PAIN AT PEBBLE BEACH

On Sunday afternoon I was watching a golf tournament when a good old fashion Butt Kicking broke out.  Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods were paired in the next to final group at the Pebble Beach Pro AM and I was determined not to miss what I thought would be two great rounds of golf.  It happens that I did get to see at least one exceptional round from Phil who clearly was charged and ready to roll when he stepped onto the first tee.  Tiger was another story altogether as he proceeded to shoot a 3 over par 75 and was even beat by his amateur partner in the Pro AM Tony (I can’t win a playoff game) Romo. 

This round of golf was a classic example of how easy or tough golf can be on a given day.  Phil made it look easy as he not only came from six shots back to win, but in the process, he walked the dog on Woods and the rest of the field.  I’ve always enjoyed watching Phil play, mostly because his mind seems to work more like an amateur than a professional when it comes to going for shots that seem impossible.  The truth is that in all the years I’ve seen Phil play, Sunday may have been the best I’ve ever seen him play, and when he decided to go with 4 Iron on the 18^th tee, I found myself thinking wow he’s going to play smart.  There was no question watching him play that Phil was better prepared mentally and had the confidence needed to not only beat Tiger Woods, but the rest of the field as well.

Tiger was completely over matched on Sunday afternoon, and it was clear by the end of the day that his mental state seems to be very fragile.  Golf is a game that no matter how physically talented you are, if you lose your mental edge your game will suffer.   When he lost to Robert Rock in Dubai it didn’t seem to be that big a deal, but watching his melt down on Sunday seems to be a clear indication that while the physical part of his game may be solid, his mental state is lacking.  Tiger seems to now lack the mental toughness that made him one of the best golfers ever to play the game.   I remember the days when it seemed like he couldn’t miss a putt inside 8 or 10 feet, yet on Sunday he putted like a robot whose program was malfunctioning.  To see anyone stab at and miss two footers over and over again is painful enough, but when it’s a guy with 14 major championships, it’s even more painful.  I think that even those who don’t like Tiger couldn’t help but feel bad for him on Sunday.

The talking heads continue to say that golf needs Tiger and while I don’t disagree with that thinking; one has to wonder how long the casual fan will continue tuning in if Tiger melts down a few more times?  So for the good of the game, here’s hoping that Tiger get’s his mojo back and that the next time he and Phil tee it up on a Sunday we’ll see two great rounds of golf!

I’m Just Sayin