For a telling, troubling peek at the future of golf on television without Tiger Woods as a major (or even minor) force, simply check out the ratings for the last two events on the PGA Tour schedule aired by CBS Sports.
Two weeks ago at the inaugural Greenbrier Classic, which didn't have Woods in the field, the tournament did a dismal 1.2 national rating on Sunday, despite a thrilling duel down the stretch between the hottest player in golf, young American Jeff Overton, and veteran Stuart Appleby of Australia. Appleby came from seven behind after 54 holes and beat Overton to win the tournament by a shot with a final-round 59, golf's Holy Grail score, only the fifth time that's ever been done in a tour event.
But hardly anyone was watching.
The Greenbrier Classic took the place of the old Buick Open on the 2010 tour schedule. In 2009, with Woods in the field and eventually winning, that event had a robust 3.7 rating on Sunday, more than triple the number for the final round at the Greenbrier.
This past weekend, at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, Woods was in the field, sort of, though he was hopelessly out of contention from the start after an opening-round 74.
Woods had long since finished playing when CBS came on the air both Saturday and Sunday. The rating Saturday was a 1.6, compared with a 2.4 the same tournament drew on Saturday in 2009, when Woods was high up on the leader board. On Sunday this year, the Bridgestone did a 2.3; on Sunday in 2009, with Woods ultimately winning the tournament, the number was more than double - a 4.7 rating.
This tumultuous year, Woods clearly has hit bottom in terms of his personal life, and judging from the weekend, his golf game, as well. In the Bridgestone, he finished with an 18-over-par total of 298 and ended up in 78th, two shots better than dead last, his worst performance over four days in any tournament he's played since turning professional in 1996.
If you think Woods might be just a tad concerned about the state of his once majestic game, how do you think the networks, the tour's corporate sponsors and its tournament directors around the country are feeling at the moment watching him flail and fail miserably, looking dismally dispirited and seemingly uninterested? . . .
Bottom line, the reality is that without Woods playing in full flight, charging up the board Friday and Saturday, pumping his fists and hoisting trophies on Sunday, the game is just not the same, particularly for the millions of casual viewers who tend to tune in only when he's in the hunt.
"We all know the impact Tiger has on ratings," CBS Sports President Sean McManus said this week, insisting that he was "not worried" that Woods most likely won't be a factor again this week in the PGA. "I can't control it. You just hope for the best and that there is drama on Sunday."
The good news is that Woods could erase the memory of his lost weekend in Ohio in a hurry with a decent showing this week in Wisconsin. The bad news is that Whistling Straits, on the shores of Lake Michigan, demands even more precision driving and strong iron play than Firestone required last week. And at the moment, Woods seems to have no earthly clue which way his ball is going from swing to swing, from putt to putt.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Tiger working with Canadian swing coach Sean Foley?
HAVEN, Wisc. - Tiger Woods appeared to have taken his head out of the nether regions Tuesday in what has to be a last-ditch psyche job to make a run at the season's last major.
A revealing press conference found him determined to shake off last week's career-worst 18-over-par meltdown at the Bridgestone Invitational, the nadir of a slide that began with his tumultuous offseason.
Woods, who was at his most maudlin in Akron on Sunday, even said he wants a spot on Corey Pavin's Ryder Cup roster and that he planned to make the team on points with a strong showing at Whistling Straits this week. He also admitted that he could take on a new swing coach after consulting Sean Foley, who walked along with Woods Tuesday as he played with Foley's two students, Hunter Mahan and Sean O'Hair.
Still in danger of losing his No. 1 world ranking to Phil Mickelson or Steve Stricker this week, Woods is falling back on lessons his father taught him.
"Just life in general the last nine months has been very difficult," he said. "But just like my dad always said, 'Just keep living.' That's something that I have taken to heart quite a bit. And there were quite a few times that I've definitely said that to myself.
"I've been through periods when I've hit it bad. And, yeah, is your confidence not where it needs to be? Of course. I've been there. We have all been there.
"But the whole idea is to keep making progress each and every day. And that's one of the things I am excited about the last few days is I made some good progress, and I've got one more day tomorrow."
Woods was on the range working on that most basic of things - keeping his head still during the swing. As Woods began the takeaway, caddie Steve Williams held a club on his shoulder as if he was knighting him.
Woods asked Foley to film his swing during the round. It wasn't the first time he has consulted with the hot Canadian instructor; Woods also practiced with O'Hair and Mahan in May at the Players Championship - just before the split with Hank Haney - during which he asked Foley to check his positions.
