Would a worthy challenger please step up?

Steve Elling pens an entertaining look at the possibility of anyone challenging Tiger, highlighted by this exchange:

Players talked openly about the vexing drought of younger players capable of cracking Woods' dominance because there is no successor in sight. Is anybody going to punch Woods in the beak and give him a run for his money?

"I'd love to," said Aussie Adam Scott, 26, who has frequently struggled at the majors. "That's what I'm out here for. If I could control the anxiety and nerves - somebody has to step up and do it."

Rule out the older guard. It looks as if Ernie Els, Vijay Singh and several other veterans have taken their best shot and mostly missed. Woods, 30, seems poised to rule the sport yet again, having won four of the past eight majors.

"We need guys in their mid-20s and early 30s to step up," said Chris DiMarco, 37, laughing. "I'm too old. I have three kids. I'll keep trying, but somebody else needs to try."

Scott theorized that some young American players are more infatuated with earning paychecks than with becoming the best, a theory that was not universally endorsed.

"How many has he won lately?" DiMarco said tersely.

Comments

[Van]

Scott's an old Messiah-swing clone, that's all. He's gotta pay mo' money for the new chip.

No, there's nothing in the current OWGR that will spank The Messiah.

[ReverendTMac]

Little rich to hear Mr. Top Five giving Scott stick for not winning...but, hey, since he's apparently already decided he's not the man to step up and take on Tiger, I guess he can start being an old man and blaming those damn kids...

[ron smith]

I laugh when I read stuff like this. There are players in every sport who dominate for periods of time. Who ever shut down Wayne Gretsky? Who stopped Michael Jordan? Lawrence Taylor? Roger Federer? Sure, you'll stop them for a game or a match or a series. Or some player will get hot and have a run (ala Phil or Rafael Nadal). But each sport over time has a player who is simply better than everyone else and they will dominate the competition. Tiger is that dominant player right now in golf. Some will have success, but it will be sporadic.