Weekend Wrap

Didja watch any golf?  Yeah, I thought you might have.....  The reviews are in, shall we cycle through some blurbs (H/T Shackelford):

Steve DiMeglio:

There are no issues with his surgically repaired back.

No issues with his swing speed.

No issues with his power.

Nope, after a 72-hole romp around Albany Golf Course, there remain few issues ahead for Tiger Woods, few questions as he heads into the new year.

Doug Ferguson:

Woods made a return to golf that was solid with his health and his game, and he headed into the holidays thinking about a schedule for 2018.

Ben Everill:

Tiger Woods is back – again.

The future looks bright for Woods after the 79-time PGA TOUR winner successfully negotiated all four rounds at the Hero World Challenge in his long-awaited comeback from back surgery.

Rex Hoggard:

For four days, Woods drove the ball as well as he has in a decade, putted better than his final statistics might suggest and largely controlled his golf ball with the notable exception of his opening loop on Saturday.

Brian Wacker:

For four days, Woods drove it as well he has in 10 years, mostly looked good with the putter and, save for his opening nine on a blustery Saturday, largely controlled his ball.

And Bob Harig:

The power he unleashed with his driver -- and some of the other shots he launched into orbit with his 2-iron -- was a remarkable sign of renewal, especially if you understand where he has been since the first of four back surgeries in 2014 and all the struggles he has had keeping the ball in play.

Woods had no trouble keeping pace with Thomas, who ranked eighth in driving distance on the PGA Tour in 2017 by averaging nearly 310 yards off the tee.

How do you like my speed-blogging so far?  My only real quibble is with the first guy, in that we shouldn't pretend that we know what's going on with the back.  But I'd love to know what kind of swing and ball speed he was showing last year, because my addled memory thinks we were saying many of the same things then.

In addition to doing my blogging for me, Geoff had these amusing thoughts as well:

If Tiger were Star Wars then 1997 would be his Episode IV A New Hope, 2000 his Empire Strikes Back and the 2016 World Challenge, in hindsight, his version of stilted Episode 1.

Egads!  This may be the first time he's ever sucked up to millennials...and this:

First, let's get an hygiene point out of the way before we get to the reviews: Tiger, under no circumstances, should ever sport facial hair of any kind again. No goatees, no fu manchu's, no modified-fu manchu's and certainly no soul patches. Clean shaven for this comeback, the man looked ten years younger! Oh, and he still has no major titles won with any of his assorted growths from over the years, FYI.

Heh.  That YouTube golfer his kids like so much never had any facial hair, so maybe that'll sway him....

Shall we see what the learned Tour Confidential panel thought:

1. Tiger Woods made his much-anticipated return at the Hero World Challenge, putting up scores of 69-68-75-68 to finish tied for ninth in the 18-man field. At one point Friday afternoon, he (briefly) held the outright lead, and his week featured booming drives, flushed irons and club-twirls galore. Successful first step?

Sean Zak: Raving success. Pessimists will say this course wasn't challenging enough, but it was. Use Tiger's competition as the litmus test and you'll see he beat eight elite players on a course where he beat just two a year ago. I won't even get started about his impressive length. 

Michael Bamberger: Yes, completely. He's been through a personal hell, major surgery, the chip yips and a bunch of other things. He played well and carried himself well and talked like a person who knows there's a mountain in front of him and he's just starting the climb. It was impressive.

No real arguments with these guys, but Joe Passov goes off on one of his typical long and winding roads:

Joe Passov: If we’re to believe the folks broadcasting the event, the fact that Tiger got his ball speed up to 180 seemed to be the biggest news. And yes, he was banging it out there with JT. Funny, last time I checked, the final score, after adding up each hole, was what mattered ... but, yes, hugely successful first step. Incredible to see him swinging and walking pain-free. The fact that he contended for awhile and rebounded beautifully on Sunday made it all fantastic. The buzz is back.

Joe, you ignorant slut....  we get that he didn't win this week, but all most of us care about is whether he can compete with these guys in the future, say early April?

Unsurprisingly, the panel is going to milk this subject further:

2. Woods's four rounds were encouraging, but he still had some rough spots. According to his former coach Hank Haney's count, Woods required two chips from short range on seven holes over his first three rounds. Is this an obvious sign that he hasn't yet vanquished his chipping woes?

Berhow: I don't know if I'd say he has the dreaded "chip y---," but lots of other players had trouble chipping off Albany's tight lies and slopes as well, but with Tiger, everyone sees every single shot. It was by far the worst part of his game, but he's got time to work on it.

Bamberger: His bad shots looked bad, but not the kind of bad that's going to derail a career or a comeback. And by "comeback,” I mean contend now and again and win on some of those occasions. Johnny Miller won at Pebble at age 46 as a full-blown yipper.

Yeah, Mike is probably correct about the realistic upside for a guy in his 40's, even when that guy used to be Tiger Woods.  There was this dissent:

Sens: I'm less optimistic than the rest of you about this. I don't believe tight lies and grain alone can account for all of his struggles around the greens this week. Rust doesn't either. He's had plenty of time to work on his short game. I'm with Haney. The yips don't just go away. It sure looked to me like Tiger is still wrestling with them.

