Video: Even Tiger Cold Tops One Now And Then...
Thanks to reader Brian for the video link to this shot during first round play at Abu Dhabi. The shot was hit from the first tee (his tenth hole) during opening round play in the 2013 HSBC Golf Championship.
According to Golf Channel's Tiger Tracker it went 200 yards.
Watch it before the inevitable copyright claim.
Geoff
**Alistair Tait was there and documents the rusty start for both Tiger and Rory. His description of the above shot for the days after the video is scrubbed.
I think we can all relate to this feeling:
Woods hit a drive that would have embarrassed many high-handicappers. He hit an inch behind the ball and watched as it fell short of the fairway. The ball traveled only about 150 yards. Woods’ fairway metal approach still came up 20 yards short, and he failed to get up-and-down for par. “My whole game plan was to hit 3-iron or 5-wood on that hole,” Woods said. “I changed my game plan and wasn’t committed to the shot. I didn’t want to hit it. I was really fighting over that tee shot and should have backed off it.”
Reader Comments (29)
Tiger had to make a 20 footer for par on his opening hole, a par 5. He managed to turn 2-under and promptly laid the sod over a driver, a driver! (his 10th hole) It was a driver-SW hole and Tiger had to hit a 5-wood from the rough and came up short. Earlier he hit a 3-wood from the tee into a bush, etc...
Rory looked as bad or worse... Something about the 2nd shot on 18 (reachable par 5) does not suit Rory's eye. Last year he hit it on top of the grandstand and ultimately lost the ball, last night he hit a screaming low snap hooked 3-wood that ended up left and long of same pavilion (his 9th hole) Rory was in bunkers the first 3 holes, doubled a par 3 without a penalty shot, and hit a tee shot OB on the back 9 for another double.
Tiger and Rory are 5 back and 8 back respectively after round 1.
However, they were both dressed very nicely, their Nike gear looked way better than Kaymer's getup by Boss! They also had a good chat and laugh together as they went around, these two clearly enjoy each others company.
jgw, Smacking the Featherie is covering that story for us, I'm sure he'll be along soon to update you on it.
Meanwhile, Rory was getting live updates of the Wozniacki match at the Australian Open which was concurrent with most of his round here in Abu Dhabi. Non-professional.
And, if we are going to analyze, lost amidst the poor tee-shots were two things that might bode well for Tiger this year: (1) vastly improved distance control with his wedges and some damn fine work on the short game to save his round from being a 75.
As was said- I've got that shot!
And OWGR_ yes- go to a tournament and see the real deal.....The difference between the pros and us is---they recover , and typically salvage par.
1
Everybody on the professional level hits bad and sometimes worse shots. Except in the minds of some. In so much as when you listen to them talk they would have you believe that many of the older/all time greats of the game never missed a fairway, a green on the following approach and the subsequent putt. :)
In my foursome, yes you stand a good chance of seeing it, but when you pay a guy 3 million just to show up, you don't expect him to chilli-dip a 3-wood. LOL
(I'm on fire, and I haven't even had a drink Tommy!!!)
Yes, I was waiting for a replay, and they never showed one.
Yes, the ''Did he just hit...ground?'' was VERY funny.
No, they never gave any yardages, for the ''drive'', or for how far out he was....
...and finally... he didn't it an ''inch'' behind the ball--- HE HIT ABOUT 6 TO 12 INCHES BEHIND! If the club had bounced much higher, he could have whiffed!
It was the worst tee shot I have ever seen a pro hit, except for Tom Kite decking a spectator, in one of his US Open misses.