"I wouldn't say that I'm working with him," Foley said after the round. "But the possibility is there."
Said Woods: "Certainly it's a possibility. No doubt. But there are also a lot of other coaches out there (who are) a possibility, as well. ...I did ask him to film a couple, I would like to take a look at it, which I did, so I'm heading in the right direction."
He'd better. Woods has never gone winless in a PGA Tour season, and this week will certainly set a tone for the remainder of the year, including the Ryder Cup. The eight automatic spots on the U.S. roster will be finalized this week with Woods currently 10th on the points list.
Non-committal before this week, Woods seemed gung-ho about it yesterday. He said he would accept being a captain's pick, but "I would like to be able to play myself onto that team."
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/2010/08/11/2010-08-11_tiger_mulls_swing_shift.html#ixzz0wIIeW13r
A revealing press conference found him determined to shake off last week's career-worst 18-over-par meltdown at the Bridgestone Invitational, the nadir of a slide that began with his tumultuous offseason.
Woods, who was at his most maudlin in Akron on Sunday, even said he wants a spot on Corey Pavin's Ryder Cup roster and that he planned to make the team on points with a strong showing at Whistling Straits this week. He also admitted that he could take on a new swing coach after consulting Sean Foley, who walked along with Woods Tuesday as he played with Foley's two students, Hunter Mahan and Sean O'Hair.
Still in danger of losing his No. 1 world ranking to Phil Mickelson or Steve Stricker this week, Woods is falling back on lessons his father taught him.
"Just life in general the last nine months has been very difficult," he said. "But just like my dad always said, 'Just keep living.' That's something that I have taken to heart quite a bit. And there were quite a few times that I've definitely said that to myself.
"I've been through periods when I've hit it bad. And, yeah, is your confidence not where it needs to be? Of course. I've been there. We have all been there.
"But the whole idea is to keep making progress each and every day. And that's one of the things I am excited about the last few days is I made some good progress, and I've got one more day tomorrow."
Woods was on the range working on that most basic of things - keeping his head still during the swing. As Woods began the takeaway, caddie Steve Williams held a club on his shoulder as if he was knighting him.
Woods asked Foley to film his swing during the round. It wasn't the first time he has consulted with the hot Canadian instructor; Woods also practiced with O'Hair and Mahan in May at the Players Championship - just before the split with Hank Haney - during which he asked Foley to check his positions.
"I wouldn't say that I'm working with him," Foley said after the round. "But the possibility is there."
Said Woods: "Certainly it's a possibility. No doubt. But there are also a lot of other coaches out there (who are) a possibility, as well. ...I did ask him to film a couple, I would like to take a look at it, which I did, so I'm heading in the right direction."
He'd better. Woods has never gone winless in a PGA Tour season, and this week will certainly set a tone for the remainder of the year, including the Ryder Cup. The eight automatic spots on the U.S. roster will be finalized this week with Woods currently 10th on the points list.
Non-committal before this week, Woods seemed gung-ho about it yesterday. He said he would accept being a captain's pick, but "I would like to be able to play myself onto that team."
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/2010/08/11/2010-08-11_tiger_mulls_swing_shift.html#ixzz0wIIeW13r
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Butch Harmon thinks Tiger needs a break from the game
TIGER Woods' former coach Butch Harmon insists the world No.1 is playing the worst golf of his career.
And Harmon reckons Woods must take a break from the game to sort out his personal life if he is to have any chance of returning to top form.
Woods, who has won 14 Majors in a glittering career, failed to break par in four rounds at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational at the weekend.
And things went from bad to worse for Woods as he hit two fans in his painful final round of 77.
The chaos in his off-course life is now being replayed in public and Woods revealed he will not play at the Ryder Cup in October in his current form after slipping down to 10th in the US rankings.
To earn automatic qualification for the US side, Woods would probably need to finish in the top eight at this weekend's US PGA at brutal Whistling Straits - where he finished tied 24th in 2004.
Captain Corey Pavin then has until September 7 before announcing his four wildcard picks.
But Harmon, who coached Woods between 1997 and 2002, claimed he looks lost and should take a break.
He said: "Right now Tiger is playing the worst I've ever seen him play.
"He has got to get his head right and get his life in order before he can even think about playing golf."
Woods has been minus a coach since Hank Haney sacked him in May. After eight events without a win, he is really struggling with his form and is ranked 163rd in driving accuracy, 166th in greens in regulation and 129th in putts per round.
