Eldrick said what??

Just heard Woods' interview on the Beeb. Judging from the way he's talking I think looking for what odds you can get on him missing the cut would be good research to do today.
"I'm getting faster and hitting it harder" Eh? One of the best players to ever play the game talking like an enthusiastic high handicap gym bunny...wtf?? If he's properly over the Op I'd be expecting either very little comment on his condition or statements like " I feel in complete control of my swing again"

Has he really lost his golfing marbles? He hasn't played a weekend for over 4 months and he expects to just come back and smash it to pieces. His failings before the Op were as much to do with short game which I'd say wasn't really hampered by his back (could be wrong of course - chronic back pain can affect concentration).

I see a delusional former great about to have train crash like missed cut. If on the other hand he manages a Top 5/Top 10 then I'd take my hat off to him, Can't for the life of me see him winning this week.

I suppose even a knobhead like him has to be positive, and being a macho idiot is his way of doing it.

I'm looking for a double of 9C and Coco to both miss the cut :P

Well, to be fair to him, I think that might be a little bit out of context. In the context of a recovery from surgery the phrase "I'm getting faster and hitting it harder" makes perfect sense as he moves from baby swings up through the stages to a 3/4 then full swing. He's not suggesting that hitting it harder is his sole goal (at least he didn't sign up for the "wahey tw@t it" school on here!)

The snippets I got were based on him only being here to win with anything else unacceptable. That, to me, sounds more far fetched, but he has to at least try to spin as positively as he can. I don't think the intimidation factor (even if he hadn't been injured) is there any more to anywhere near the same extent, but he has to aim for the pinnacle (other balls are available) to motivate himself and try send out a message. I'd be more amazed if he or any of the top players came out and said they'd simply like to make the cut! They'd be torn to shreds.

Still.

Missed cut double for Woods and McIlroy good call.

Tiger Woods has always talked up his game.  Have come to the conclusion this is now more to do with trying to convince himself rather than a gullible public.

Probably true Gael, to give him some credit, I wouldn't expect any pro to talk down their chances, although, I'd expect most to do it with a bit more class and with more humility.

If you look at Woods press conference from a couple of weeks ago he clearly said his body had changed and he had to change his approach accordingly and couldn't hit the ball the way he used to. Think he knows what he's doing.
I read yesterday that the amateur champion said he thought he could win the Open, anyone going to have a go at him for believing he can win it? Every player there should start the week think that surely, why would Woods mentality be lets see if I can make the cut? That would be bizarre.

Agreed Diggers, Everyone in the field ought to be thinking they can win, but like Bradley Neil, there's no need to broadcast it.

It's best to take anything Rick Woods says to the media with a cellar of salt, he has consistently talked up his game and lied about injuries over the years.

Do the vast majority get asked and if they reply they are here to win does their reply make the sports pages? No and no.
Like I said, should we shoot down the amateur for having the cojones to say he think he can win? Of course not, the easy option is just to say Im here to go my best....zzzzzzzzz.

So, 14 times major winner, 80 odd PGA title winner, at worst second best player ever...always talks up his game! Hmm.

Diggers wrote:So, 14 times major winner, 80 odd PGA title winner, at worst second best player ever...always talks up his game! Hmm.

Or alternatively, a guy who hasn't won a major in 6 years, is dropping down the rankings rapidly, who is recovering from yet another injury, who has stunk out every tournament he's played in this year and who hasn't made a cut in 2014 says he can win The Open. Sounds pretty preposterous, but hey, got to stay positive eh Nine Chins? Maybe that's why it's made the back pages, not quite as unlikely as an English footballer saying they're at the World Cup to win it, but not far behind it.

super_realist wrote:

Diggers wrote:So, 14 times major winner, 80 odd PGA title winner, at worst second best player ever...always talks up his game! Hmm.

Or alternatively, a guy who hasn't won a major in 6 years, is dropping down the rankings rapidly, who is recovering from yet another injury, who has stunk out every tournament he's played in this year and who hasn't made a cut in 2014 says he can win The Open.  Sounds pretty preposterous, but hey, got to stay positive eh Nine Chins? Maybe that's why it's made the back pages, not quite as unlikely as an English footballer saying they're at the World Cup to win it, but not far behind it.

Or far more realistically...guy who came back last year from around 50 to be a very comfortable world number one and win multiple events even though not fully fit....who has won the event 3 times before, an event that can throw up fluke winners anyway.....talks up his game.
Doesn't sound at all preposterous to me.
Do I think he will win, no. Do I think its typical that people jump all over Woods for saying he thinks he can....of course it is.
Do I think its weird that someone who apparently hates football seems completely obsessed with it? Yes.

Attitude begets behavior.

A top 10 would be an excellent result for any golfer at this tournament; even better for one coming back from an injury and a limited schedule this year. We'll see.

Shotrock wrote:Attitude begets behavior.

A top 10 would be an excellent result for any golfer at this tournament; even better for one coming back from an injury and a limited schedule this year. We'll see.

Every golfer if asked will say and believe they can win this, yet not all can win, so attitude for all but one of the competitors will be irrelevant.
It's not a difficult course for a player like Nine Chins, but if it's windy, he rarely does well in such conditions in The Open.

Wind is a great leveller as a hell of an amount of luck comes into play. What tee time you get can also be massive.
Its very unlikely Woods has won 100 odd events without having played a few good rounds in the wind. Every player has good and bad rounds when it gets windy, you just remember the bad ones more when they are played by the best players as they have more shock value.

Looks like his gerrymandered tee times might dodge the worst of the wind anyway.

All certainly can win this (Todd Hamilton, 59 year old Tom Watson's near brush). This major produces plenty of unlikely winners (a good thing IMO).

Hope the wind does blow!

Davie wrote:I'm looking for a double of 9C and Coco to both miss the cut :P

11/4 and 10/3 respectively. Interesting. Couldn't find a double though.

pedro wrote:

Davie wrote:I'm looking for a double of 9C and Coco to both miss the cut :P

11/4 and 10/3 respectively. Interesting. Couldn't find a double though.

No me neither .. took the two singles though (and westwood too)

ESPN's Tiger sycophants have shot-by-shot coverage of his every Hoylake move on a channel separate from their more mainstream broadcast. (No word on their weekend plans if things don't go as planned.)
Both doubtless infested with advertising and the unctuous drivel of Mike Tirico.

I really don't get why ESPN is getting publicity regarding this....It's hardly new every shot of Tiger being shown lol

Actually I wasn't jumping on Woods about saying that he was here to win...I don't think he said that (the media might have - but if he did then fine because as others have said, every player teeing up Thurs has to believe that they can). No, the thing that caught my ear was that he thought it was a good thing that he was swinging harder & faster and was able to be more explosive (which kind of contradicted what he said a couple of weeks ago about accepting that he could no longer do what he used to swing wise). If he feels that happy and confident with his physical recovery then fair play to him, I just don't see how that automatically equates to contention unless his preparations (without any pressured play for 4 months??) have been secretly exceptional. Time will tell, we're about to find out over the next 4 days

Don't you think this is just tournament-prep for Bridgestone & the PGA?

Kwini - I think that's how it will pan out, but I do believe he believes he can win.