Nicklaus says Tiger will play in Augusta; I say, ‘Well, duh’
He’s embarrassed, sure, and it seems he’s contrite. But he’s also the world’s best golfer, and if you’re the world’s best golfer the one thing that overrides embarrassment and contrition is a major championship. And they hold one of those every April in this state.
Jack Nicklaus, who won 18 majors and therefore has a keen sense of their worth, said it Wednesday: Tiger Woods will be back when it’s tee time in Augusta. “It would surprise me if he didn’t [play the Masters],” Nicklaus told reporters in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., according to Bob Harig of ESPN.
Then, even more on point: “I can’t imagine in a hundred years he is going to miss Augusta.”
Unlike, say, Roberto De Vicenzo, Nicklaus is good at math. Forget the number of women with which Woods has allegedly dallied. (Last I checked, the estimate was 19, not counting his wife.) The key numbers here are 18 and 14.
Nicklaus: “If Tiger is going to pass my record, I think this is a big year for him in that regard. If he doesn’t play this year, obviously the chore is going to be a little tougher.”
Nicklaus won 18 majors. Woods has 14. As Harig notes, half those 14 have come at courses on this year’s major rotation. Said Nicklaus: “He obviously loves Augusta, Pebble Beach [site of the 2010 U.S. Open] and St. Andrews [site of the British]. He basically owns all three of those places.”
The Masters is next month, as you might know, and guess what? According to an Associated Press press report that appeared Tuesday, Woods is home in Florida and practicing again after a week of family counseling in Arizona. And the third paragraph of the AP report, written by Doug Ferguson, will stand forever as a masterstroke of facts-with-a-twist journalism. Here it is:
Woods returned to his home near Orlando on Saturday and has been hitting balls on the range at Isleworth, not far from where he ran his SUV into a fire hydrant and a tree in a middle-of-the-night accident on Nov. 27 that set off shocking revelations of infidelity.
I don’t know if they have neighborhood co-op meetings at Tiger’s ritzy gated community, but if they do, I’m pretty sure the first item on his agenda will be this: “Can’t we do something about all these darn hydrants?”
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86 comments Add your comment
Tiger's Big Wood
March 4th, 2010
4:58 pm
Look out all you Georgia Peaches……….Here I come…….
Billy Payne
March 4th, 2010
5:18 pm
We won’t be inviting Tiger to the Masters this year if it is his first tournament of the year. Do you think we want that kind of media circus at Augusta?
Fred Flintstoned
March 4th, 2010
5:43 pm
Screw Tiger. He has used his power and prestige to bullcrap his way out of this. He will never be half the man, or the golfer that Jack Nicklaus was. Now there is a guy who knows the importance of family.
I hope Tiger never eclipses Jack’s record.
crazy
March 4th, 2010
5:45 pm
Nicklaus: “If Tiger is going to pass my record, I think this is a big year for him in that regard. If he doesn’t play this year, obviously the chore is going to be a little tougher.”
This is the most rediculous comment I have ever heard. Tiger is 33 years old…he needs only 5 more majors….I would say that he will be able to win up until about 60 years old…Tom Watson was one shot away last year……so this gives him 27 years to win 5 majors.
Falcons need more white golfers.
March 4th, 2010
5:57 pm
LEAVE BRITTANY ALONE!!
Paul in RDU
March 4th, 2010
6:01 pm
Mark – Tiger is going to come back sooner or later – and based on his track record, he will win a tourney sooner or later (my money is on sooner).
What do you think the odds are of Elin and the kids being there at the 18th on Sunday to give him a big hug and kiss? Now that is going to be a Jerry Springer moment!
Bob Horner had a sweet compact swing
March 4th, 2010
6:04 pm
Billy..funny post..but Tiger’s invitation is a given…(as a former champion..)
Tiger’s Big Wood ..a true Georgia peach wouldn’t even look at Tiger….you didn’t know that..???
Fred…can I buy you a beer, we agree..??
Pago Flyer
March 4th, 2010
6:09 pm
Who really cares. He’s the best golfer ever. The first guy who yells something will never be seen again. Pretty funny.
Tiger
March 4th, 2010
6:19 pm
The majors record is more important than my family.
Bob Horner had a sweet compact swing
March 4th, 2010
6:25 pm
Paul in RDU …you’re scenerio freightens me…..a family group hug at Augusta on Sunday 4/11/2010 at the 18th green……I think I’d vomit….
