First PGA Question: What On Earth Is Tiger Talking About?

Oddly, there are no PGA transcripts for Rory and Tiger on ASAP as of midnight ET Here is the transcript but Brian Keogh has the Tiger Woods spin about trying too hard to enjoy himself Saturday instead of just being the snarling, Hoganesque, miserable, obscenity-dropping golfer that he was when he won 14 majors.

“I was just trying to be, you know, a little bit happy out there and enjoy it, and that’s  unfortunately that’s not how I play. You know how I am. I’m intense and I’m focused on what I’m doing and nothing else matters. I got back to that today and I hit some really good shots and I played the way that I know I can play.”

I'm going to take a stab here and propose that Tiger is either blaming:

(A) the media for suggesting he's not nice enough on the course

(B) Steiny for relaying a message from potential sponsors that they'd like to see him enjoying life on the links more before inking Tiger to a new deal

(C) Standing-before-the-blue-drapes-Tiger for predicting (at the TPC Sawgrass clubhouse, also available for your wedding or special occasion!) that he would become a new man on the course

(D) All of the above.

Sam Weinman dissects Tiger's post-round comment and Bob Harig of ESPN.com came to this conclusion:

Woods more or less admitted that he felt he was trying too hard in the previous two major championships this year where he had a chance to win. What he didn't admit -- but what could be surmised -- is that he is putting inordinate pressure on himself to close the deal in a major after what is now 18 majors (four of which he missed due to injury) without hoisting a trophy.

Here is the video of Tiger's comments, courtesy of Golf Channel.

Update on Sunday, August 12, 2012 at 09:34 PM by Geoff

**Michael Bamberger's overall Tiger assessment is worth a read:

The problem is both fundamental and nearly impossible to fix. He wants it too much.

You can see it. He wears his Buddhist bracelet, but he's not playing Zen golf. These major championships are really all that are left for him, in terms of athletic achievement, and the only thing that can let him reclaim his place in the pantheon of the world population. It's too much to ask. His psychologist -- a profane, jazz-loving, semi-manipulative genius named Earl -- is dead, and nobody can replace him.

Update on Monday, August 13, 2012 at 09:08 AM by Geoff

**Here is the post round interview with Peter Kostis.

Comments

[Ghillie]

Well, we've been warned. No More Mr. Nice Guy. (Did anyone notice the alleged niceness?)

Heck of an admission, though --- that pleasure doesn't come into it if he's to be effective.

I imagine he'll be a barrel of laughs as a playing partner till he realises he's done. Still, with isolated exceptions (like, allegedly, Saturday), same old same old.

Like they notice any more anyway. The fear factor went long ago.

[Nubi]

Perhaps he has not been getting laid, it that is at all possible.

[Tighthead]

I think he is just making b.s. excuses. He is good enough to contend, but is struggling with the pressure, as well as his overall consistency.

I think he might be going a little loony rambling around in that giant HoJo's he built. I wonder if he uses Kleenex boxes for slippers.

[A3]

Y E Yang.

6 letters still rattling around Tigers brain.

[elf]

This may be one of the weirder comments I've seen from Tiger, can't decide if it's weirder than watching him walk down first fairway chatting with Vijay on Sat in the final group of a major.

[Hawkeye]

I think he's absolutely correct. What made him great in the first place was his apparent ability to will the ball into the hole, and he can't get into that mode while chit-chatting with playing partners and tipping his cap to the crowd after holing 18"-putts for bogey. Plus, deep down inside of him there is probably still a bit of the school-yard nerd left, and we all know what happens when nerds try to be nice. It just doesn't work.

[No Longer Used to be Former S&T Convert]

I bet he is kicking himself this morning. Tat will probably be the last unscripted comment we ever hear from TW.

[Sari]

I think Harig nailed it. He wants it too much and that's why he tried to loosen up. Only nerves can explain why he played so well in the worst of the conditions and then lost it the next day in the easy ones.

[GolfFan]

We had a full out belly laugh at his post round comments Sunday at my house. I've said that he doesn't interest me because he has no fun. Now I'm confused. Must be more than that as he didn't engage me on Saturday (Didn't seem like fun Saturday either). Maybe it's his simultaneous self-love & self-loathe that's so pitiful?

It still comes down to the fact - for those of you that love him unrequitedly - That "Old Tiger" is just never coming back, that guy really golfed his ball, but that's history, get used to/over it. Watch the old DVD's. This new guy surely will not win more than 1-2 Majors if any. Even I thought he might have had one by now. HE doesn't know how he did it before, you guys surely can't.

Welcome to the New Tiger who is here to stay, gaffes as always included.

