'

He can't beat that until he is 51 - 3 years away.

I stand corrected
According to this Julius Boros was the oldest at 48
Apologies

 

[evemccc]

Absolutely he probably believes mentally he can compete, but as you say physically he looks shot (imo).

I don’t think he’d ever be happy just making the cut.

I find it sad that the greatest player we’ve ever witnessed is content not being in contention on a sunday and simply making up the numbers.

I saw Jack play a couple of holes at Royal Lytham in 96

Jack is the greatest player I’ve witnessed. Not having personally seen Hogan, Bobby Jones or Young Tom Morris

 

[PaulMdj]

I saw Jack play a couple of holes at Royal Lytham in 96

Jack is the greatest player I’ve witnessed. Not having personally seen Hogan, Bobby Jones or Young Tom Morris

Just my opinion, no right or wrong.

 

[ADB]

Surely there’s a big difference between making the cut and being competitive?

Only 8 players finished under par showing how difficult the course was playing - to make the cut easily with v tough conditions on Friday was impressive. On dry flatter courses he stands a chance, and I still think there is a Watson @ Turnberry style opportunity sometime in the future….

 

[PaulMdj]

Only 8 players finished under par showing how difficult the course was playing - to make the cut easily with v tough conditions on Friday was impressive. On dry flatter courses he stands a chance, and I still think there is a Watson @ Turnberry style opportunity sometime in the future….

I’d really like to believe that as he’s my greatest player of all time.

I just dread him falling away, and him being remembered for the wrong reasons.

 

[Slab]

I can’t imagine the circumstances that would have to take place in order for Tiger to be remembered for the wrong golf reasons. Through history how many sports people are actually remembered for poor performance? It happens when they are contending & failing, not how they played at the tail end of a career

The ones that spring to mind are those that failed when greatness was within reach (e.g Van de Velde) It really isn’t something that applies to players who actually achieve multiple records and greatness then decline with age/injury. The closest might be Norman at masters but again that wasn’t declining play at the end of his career, it was in his grasp & lost it etc etc

Funnily enough it's way more likely that (as it stands) Rory will be remembered for collapsing at Augusta way more than folk remembering Tiger shooting an 82 in rd 3 of his 26th masters (with 5 wins)

 

[Neilds]

I can’t imagine the circumstances that would have to take place in order for Tiger to be remembered for the wrong golf reasons. Through history how many sports people are actually remembered for poor performance? It happens when they are contending & failing, not how they played at the tail end of a career

The ones that spring to mind are those that failed when greatness was within reach (e.g Van de Velde) It really isn’t something that applies to players who actually achieve multiple records and greatness then decline with age/injury. The closest might be Norman at masters but again that wasn’t declining play at the end of his career, it was in his grasp & lost it etc etc

Funnily enough it's way more likely that (as it stands) Rory will be remembered for collapsing at Augusta way more than folk remembering Tiger shooting an 82 in rd 3 of his 26th masters (with 5 wins)

To me it's not the fact that we (older generation) will know and remember what Tiger has done, what will grate is constantly having to tell the young ones about it as they watch him hack round and finish last. "No, he was great and won every competition he entered, really" will get tiring after the 10th time

 

[D-S]

To me it's not the fact that we (older generation) will know and remember what Tiger has done, what will grate is constantly having to tell the young ones about it as they watch him hack round and finish last. "No, he was great and won every competition he entered, really" will get tiring after the 10th time

Wouldn’t we say the same about all the past greats who have pottering their way round the Masters until they eventually become an honorary starter?

