Mickelson and Woods: Beware
Within the numerous storylines at this year’s Masters golf tournament, the one that stood out the most is the potential of the PGA tour, its players, and its 2010 season.
As the first Major of the year, we couldn’t have wanted more. Tiger Woods returned, played well, and was in the mix on Sunday while Phil Mickelson shot amazing golf for his third Masters win. We were reminded of memories from last year’s British open as we once again saw underdogs Tom Watson and Lee Westwood step up and grab some attention, but let it slip away. Even Freddy Couples was near the top of the board up to the 72nd hole.
Not only did we get drama, but we saw some unbelievable golf shots. From Tiger Wood’s 40-yard hook around the trees on day one to Phil Mickelson’s fairway wood over the water, from behind a tree, to three feet on Sunday, the Masters was drenched with amazing skills.
You can truly understand what these athletes have achieved when you watch them play a Major tournament. What looks like a safe shot to the middle of the green, maybe 30 feet from the pin, will shock you as the ball begins to roll down a slope toward the hole until it’s about three feet away.
It’s hard to fathom how these players can not only team up with their caddies to calculate the exact distance to hit the ball and where the ball will roll after it lands, but can also grab a glorified stick and physically land the ball there and watch it happen.
Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods attracted a huge amount of attention during the 2010 Masters, but while that was happening, the rest of the PGA’s greatest players showed why they deserved to be there too.
In the upcoming 2010 PGA season, we will be seeing more than a two-man show. Lee Westwood and Anthony Kim both showed their potential to be crowned Major winners this weekend at the Masters, and have been for years. Fred Couples had the lead after the first day and stayed competitive throughout, showing that he is still a serious threat. Another name to watch is K.J. Choi. His consistent drives and solid short game make him one of the biggest players to keep an eye on this year. Even Nick Watney and Hunter Mahan snuck into the top 10 on Sunday.
This is just a small handful of players that can rival both Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods in any tournament, whether it’s a Major or not. Golf is a sport that changes each day, for each player and each golf course, so it’s hard to say that any one player is ever a clear-cut winner. Tiger Woods is the best, but he doesn’t always win.
The 2010 Masters was one of the most memorable in history, but it probably won’t be the best tournament of 2010.
Thanks danielle, you actually covered both of the main points in this debate. It’s good to hear non-golf fans are watching, no matter what the reason is!
It is a difficult issue because no matter what he does now, the public will not be happy. If he tries to move on with his golf game, people criticize him for ignoring his personal mistakes. If he tries to focus on his personal life, he is criticized for not doing what he does best: golf.
I think this clearly points out that the choices he made in his personal life affected his professional life as well. People say it doesn’t matter that he did these things because it is his personal life, but it DOES matter because it is affecting his professional career! Sponsors dropped, fans lost, months without tournament play…The people who say his personal actions don’t matter should really step back and look at the entire issue.
With that said, I just want to point out that I think the public is discussing the wrong issue. Yes, Tiger Woods cheated on his wife and won major golf tournaments at the same time…he isn’t a moral person. That doesn’t really matter when we watch him hook a ball 40 yards around a tree and land it five feet from the pin.
What actually matters is the possible STEROID USE of Tiger Woods. For those of you who are not aware, Tiger Woods chose to utilize a Canadian doctor who isn’t licensed in the U.S. That same doctor was caught bringing steroids into the country.
Because this happened around the same time as the Woods sex scandal, it was pushed under the rug and out of the public’s attention. BUT THIS IS THE REAL ISSUE! If Tiger Woods has been using steroids, all of his major wins and records are MEANINGLESS.
It seems like Tiger Woods CHOSE to put attention on the sex scandal. If Woods is caught cheating on his wife, his achievements stand. If Tiger Woods is caught using steroids, his achievements turn to dust.
I actually started watching the tournament on the last day when Mickelson made that amazing shot in your picture. I don’t know anything about golf, but even I knew that was a great shot. My dad and brother watch golf a lot so I was excited to watch the end..just the end. But I also knew this was Tiger’s first tournament back and what I realized while watching it, was that I didn’t care he was there. He was interviewed when he was done and I was a little annoyed that he mentioned he wanted everyone to just move on. He chose the life of athlete, I am sorry but that puts your personal life on display. It is like an actor, it is time for him to just accept it and move on himself. He may want to forget, but I will say the sooner he gets back on the regular golf trail (or whatever it is called) the sooner people will remember he is a golfer and his personal life is his own. Hiding is not going to help anything.