[digsouth]

It was confusing to watch---not knowing what is honest and what is pure BS. TW has put himself in a position that he is truly damned if he does, and damned if he doesn't.

Can ceremonial drives off number one at the masters be far? ( it's a joke)

[Buffett]

If Tiger does not interest you, why are you writing about him?

[GolfFan]

Buffett, why does he interest anyone is my question? I hope that you have more fun than he does playing, I do.

My answer is that Golf has sadly taken him on as "The Face of Golf" to its detriment, therefore he must be addressed. Me? I love golf the game, if I watch I am forced to watch him. Usually by the end of a broadcast, I am caught up on Tivo and have to watch Tiger, can't FF him. Even I can't use the W.C. that much ....

[dgs]

@Hawkeye
"What made him great in the first place was his apparent ability to will the ball into the hole"

Right now it is taking everything he has got to will the ball onto the green, far less in the hole.

[Observational Caddy]

He was in fact much looser this weekend than the past. I'm no Tiger fan, but seeing him jokingly plumb-bob a 1" putt was funny (the gallery thought so too). Also saw him toss a couple of balls and gloves to fans on Sunday while low-fiving some fans while walking between green and tee. Very out of character for Tiger, but a welcome change in my book. I'll never be a Tiger fan, but seeing this behavior during Saturday's front 9 and Sunday was a big step forward. If he can just learn to play competitively with this looseness then he may heading in a good direction.

[Bif]

doesn't this sound like Tiger might be working with a sport psychologist? And resisting it.

[sgolfer]

Tiger interests me, in a Barry Bonds / Michael Vick / Penn State sort of way.

[East End Golfer]

Tiger tried a new approach - having fun - and it didn't work. He'll move on to the next mental coach.
Unfortunately for Tiger, getting your head straight is much harder than getting your swing on plane. Until a successful mental adjustment is made, four good rounds in a major will be hard for Tiger to come by.
All you haters better not write TW off yet, though. His golf is good enough and if he gets his head right, he can win big.

[gorsegolf]

If we were heading for a 3rd straight weekend choke parade at a major, most of us would be trying to concoct an ailbi before 100 microphones were stuck in our face after the round. Obviously he was just fabricating an excuse.

Although his behavior is improved since the Masters, his claim that he was swept up in a "puppy dogs and rainbows" mood on moving day is bunk.

[A3]

Tiger can barely keep hit his driver and his wedge game is horrible, putting is streaky, I am impressed that he is in contention at all in these majors, his game looks spotty at best.

[Sari]

A3, I think you (and others) are overstating his driver problems. By and large, he hit his driver well all week, and he pulled it out plenty. He did not have any more misses than many other stars who are considered good drivers of the golf ball (I especially recall Keegan Bradley hitting a bunch of foul balls on Friday).

I do agree with you on the wedge and putter comments, however.

[Hard by the Sea]

Give the guy a break - these are the kinds of things that golfers might say when being subjected to neuroplasticity and a basterdized version of stack & tilt.

S&T is great for long irons - but slowly kills everything else.

The only golfer who has been better off with S&T (whether it is the Mac O'Grady version, the Bennet/Plummer version, or the Foley version) is Charlie Wi, but he still has zero PGA Tour wins to show for it.

[jjshaka]

He's a 36 year old guy with a balky driver and putter who lost his aura of invincibility- whether he's naughty or nice won't matter. He is too inconsistent to dominate but may squeeze out a couple more majors.

[GolfFan]

@gorsegolf

That's not a choke. A choke presupposes that one is in control. (There as been a choke lately. Or three.)

Unh-unh - not in control, no choke.

[johnnnycz]

Winning is usually pretty "fun" too....TW apparently needs to start looking other places than Sunday afternoon back nines for his golfing "fun" because if the size of his divots w/ short irons is anything to go by (Texas sized STEAKS!!!!...wtf??!!) he ain't going to be in ANY kind of contention deep into a major swinging it like that.

[Peter Gompertz]

Reprise to the highlights of the third round of The Open Championship; Tiger holes a bunker shot, acknowledged the applause by touching his cap and Peter Allis comments " Come on Tiger give us a smile, give us something to like you for". Perfect commentary. Being an outstanding golfer isn't good enough, never has been, never will be. Greatness requires class........................

[BrianS]

From a friend who was at Kiawah, standing on the first tee near Tiger on Saturday AM - "I knew he was going to be bad - his body language was dejected and slumping, no smiles, no talking with anyone else". Clear contrast to Poulter and Rory who were full of energy and excitement.

Doesn't sound like he was just having too much fun too me.

[cc-rider]

Hard by the sea- JJ Henry is a S&T student and won in Reno two weeks ago.