 

[Slab]

To me it's not the fact that we (older generation) will know and remember what Tiger has done, what will grate is constantly having to tell the young ones about it as they watch him hack round and finish last. "No, he was great and won every competition he entered, really" will get tiring after the 10th time

Look at Palmers last 15-20 years when he was still entering/competing in multiple majors each year. Is that how he's remembered ?
Struggling to see why would Tiger be looked back on any differently

But I get your point, when some of the oldies on here talk about Palmer, Jack etc etc I cant relate to their greatness, but in any discussion my opinion of them matter not a jot and ppl who remember them properly shouldn't waste their time telling me about them

Same as I wont waste time worrying if a youngster gets what Tiger or Leftie did

 

[PaulMdj]

To me it's not the fact that we (older generation) will know and remember what Tiger has done, what will grate is constantly having to tell the young ones about it as they watch him hack round and finish last. "No, he was great and won every competition he entered, really" will get tiring after the 10th time

Wouldn’t we say the same about all the past greats who have pottering their way round the Masters until they eventually become an honorary starter?

Look at Palmers last 15-20 years when he was still entering/competing in multiple majors each year. Is that how he's remembered ?
Struggling to see why would Tiger be looked back on any differently

But I get your point, when some of the oldies on here talk about Palmer, Jack etc etc I cant relate to their greatness, but in any discussion my opinion of them matter not a jot and ppl who remember them properly shouldn't waste their time telling me about them

Same as I wont waste time worrying if a youngster gets what Tiger or Leftie did

The difference between previous/other greats who we may or may not have seen and Tiger is the era they were at the top is the media coverage, they may of had chequered pasts, but you don’t hear about it and they possibly didn’t have the financial stability from playing Tiger has.

Anybody recently taking up the game and researching players etc will find a lot more negativity about Tiger than anyone else (a lot brought on by himself).

Their bio’s tend to be golf, golf, golf. Tiger’s is golf, controversy, golf, controversy, his legacy is tainted.

 

[jim8flog]

One interesting point I played with a junior the other day about 14-16 years old. She did not know who Greg Norman is.
Many years down the line only a few will be truly remembered.

 

[Slab]

One interesting point I played with a junior the other day about 14-16 years old. She did not know who Greg Norman is.
Many years down the line only a few will be truly remembered.

Yeah it's not l like we're talking historical figures here, they're 'just' sorts ppl
Tiger is unlikely to be taught in schools

 

[AussieKB]

So true in all sports....

 

[bobmac]

The difference between previous/other greats who we may or may not have seen and Tiger is the era they were at the top is the media coverage, they may of had chequered pasts, but you don’t hear about it and they possibly didn’t have the financial stability from playing Tiger has.

So you're saying the likes of Palmer, Nicklaus and Watson may have had chequered pasts but because there wasn't as much media around, we didn't hear anything?

 

[Yorkshire Hacker]

Tiger was the reason I started golf. Despite the social and very public disasters in his life, I still think he walks (or limps) on water.
He is a very intelligent individual, and he will be very aware of what is being said about him. I just think he enjoys getting out into a "proper" competition. Sure he could play casual golf in Florida for many years to come, but I reckon he gets a buzz out of being on the right side of the ropes, and maybe he loves the attention.
I believe his fitness will slowly improve, and I hope he continues to compete. 48 is no age to be retiring from golf, Professional or otherwise.

 

[PaulMdj]

So you're saying the likes of Palmer, Nicklaus and Watson may have had chequered pasts but because there wasn't as much media around, we didn't hear anything?

Yes, superstars these days are hounded 24/7 and everything they do is plastered over social media.

And the things the three you mention may of gotten away with in the past, they may not of got away with today.

 

[D-S]

So you're saying the likes of Palmer, Nicklaus and Watson may have had chequered pasts but because there wasn't as much media around, we didn't hear anything?

The word may in your last sentence is doing a lot of heavy lifting, but as it stands, yes certainly.

One thing we have learnt over the past years is that powerful figures (a significant number who were seen as role models) have been able to cover up misdemeanours and victims/whistle blowers have historically been silenced or ignored.

 

[ADB]

To me it's not the fact that we (older generation) will know and remember what Tiger has done, what will grate is constantly having to tell the young ones about it as they watch him hack round and finish last. "No, he was great and won every competition he entered, really" will get tiring after the 10th time

They do have the internet - rather than gleaning all their info first hand from the ‘older generation’