I’d prefer a missed cut on Friday with Tiger slamming his clubs and cussing…..I guess I’m a hater…(or a jealous A-Hole…) or both…
Phillip
March 4th, 2010
6:26 pm
It’s been reported that each one of his 18 “ho’s” will man the flag at every green in the Masters……now let’s see how his steel-like ability to concentrate on a putt will be like!!!
To my friend Gordon....
March 4th, 2010
6:29 pm
If he has a “me against the world attitude” why did he look like a little boy a couple of weeks ago? I think you are underestimating the impact this has had on him. I’m not saying he will never win. I’m just saying it will take him a while. Tiger has been pampered all his life. This is all new to him and I don’t see the same guy.
dawg 4 u
March 4th, 2010
6:56 pm
I think Tiger will eventually overtake Jack in major wins. Jack definitely had more competition from his field than Tiger does and Jack had to put up with a lot of hecklers early on in his career because Arnold Palmer was so much more popular than anyone playing when Nicklaus came up that Jack really had to endure a lot of bad mouthing before he eventually won them over. Let’s see if Tiger can do the same because he will definitely be heckled now. Just think of how many times Jack finished second in majors because of such great competition. Regardless of who wins the most major tournaments I still have to give Nicklaus a slight edge over Tiger but it is a really close call. I would love to see Jack and Tiger both playing in their primes. That would have been the best competition of all!
BT-FB,FL
March 4th, 2010
7:07 pm
Still going to be best ever in golf!
Firman Busher
March 4th, 2010
7:23 pm
You people sure do underestimate the Tiger. Tiger would have skinned Fat Jack in his heyday — playing left-handed! Jack’s competition wasn’t that good, that’s why he won as many majors as he did. Jack had longevity and I believe Tiger will play as long and will win 25+ majors before its over. Talking about sports heroes, Ruth and Mantle and 90% of the NBA took their pick of the groupies after every game, just about. Sex, off the field of play, has nothing to do with sports prowess. Besides that, it’s none of anybody’s business. The media today, just sucks! Selah!
CatsFly
March 4th, 2010
7:36 pm
Firman, you might be right, just as long as Tiger doesn’t die, or kill his wife, with syphylis, or maybe it isn’t her business what her husband might be bringing home. I bet ole’ fat Jack had higher character than Tiger.
What the Huck!
March 4th, 2010
7:37 pm
The Masters would be the perfect place for Tiger to emerge from his self-imposed exile. They put up with less crap from the gallery than any other place on earth. Tee it up, Tiger and hit it hard. We want to see you play.
Bo Williams
March 4th, 2010
7:40 pm
Hey, I know how Tiger can regain the “love”. Let him see something nice about coach Fox, or about Stegmon. The dawg fans will fall at his feet.
Chris
March 4th, 2010
7:43 pm
He took PED’s. Look at his frame. Connect the dots. It will come out eventually but after he’s done with the tour. All along I thought he would finish a tourney and go home with his wife and children every week or go to the next event and practice there. Now we know why he took so many weeks off. He was living a lie and a double life. And with that partying and strolling around with all these hoochies, where was the time for working out. When you stay up partying til 4 am, you aren’t waking up to jog and work out. that story the media gave us of his hard hard work was bs. The guy is super talented with a club but you can’t tell me he’s never doped before. I have no respect for him anymore and more will come out re this in the future. That is certain.
Huck
March 4th, 2010
7:48 pm
firman
you are a moron. jack’s competition was much tougher mentally than the guys on tour today. today, they play for the money. some love the game but most it’s about a living. in the 50’s and 60’s it was more about the love of the game. if you didn’t win, you weren’t making much at all. in fact, only those with money were able to play professionally. enough money to survive. tiger has no competition. jack had to play against most of the best ever to play the game. tiger competes again no one that will go down as the top 10 best. jack had at least 5 when he competed.
Cacker Jacket
March 4th, 2010
7:49 pm
Drug test Tiger before letting play again!
Tom
March 4th, 2010
7:54 pm
wonderdawg
That is right. He finished 2nd like 20 times. Amazing. I think tiger just got his first 2nd last year. LOL
There’s no doubt the comp jack faced was much tougher than today. And you don’t bring up the course changes. The same players that play today play the same courses. Look at Watson last year at the Open to show how tough the comp was when Jack played. Do you think when phil or ernie or vijay are 60 they will be doing that? No way. Of course only ernie may qualify as I think you have to have won it to play it.