Hunter Mahan finished 30 shots ahead of Woods at the weekend to win the Bridgestone Invitational and clinch his place in the US team for Celtic Manor in the process.
Mahan has sympathy for Woods. He said: "Tiger is going through a lot right now.
"I don't think you realise how much outside of golf stuff affects you."
Meanwhile, European Ryder Cup skipper Colin Montgomerie confirmed that his entire management team will play in this month's Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.
Vice-captains Darren Clarke, Thomas Bjorn and Paul McGinley will all tee up from August 26-29.
The event is the final chance for players to impress before Monty picks his three Ryder Cup wild cards.
But Monty was left stunned last night after Sergio Garcia revealed he will take a two-month break from competitive golf after the US PGA Championship.
Garcia's decision means he will have to finish in the top three at Whistling Straits this week to have any chance of qualifying for the European team via the points list.
The 30-year-old Spaniard, who has played every Ryder Cup since 1999 said: "I've spoken to Colin and he knows what I'm planning to do."
And Harmon reckons Woods must take a break from the game to sort out his personal life if he is to have any chance of returning to top form.
Woods, who has won 14 Majors in a glittering career, failed to break par in four rounds at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational at the weekend.
And things went from bad to worse for Woods as he hit two fans in his painful final round of 77.
The chaos in his off-course life is now being replayed in public and Woods revealed he will not play at the Ryder Cup in October in his current form after slipping down to 10th in the US rankings.
To earn automatic qualification for the US side, Woods would probably need to finish in the top eight at this weekend's US PGA at brutal Whistling Straits - where he finished tied 24th in 2004.
Captain Corey Pavin then has until September 7 before announcing his four wildcard picks.
But Harmon, who coached Woods between 1997 and 2002, claimed he looks lost and should take a break.
He said: "Right now Tiger is playing the worst I've ever seen him play.
"He has got to get his head right and get his life in order before he can even think about playing golf."
Woods has been minus a coach since Hank Haney sacked him in May. After eight events without a win, he is really struggling with his form and is ranked 163rd in driving accuracy, 166th in greens in regulation and 129th in putts per round.
Hunter Mahan finished 30 shots ahead of Woods at the weekend to win the Bridgestone Invitational and clinch his place in the US team for Celtic Manor in the process.
Mahan has sympathy for Woods. He said: "Tiger is going through a lot right now.
"I don't think you realise how much outside of golf stuff affects you."
Meanwhile, European Ryder Cup skipper Colin Montgomerie confirmed that his entire management team will play in this month's Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.
Vice-captains Darren Clarke, Thomas Bjorn and Paul McGinley will all tee up from August 26-29.
The event is the final chance for players to impress before Monty picks his three Ryder Cup wild cards.
But Monty was left stunned last night after Sergio Garcia revealed he will take a two-month break from competitive golf after the US PGA Championship.
Garcia's decision means he will have to finish in the top three at Whistling Straits this week to have any chance of qualifying for the European team via the points list.
The 30-year-old Spaniard, who has played every Ryder Cup since 1999 said: "I've spoken to Colin and he knows what I'm planning to do."
Monday, August 9, 2010
Tiger shoots 77 in final round; plus-18 for the tournament. YIKES
AKRON, Ohio -- Sunday's dreadful round of 77 was in the dubious record books, and the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational was mercifully behind him.Tiger Woods, the world's No. 1 player at least for the rest of the day, had just finished next-to-last in a tournament he had won seven times in 10 starts. He was itching to leave, but he briefly stopped to answer questions anyway.
Next stop was Kohler, Wisc., where he would begin his preparations for next week's PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. With any luck, he'd be there before Sunday's champion at received the Gary Player Cup.
"Not tomorrow, I'm out there today," Woods said firmly. "I could probably play 18 and still watch the guys finish."
Woods' round of 7 over Sunday on the South Course was his highest final round ever and the cumulative total of 18 over for the week over was his worst in a 72-hole event. He failed to break par in four rounds for only the fourth time in his career, too.
"Shooting 18 over par is not fun," the grim-faced Woods said. "I don't see how it can be fun shooting 18 over, especially since my handicap is supposed to be zero."
There really weren't any positives -- except that Woods said he stayed "patient and unfortunately, that's not enough." The progress he'd shown at the AT&T National and British Open had been negated in a flurry of missed fairways and struggles on the green.
"I was hitting the ball really well those two weeks," Woods said. "I was driving it great. I didn't drive it at all this week. My irons weren't very good again, and I made nothing."
