In a very interesting and atypical twist today, Tiger Woods blew a lead entering the final round of the PGA Championships, losing to Y.E. Yang, a relatively unknown golfer. Woods had simply never lost a major after leading or being tied for the lead, and the world was shocked after witnessing today's events.
While fans were excited by the turn of events today, this really can't be good for golf. The PGA can't be happy about this, nor could any of Tiger's major endorsers. Without a major in 2009, people are beginning to write off Tiger Woods, thinking that he may very well be past his prime.
Woods is by no means past his prime. After returning from an injury that ended his 2008 campaign, Woods has bounced back with wins at five tournaments. Some of these involved some vintage Woods Sunday comebacks. Unfortunately, the majors are far more watched than the other tournaments, so the typical sports fan doesn't realize that all's not lost in Tiger's corner.
Yang winning is good, at the moment. But looking back 20 or 30 years from now, wouldn't you rather tell your kids or grandchildren about how the greatest golfer of all time beat some other guy in a 12-hole playoff after holing out from the fairway on 18. Wouldn't you rather have told your grandkids about how Tom Watson, the old geezer like you, won the British Open instead of pushing an 8 foot putt way to the right and self-destructing in a 4 hole playoff?
This one is another story in its own though. Yang is very unlikely to win another tournament of this scope, and will probably fade right back into obscurity. And for the time being, Woods' pursuit of Jack Nicklaus' record is in doubt.
And for the 2009 golf season, there's not exactly much that fans can look forward to at this point. Will a Fedex Cup tournament excite them? Not exactly. There's really not much to look for.
Tiger must bounce back in 2009. He is the face of the PGA, and any story lines lacking Tiger Woods will do anything but help the sport grow.
Let's hope that 2010 brings us the return of Tiger Woods, just as the 2009 tennis season has done for Roger Federer after a disappointing 2008. While fans may have cheered on Yang as he defeated Tiger today, you can be sure they're pulling for Tiger over the long run.
While fans were excited by the turn of events today, this really can't be good for golf. The PGA can't be happy about this, nor could any of Tiger's major endorsers. Without a major in 2009, people are beginning to write off Tiger Woods, thinking that he may very well be past his prime.
Woods is by no means past his prime. After returning from an injury that ended his 2008 campaign, Woods has bounced back with wins at five tournaments. Some of these involved some vintage Woods Sunday comebacks. Unfortunately, the majors are far more watched than the other tournaments, so the typical sports fan doesn't realize that all's not lost in Tiger's corner.
Yang winning is good, at the moment. But looking back 20 or 30 years from now, wouldn't you rather tell your kids or grandchildren about how the greatest golfer of all time beat some other guy in a 12-hole playoff after holing out from the fairway on 18. Wouldn't you rather have told your grandkids about how Tom Watson, the old geezer like you, won the British Open instead of pushing an 8 foot putt way to the right and self-destructing in a 4 hole playoff?
This one is another story in its own though. Yang is very unlikely to win another tournament of this scope, and will probably fade right back into obscurity. And for the time being, Woods' pursuit of Jack Nicklaus' record is in doubt.
And for the 2009 golf season, there's not exactly much that fans can look forward to at this point. Will a Fedex Cup tournament excite them? Not exactly. There's really not much to look for.
Tiger must bounce back in 2009. He is the face of the PGA, and any story lines lacking Tiger Woods will do anything but help the sport grow.
Let's hope that 2010 brings us the return of Tiger Woods, just as the 2009 tennis season has done for Roger Federer after a disappointing 2008. While fans may have cheered on Yang as he defeated Tiger today, you can be sure they're pulling for Tiger over the long run.
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