I agree that the yips don't go away, I just don't think we know whether that's the correct diagnosis...  But while he's had nothing but time to work on his short game, it's also fair to note that that wasn't in competition....  The chipping and his speed on putts were obviously the two weakest parts of his game and will deservedly be closely scrutinized when next he pegs it.

Want more?  Of course you do, but I shan't make you beg:

3. Based on what you saw from him in Nassau, have your expectations changed for Woods in 2018?

Zak: My expectations have undoubtedly changed, and significantly so. I was very pessimistic. I was not convinced the guy could drive the ball well anywhere, even at wide-open Albany. But then he goes out and hits all but one fairway on Sunday ... and keeps up with Justin Thomas at every turn? This is the greatest ball-striker of all-time, people! Woods is past his career prime, but a bunch of 120-yard shots into greens is still birdie central.

Bamberger: Not really, except now it is easier to see him playing a full schedule. He's no different than any other golfer: he needs to play to have a chance, and the more he plays (within reason) the more chances he will have. I'm trying to say he looks healthy physically.

That's not one of Mikey Bams' better efforts, as health was Issue No. 1....  Of course our expectations and anticipation have change, likely too much so considering those Masters odds....  

And this inevitable query:

4. Will Tiger win next year?

Before we dive in, can we just take a moment to enjoy that non-ridiculous question....  But the gangs answers might surprise you:

Zak: No, because the Tiger Schedule is always so difficult. Torrey, the majors, etc., all have difficult fields. I expect multiple top 15s, though.

Sens: See above on chipping. Winning is hard enough these days for a player without a single weakness. Tiger can be the picture of health all year but if there are little hobgoblins in his head anytime he pulls a wedge around the green, it's going to be next to impossible to beat a field of the world's best. I hope that's not the case, but those demons are frightfully hard to vanquish.

But these were my two favorites:

Berhow: A Tour event, no, but he will win a Ryder Cup singles match.

Ritter: If his body allows him to practice and play as much as he likes, I think he might win the 2018 Hero World Challenge. Before that, maybe a close call or two.

Of course I like them because Tiger would hate them....  But it's damn hard to win out there.

Brentley Romine takes a shot at Tiger's pre-Masters schedule, though down't add much to our understanding.  It only gets harder, because the West Coast swing comes with early-morning tee times under cold conditions, and anyone that's ever dealt with back issues knows how tough those can be.  I'll add a personal; plea for him to not fly to the Middle East to collect a large appearance fee, but that's likely wishful thinking...

You'd expect him for sure at the Honda and Bay Hill, but to me Torrey is the key.....  

As for the guy that won, there was this:

5. While Tiger drew the crowds and headlines, Rickie Fowler went out on Sunday and shot a course-record 61 to win the Hero by four shots; he also finished second

at the Mayakoba earlier in the fall. One NBC analyst said on the air that he expects 2018 to be to Fowler what 2017 was to Justin Thomas. Agree?

Berhow: We have been waiting for Rickie to take that step for quite some time, and he hasn't. He had that phenomenal 2014 where he was top five in all four majors, and we thought THAT was the launch pad. A Players victory came after it, but still no majors. I expect Fowler to win in 2018, maybe even twice, but I don't expect him to catapult to a JT-like season. 

Zak: It feels cliche to say yes because, as Josh says, we've asked this question before. That being said, Fowler just came off one of the best seasons, statistically speaking, that he's ever had. He's clearly not backing off that. I think that's his new norm, and I think he uses it to win three Tour events in 2018.

Yes, Rickie was on fire and looked in complete control...  That said, nothing that happens in December should change our view of any player.... especially not at an 18-player tourney.  Rickie is proof of how hard it is to win out there....  I do think he;ll win a major and I certainly wouldn't be surprised if it's sooner rather than later....

Just one more that has me puzzled, then I have to go:

6. Hideki Matsuyama was at the center of a controversial kerfuffle at the end of the second round. He hit a chip up the slope on the 18th hole that came up short of the green, and as the ball rolled back toward him, Matsuyama stamped down his divot, which could have been interpreted as him attempting to improve his lie. Officials spoke to Matsuyama, who said he didn't intend to improve his lie, and no penalty was assessed. You good with that ruling?

Berhow: If Hideki said he didn't try to do it, I believe him. That's the golfing code, anyway, right?! Plus, it's an unofficial event with 18 players. I'm not losing sleep over it.

Passov: Mr. Ritter, I agree completely with your assessment. I'm content to let it be, but if this were a full-field deal, I have to admit, I'd have a harder time with it.

Excuse me, gents, but where in the rule book does it differentiate based on field size?

The larger point is that the rules have become hopelessly muddled through the introduction of intent into the assessment.   I'm sure it happened in a fog for Hideki, as with any player, but it should either be or not be an infraction.... Just decide guys, but the Get Out of Jail Free Card of intent is quickly getting old....

There's 6" of actual show and a young man needing transportation to the airport, so can we agree that we'll get together again tomorrow?