European Tour: Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship

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Hi Folks

I have no time to write a proper article but it seems odd we have nowhere to discuss this.

Here is the leaderboard

http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2012/tournamentid=2012004/leaderboard/index.html


Seems board favourites hateful Tiger and numb skull mcilroy have got off to good starts.

Good to see the worlds best back in the same event and I for one am looking forward to being able to watch this over the weekend.

I wouldn't hold your breath yet, still think the Yang effect has been underrated when it comes to Tiger's ability to finish, and it's a tight leaderboard. His scoring has looked pretty ominous though.

Ned

The thing with the yang effect is that we have no idea how close tigers life was to unraveling at that point. I doubt his blow to the face with a 5 iron was the first time he nearly got found out.

Kwin - You read all the reports ... the avowed Tiger haters have gone on record stating no one will ever be intimidated by Tiger again. (Not that I believed the top golfers ever were, mind you.) And what a pro-Tiger broadcast, from this European based team. These guys simply could not gush more.

We may never be able to say "meet the new boss, same as the old boss" ... But I'm convinced we just saw an old and a new boss playing together. My money is on Rory or Tiger to win this thing.

Bounty money well spent by the oil chiefs (save, perhaps, for Luke).

I think Tiger is playing much much better here than he was during those final two rounds at the PGA when he was basically just scrambling.

Sr,
I remember how the press climbed all over the likes of Woody Austin and Sabbatini when they had the temerity to doubt Tiger. The press all over the world know Tiger is their meal ticket, ot at least their passport to move up from pie and chips to filet mignon.

I always felt everyone, bar none, was intimidated by TW.

But he certainly looked well in control today. Maybe Robert Rock is the joker in the pack that doesn't know enough to be overawed tomorrow?

Kwin - Talk is, and will always be, cheap. Woody and Sabbatini not top golfers by anyone's measure, so I really don't take their comments as anything but idle chatter.

When Monty, Phil, Ernie, Retief, Lee were playing their best and going against Tiger in his prime, I don't believe they were intimidated by Tiger, they simply could not match him over 72 holes.

I think a lot of the time it was not being able to match tigers ability rather than a mental thing, one maybe breading the other over time. With ernie els however he was potentially more talented than tiger and just totally lost it mentally from almost the day tiger really got going.

In majors els may be the most under performing player ever, closely followed by monty.

Sr,
No, agree, but for having the nerve to stick up for themselves, they were ridiculed/castigated. Of course, their words were not backed up by their golf.

Still believe intimidation was just as big a force as Tiger's golf, plus the ability to will the ball into the hole that I've never seen before or since, not even from Woods following Elin's intervention.

Not sure I buy the ability thing, doubt anyone really believes Tiger has 10 majors-worth more ability than Mickelson, or Els for that matter. Might be a cliche, but I can definitely go along with the idea that seeing his name at the top of a leaderboard put the mockers on people. Whether it still does... who knows.

How could Els be the most underperforming player in majors? He's won before and he's got an excellent record in the open in the last ten years, something like 7 top 6's.

Westwoods and Garcia's career have been far less notable in that respect, not to mention Strickers. All far less successful than ernie.

Super

relative to his own ability ernie has under performed. If you look at how well the best players from each generation have performed in terms of major victories he is well below that. By best in generation we are thinking, palmer, watson, player, seve, mickelson, faldo etc With jones, hogan and Nicklaus in the best of all time category.

A best in generation player seems to have a par of around 5/6 majors, and els is short of this.

Els was the second best player to enter the game in the 90's and no one better entered the game in the 00's. In 1994 would you really have predicted that an els maintaining form well into the 00's would only have three majors?

I'd say Garcia is at least a match in ability for Els. Not trying to get into an argument but I think there were loads of good golfers at the time, I don't think it was just man sausage and Ernie and then the rest.

Els forever haunted by Woods hijacking the TOC from him at Kapalua about twelve years ago. Never the same again. And Todd Hamilton just made the hurt deeper.
Whether that is under-achieving is up for debate, but Ernie never close to being a dominating figure again. Should arguably have won McDowell's US Open; the 1998, say, model certainly would have.

He was pretty unlucky at the 2004 Masters, Mickelson's back nine was just incredible to win by a shot.

Vijay was awesome too.
You just can't tell if someone has not done as well as they should because you cannot dictate how other people play in golf, it doesn't mean you bottled it if someone played better.
Different players also enjoy different lengths of period at the top. I remember David Howell looked truly world class for about 18 months, then disappeared. One persons window is different from another.
Sadly for Ernie his form has gone in peaks and troughs where other players like Mickelson have managed to maintain a higher level for longer.
I'd say certain players like Harrington have overperformed.

I'd go with Garcia as the biggest underperformer. Els perhaps had the ability of a Faldo or Watson at a push, but 3 majors isn't a bad haul someone like him. Garcia probably more talented, and hasn't won one (yet).

Nothing like Tiger Woods to get the posters posting . . . . . .

Must admit last year I was watching Woods more in hope than expectation of any consistency. But after watching him this week I reckon he is going to have a big year, maybe he won't win majors, no guarantees for anyone of that, but he will win a fair few events and contend most weeks he plays.

All very interesting and a bit unexpected. Past, present and (maybe) future world #1's playing together for a couple of days. Mr Donald in danger of not making a top 10 (shock horror). I generally try to remain neutral on the various Tiger Woods debates (other than the occasional moan at how many and protracted they are), but have to say I'm pleased to see him doing well.

And the chap tied at the top would not have been my choice of "most likely Midlander to be leading at this stage". Would be weally wonderful if Wobert Wock was the one who wins...