Indeed. Take a look at the numbers. Woods ranked 80th of 80 players in fairways hit (22 of 56), 77th in greens in regulation (35 of 72) and 69th in putts per round (118).
Whether the performance was an anomaly or a potent of things to come remains to be seen. Woods likened it to his first swing overhaul with Butch Harmon at the end of the 1997 season and "it took me two years to get it back before I started playing well."
Asked if he thought he needed a break, Woods said only that he needed to be ready for Thursday's opening round at Whistling Straits, where he'll play with Vijay Singh and defending champion Y.E. Yang. But there are many who wonder whether his legendary focus on the course has been eroded by his personal issues off it in what he repeated called a "long year" on Sunday.
Next up for Woods in a normal season would be The Barclays. But Woods earned just .830 of a FedExCup point this week so he remains safe only for that first event of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup -- and with two weeks remaining to earn points, that could change, too.
The Ryder Cup may not be a certainty, either. He went into the week ranked ninth in the standings and given his performance this week is likely to fall. The eight automatic qualifiers will be finalized at the end of the PGA Championship and Captain Corey Pavin makes his four picks a month later at the end of the BMW Championship.
Woods hedged on Wednesday when asked whether he would accept a Captain's Pick, saying three times he planned to play his way onto the team. On Sunday, when someone inquired whether he even wanted to play Woods' answer was even more telling.
"Not playing like this, definitely not, not playing like this,'" he said. "I wouldn't help the team if I'm playing like this. No one would help the team if they're shooting 18 over par.
"I think I can turn it around, but we've got a lot of time between now and then, which is good."
Anthony Kim, who played with Woods on Sunday, said he can't imagine Pavin not picking the man who has been No. 1 in the world for the last 269 weeks.
"I think in match play and events like that it's about who wants to win more and who's going to suck it up and grind through bad golf shots, tough situations and sometimes could be hostile crowds," Kim said. "I know he wants to win and I would love to have him as a teammate if I make the team."
Kim, who was playing in his first event since he had surgery in May to reattach a ligament at the base of his left thumb, said Woods was clearly struggling on Sunday. But the 25-year-old was quick to say that he didn't think his playing partner had given up.
"I can tell you he's trying to make birdie," Kim said. "... There's something about golf where you just have to let go to play better sometimes. I've gone through tournaments where I've made some poor golf swings and gone up to the next one and hit without a practice swing because I wanted my mind to be free and let my body move with just a relaxed state of mind and not worry about anything.
"People can say he threw in the towel or whatever yesterday but I don't think that's the case. I think he's trying to find something. He's obviously not driving it well which is a tough thing out here because the fairways are so narrow. He's definitely giving it what he's got. It's just not all there."
Mickelson at a loss after final round 78
Phil Mickelson didn’t know quite how to explain the disappointing 78 he shot Sunday in the final round of the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational.
He had started the day in a tie for 10th, four strokes off the lead. Not to mention, he had a another chance to take over No. 1 in the world with a finish of fourth or better.
Instead, on a day that dawned with such promise, Mickelson finished in a distant tie for 46th at 3 over. So the 2010 Masters champ will head to next week’s PGA Championship in search of answers.
"It was a rough day if you couldn’t tell," Mickelson said. "It was a rough day. … I felt pretty good today. I felt good on the range, I hit some good shots. I felt like I was sharp and ready to go attack the golf course and make some birdies. And it just didn’t happen.
"I don’t know what to say. I mean, then the round obviously got away. But it didn’t feel like it was far off. But it turned out to be."
Asked whether the first two rounds, where Mickelson was one stroke off the lead, or the last two were more indicative of the state of his game, Lefty wasn’t quite sure. He said it wasn’t unlike the way he felt after tying for 35th the week before he went to Augusta National and won his fourth major.
"I mean, you’re only as good as your last performance," Mickelson said. "This wasn’t very good. … Although it looked way off, it didn’t feel like it was that far off. I felt like there were still some decent shots that I hit, but the round just got away from me there."
The par-5 second hole started the slide. He hit his approach into a greenside bunker and then airmailed his third over the green before finally chipping on and two-putting for bogey.
"If that hybrid carries onto the green, I have a two-putt birdie and everything is fine," said Mickelson, who went on to make six more bogeys and a double bogey before finally making his only birdie of the day at the 17th hole.
"And then I felt like maybe I was pressing for birdies from there and just couldn’t quite get any.”
Of course, Mickelson will go into the PGA with yet another chance to unseat Tiger Woods as the No. 1 player in the game. He’s been second for a record 258 weeks but right now Mickelson has other more pressing concerns.
