Memorial Tournament Musings…. and Tiger Watch
Should we as fans want to see the world’s greatest golfer, perhaps the best ever, in our backyard next week? DUH. But I’m a firm believer Tiger’s appearance at or disappearance from a tournament does not necessarily make or break it. Take last year… Tiger takes the week off to nurse what turned out to be a massive knee injury… But was the tournament of lesser quality without him? Absolutely not! Tiger would not have beaten Kenny Perry last year, IMO.
And while Tiger has won Muirfield 3 times, he hasn’t won since 2001. Muirfield’s really more of a 2nd shot golf course—players love to remind us every year here. Tiger’s strengths, naturally, are his driving length and putting. Since the course is not incredibly long, Woods loses a little bit of an edge. I still think he should win every time he plays here, but it actually makes sense that skilled players can play a little more “Tiger-like” at Muirfield. And, as is true with almost any PGA Tournament, whoever makes the most first putts will likely win. Tiger has not putted well when he’s been here recently.
I hope we see him—we’ll know for sure by 5pm Friday with the Tournament deadline. The Tournament is praying for Tiger to play so it can sell tickets! And if he plays, he’s my pick.
BUTTTTT….........
If I had to pick an early darkhorse, I’ll take Zack Johnson. He finished 2nd here a couple years ago, won recently and appears hungry to win a 2nd major. He committed to the tournament this week.
Oh, and Perry’s back this year for a 4th Memorial Title—he’s tied with Tiger right now for most Memorial wins. And I picked him to win a year ago… so I know he won’t let me down!
The star player who i KNOW will not win: Adam Scott… ladies, as Omar will tell you, love this guy. His galleries are 90% estrogen-fueled. And while he’s capable of shooting a 62 at Murifield, which he did 3 years ago, he’s also capable of blowing up. He’s among the friendliest, yet most confusing guys on tour. An amazing talent, but just unable to close a tournament.
Gearing up to drop my sleeping bag off at Muirfield Village and spend next week editing in a dark room in the clubhouse. The good news? I get free lunch.