Have to say be great to see Rock win this, fairy tale story really if he can. Certainly looking likely so far.

Have I woken up expecting to see the 2006 model T only to find the 2011 model instead?
We'll see.
Lovely position for Rock to be in, but one sensed a two-shot swing just now on 11.

I thought he was back. Maybe touch soon but hes been very poor today. 3 greens hit out of 13. Thought for while it was rock v Tiger earlier but still lot of players still in hunt.

Rock seems a good sort, gets on with things quietly, I also like the fact I've never seen him wearing a hat. In a world where pros will do anything for a bit of money, its good to see him knocking lucrative income back.

I have started watching the tennis as the golf is actually heart wrenching to watch, i feel so bad for tiger.

After what I've seen so far today none of those expected yesterday to be in the mix for the win deserve it, although it would be nice if Rock does the trick... Hope someone else could step in and steal it from them (e.g. Matteo, Bjorn, etc.), but they're all running out of holes pretty quickly. What a horrible slump from Hanson, from 8-under yesterday to 6-over today...

McLaren wrote:I have started watching the tennis as the golf is actually heart wrenching to watch, i feel so bad for tiger.

Ha ha, I can just imagine you in tears, crying into your Socialist Worker.

Fabulous bounce back by Rock.

So long as there's a par five left, Tiger will always feel he can snatch an eagle and win it; briliant scrambling so far.

Mac,
Have you taken off your red shirt and slipped on a natty Djoko number?

McLaren wrote:I have started watching the tennis as the golf is actually heart wrenching to watch, i feel so bad for tiger.

is that a real comment?! Its a golf tournament not life or death. He hasnt been good enough and has hit 4 greens out of 15 with nothing higher than a 9 iron. Heartbreaking

super_realist wrote:Rock seems a good sort, gets on with things quietly, I also like the fact I've never seen him wearing a hat. In a world where pros will do anything for a bit of money, its good to see him knocking lucrative income back.

think hes too proud of his barnet... probably rightly so

Kwini

Not a fan of Djoko, I hate his arrogant little strut every time he wins a point. In the words of the great hater super_realisist he is a man sausage. A totally wide boy as far as I can see. Nadal seems like a nice guy.


And guys, yes, tears will flow if things dont pick up for Tiger.

Mac, ever thought of changing your username to The Glory Hunter'? It would be very apt.

Come on Djoko, much better to see him win than the unpleasant gamesmanship of Nadal, stupid trophy biting and numerous 'no's' at the end of every sentence. His fans are really annoying too with all there 'vamos' crap.

Super

It is not like I support Nadal, just prefer his personality in public to Djoko's. Does anyone really support one player in tennis?

Why not mac, you favour one player in golf so why not in tennis?

Mac,
I've watched a few Djoko matches in Montreal.
Very entertaining as well as brilliant.
He's got the hex over Rafa and Rafa knows it.

The man in the maillot rouge looks angry, more emotion from him when he makes par than when Rock makes birdie.
Simply superb from Rock on 14 and 16.

Nice win by Rock but 18 summed it up for Tiger, never on the short stuff and never looked like making birdie.

Fantastic win . . . . .

First time I've watched the golf in a while. Well done to Rock, solid player! Glad to see Tiger regaining some form too, despite being a bit of a modded world golf will be stronger with an in form Tiger.

kwinigolfer wrote:Fantastic win . . . . .

I would say a b- for dumping it in the hazard up 72nd.

Looks like Mr Rock might have some fun & games with obtaining a US visa again...

I take it he's into the WGCs, and presumably at least has a shout at reaching the Masters with some good form?

Sky,
Unfortunately the Masters people discriminate against the European Tour so a non exempt winner of the Farmers tonight gets into the Augusta but not Rock.............

John

If Rock were to move into the top 50 by the week before the masters I think he would get in.

Cheers Mac,
Hope he makes it. The point i was making was that all PGA Tour winners from one Masters to another get a Masters Invite(barring the Fall series) and there a a Big Fat ZERO number of places for European Tour winners.

I know its tradition and all that but...............................

On course comment from Phillip Parkin on the 17th. Went something like, "It was noticeable that Woods didn't shout "FORE" when the ball was heading for the spectators". Yet on the tee Woods was asking the ball to get left towards the spectators to get a better lie. Had he shouted there was a chance of the spectators moving out of the way and the ball ending up in a worse position.
To add insult to injury, surprise surprise, he did exactly the same thing again on the 18th.
Such a nice man. Not.

Nice from Tiger or not, Philip Parkin is in California isn't he?

I thought it was Parkin. If it makes you happy kwini, cross out Parkin and insert, 'The Golf Channels on course reporter'.

4putt wrote:I thought it was Parkin. If it makes you happy kwini, cross out Parkin and insert, 'The Golf Channels on course reporter'.

You need to do the editing yourself.......no one can do it for you!

McLaren wrote:

kwinigolfer wrote:Fantastic win . . . . .

I would say a b- for dumping it in the hazard up 72nd.

What difference does that make? He played a loose shot when pressure was on. Big deal. Fantastic win and was even more delighted for him after hearing his interview. Very modest and showed how much it meant to him to beat a field with so many top players. Bit of progress for Tiger but again the tiger of old would have walked that today and he hit 5 greens in regulation and im not sure how many fairways.

Rocky does indeed have a fine head of hair but if I were his mum I'd want him to wear a hat/visor to keep the sun off his face. Great win for him though !

Sand

No worries, it was only meant to be a little joke. Although never great to dump it in the pond under pressure. Although both him and Keegan Bradley got away with it.

Fair point McLaren, his caddie did a good job there, taking out the Jean Van der velde possibility anyway.