"If I keep finishing ahead of them every week eventually it’ll happen, but the problem is there’s guys behind me that will pass me because I’m not playing well enough right now," Mickelson said. "I’ve got some work to do to get my own game sharp.
"Fortunately I have some more tournaments here where I’m able to try to get in a groove and play more consecutive weeks. But it’s important with this last major coming up next week that I try to get this thing turned around here in the next three days."
He had started the day in a tie for 10th, four strokes off the lead. Not to mention, he had a another chance to take over No. 1 in the world with a finish of fourth or better.
Instead, on a day that dawned with such promise, Mickelson finished in a distant tie for 46th at 3 over. So the 2010 Masters champ will head to next week’s PGA Championship in search of answers.
"It was a rough day if you couldn’t tell," Mickelson said. "It was a rough day. … I felt pretty good today. I felt good on the range, I hit some good shots. I felt like I was sharp and ready to go attack the golf course and make some birdies. And it just didn’t happen.
"I don’t know what to say. I mean, then the round obviously got away. But it didn’t feel like it was far off. But it turned out to be."
Asked whether the first two rounds, where Mickelson was one stroke off the lead, or the last two were more indicative of the state of his game, Lefty wasn’t quite sure. He said it wasn’t unlike the way he felt after tying for 35th the week before he went to Augusta National and won his fourth major.
"I mean, you’re only as good as your last performance," Mickelson said. "This wasn’t very good. … Although it looked way off, it didn’t feel like it was that far off. I felt like there were still some decent shots that I hit, but the round just got away from me there."
The par-5 second hole started the slide. He hit his approach into a greenside bunker and then airmailed his third over the green before finally chipping on and two-putting for bogey.
"If that hybrid carries onto the green, I have a two-putt birdie and everything is fine," said Mickelson, who went on to make six more bogeys and a double bogey before finally making his only birdie of the day at the 17th hole.
"And then I felt like maybe I was pressing for birdies from there and just couldn’t quite get any.”
Of course, Mickelson will go into the PGA with yet another chance to unseat Tiger Woods as the No. 1 player in the game. He’s been second for a record 258 weeks but right now Mickelson has other more pressing concerns.
"If I keep finishing ahead of them every week eventually it’ll happen, but the problem is there’s guys behind me that will pass me because I’m not playing well enough right now," Mickelson said. "I’ve got some work to do to get my own game sharp.
"Fortunately I have some more tournaments here where I’m able to try to get in a groove and play more consecutive weeks. But it’s important with this last major coming up next week that I try to get this thing turned around here in the next three days."
Garcia taking a break after the PGA Championship, likely won't play the Ryder Cup
Faced with choosing between the start of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup or the final Ryder Cup qualifying event on the European Tour, Sergio Garcia reached a surprising decision.He's not playing either.
Garcia said Sunday he plans to take a two-month break after the PGA Championship next week, not returning to competition until the end of October at the Castellon Masters on his home course in Spain.
"It's been a long year," Garcia said after a 70 in the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational. "I haven't had a nice, long break my whole career."
The only event that could get in the way of that break is the Ryder Cup.
Getting on the team would seem to be a long shot.
Garcia, who has not won in nearly two years, likely would have to finish among the three in the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits to have any chance of qualifying for the team on the European points list, which is based on tour earnings. Otherwise, he would need captain Colin Montgomerie to use one of his three wild-card picks on him.
"I've talked to him," Garcia said. "He knows what I'm planning to do."
The 30-year-old Spaniard has competed on every Ryder Cup team since he was a 19-year-old at Brookline in 1999. Garcia has a career record of 14-6-4 in the Ryder Cup, and he has never lost a foursomes match.
This year, however, has left Montgomerie with Europe's strongest collection of players ever. The group in the running for the three picks could include Padraig Harrington, Justin Rose, Paul Casey and Martin Kaymer.
Garcia didn't seem bothered. He has played only 17 times this year, with his best finish losing in the semifinals of the Match Play Championship in Arizona at the start of the year.
"I need the break," Garcia said. "I need to miss the game a little bit."
The only other tournament he has planned this year is the Australian Masters in Melbourne in November.
Adam Scott recalls a few years ago when he felt as though he was getting nowhere and needed a break. Told of Garcia's decision, he thought it was a good move.
"It's so hard not to play when you're a competitor because that's what you've done your whole life," Scott said. "Good for Sergio. We have a 30-year career out here. Two months is not much time at all."
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