Lane Myers
March 4th, 2010
8:12 pm
73rd or 74st I ain’t so goods at countin’…I’d like to thank my middle skool grade coach at lville middle school for throwing the basketball at my head, its the little things coaches do that shape a future, because of you- I started sniffing glue and live in a 350 square foot apartment,maybe I share some of the blame, but you were the first man I ever saw who rocked coaches shorts in a bad way, I hope your fat and dead…..long live the crusaders…… god bless peach baskets….
Gary
March 4th, 2010
8:22 pm
This obamacare scares the crap out of me. And people worry when tiger is coming back. Wake up people. if this passes, this country will be bankrupt in a few years. Gas will cost $15 gallon and a loaf of cheap kroger bread $5. Tomatos/bananas $2 each. Just look at argentina a few years ago.
Alaskan Halitosis
March 4th, 2010
8:31 pm
Gary get a grip man, break out of that cubicle and take a vacation…..
Lane Myers
March 4th, 2010
8:38 pm
Fat Jack was/is/will forever be the best golfer to ever don the plaid….
Firman Busher
March 4th, 2010
8:43 pm
Gary: Get your conservative head out of your butt and get to some other site where you’re wanted. We’re talking golf here. Sam Snead was a better player day in and day out than Nicklaus and played against much stronger competition than Nicklaus. Sam won 135 tournaments, 81 PGA events (8 more than Fat Jack), 7 majors. Hell, he shot a 66 when he was sixty-seven and is the oldest person to ever win a PGA event. Go to to youtube and look at his swing — sweetest you’ll ever see. Selah!
Carl Spackler
March 4th, 2010
8:50 pm
He’s on his final hole. He’s about 455 yards away, he’s gonna hit a 2-iron I think.
GSU Eagle 91
March 4th, 2010
8:56 pm
Jack is the greatest golfer ever…Period…He beat golfers who would simply wipe the floor with the likes of Mickelson, Els and Cink..Why? Because they were hungrier then…A second place check today is worth 6 victories back in the 1970’s….
If Tiger passes Jack’s 18 victories in Majors, he will assume the throne as the best golfer ever…..But he has to do it first….
GSU Eagle 91
March 4th, 2010
8:59 pm
Firman…Jack saved his greatest golf for when the tournament was on the line…No one, including Tiger, or Sam, did this as well….
And don’t forget Sam had an 8 on the final hole of a US Open he could have won to complete a career Grand Slam…..
And if we talk about the greatest golfers, Bobby Jones HAS to be mentioned….He is the ONLY player to win the Grand Slam in a calendar year…And he retired at 28 after doing it….
Phillip
March 4th, 2010
9:09 pm
Tiger will do fine…..so long as he takes plenty of saltpeter before he plays. I will test him be bringing along a bevy of scantily clad Cheetahs girls to follow him….bet he “yips” with his putter when one of the girls bends over!!!
da Italian Stallion
March 4th, 2010
9:14 pm
Rocky Marciano was da best
Snyderman
March 4th, 2010
9:31 pm
Come on have you seen those woman? Those are all party girls does anyone here honestly think messing around on his wife was the only thing wrong being done? You run with those type of people you are probably doing the same bad things they were doing.
Firman Busher
March 4th, 2010
11:16 pm
Sam & Arnie told me that there were “grass-eaters” at every course along the tour. Temptation is not something new and don’t think that there weren’t some stuff going down late in the day. Selah!
Casual Observer
March 6th, 2010
12:14 pm
Hate is a very strong word. I’s surmise to say that the hate-mongers have some other more cynical reason for wanting to see Tiger fail other than the adultery. Since the beginning of time Man has fornicated and cheated, With the exception of maybe Jesus. I am totally amused at how some of you proclaim to know just how Nicklaus was such a great Family Man. For most of us whether we like it or not Tiger is the best golfer of our generation. Upon his return and depending on his results he may be the G.O.A.T. Lets see how this plays out. He made his bed and he’s about to start taking his medicine. Win or lose the comparisons will always be made as will the judgements.
John Daley
March 6th, 2010
6:28 pm
The powers to be have set up 2010 for Tiger in terms of the major championships go–Tiger always plays well at Augusta while Pebble Beach and St Andrews are generally a walk in the park for Tiger–he will be back at Augusta–he may not win there but he definitley wins at Pebble and St Andrews.