Comments on: Stunner: Tiger Woods loses major after lead

By: Cesar

Cesar — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:38:02 +0000

If it wasn’t a choke, it was pretty close. There were 40+ golfers with better rounds on Sunday than Tiger. His final two rounds were 71-75 while the winner shot 67-70. Down one with just the approach left on the 18th green, his opponent in a difficult position and Tiger in the middle of the fairway, he plopped it in the right rough (where right handed golfers always “bail”) and then watched as Chang hit the nearly perfect shot.
Face it. If Phil had played this way on the last day, everyone, EVERYONE, would have said he choked.
That said, Tiger is still one of the greatest to play the game and will continue to dominate golf for years to come. This just shows two things to me. 1) He’s human and won’t win every time (but will still win many more times). 2) People (mostly broadcasters) will contort into all sorts of shapes just to avoid speaking badly about Tiger.

By: Ron

Ron — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 19:14:13 +0000

Ummm yeah…he’s made golf so boring huh? Well apparently the ratings tell a different story because when he was out, tournament ratings were nowhere near they were when he was in. Tiger had a bad day…simple as that. Already the pundits are talking about him having a difficult offseason and how it will now be a different era of Tiger Woods. All histrionic drama queens. Tiger is fine and will be back in the winners circle many times again.

By: r.j. kasten

r.j. kasten — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 10:00:28 +0000

Its great to see Tiger lose. He has made golf so damn boring, Tiger this, Tiger that. It was great when he was out with a bum kneee and we got to see some other win for change.

By: Technology

Technology — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 09:56:04 +0000

Tiger Woods always brings in the fans.

By: boomer

boomer — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 22:50:51 +0000

kjmarker has hit the biggest ones. Until an amateur junior golfer or college player takes down Woods in a major championship, Francis Ouimet will have the greatest upset in golf. This year’s PGA was certainly a shocking result because of the opponent, but Yang was not the world’s biggest underdog. Shaun Micheel comes to mind as having never a won PGA Tour event before winning his first major, like Yang, after stuffing an approach shot on the last hole. Yang also beat Tiger head to head at the 2006 HSBC. Not that I gave him much of a chance…

By: kjmarker

kjmarker — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 20:03:49 +0000

Yes this is a major upset but I don’t see it as the biggest golf upset of all time. Yang had won previously (Honda) and was in top 25 in the last 4 tournaments he played. Here are some other contenders:

Fleck over Hogan in 1955 US Open. Fleck’s first win while Hogan very dominate in those years.

Hillary Lunke vs. Anna S. 2003 Women’s Open – Hillary hasn’t been heard from since and obviously Anna was as dominate as Tiger.

1913 US Open local boy Quimet beats the Ray & Vardon from GB to launch US golf.

By: CJS

CJS — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:53:57 +0000

Yeah, it was a huge upset, but in hindsight (which, granted, is always conveniently more clear), it shouldn’t have been as shocking as it is. Yang didn’t even pick up a club until he was 19 – he’s now 37 – and in the last two years he beat Woods in China, he played in his first US tour event, and he won the Honda.

I’d never seen him play before yesterday because the cameras usually only follow Asian players – did they even show a single shot by Thongchai Jaidee, who was in the top 10 at the start of the final round? – if they’re paired with a marquee player. But Yang’s demeanor was as solid as any I’ve seen. The man had nerves of steel, only noticeably getting the best of him on a putt on the 17th green. And his drives were every bit as straight and for the most part as long as Tiger’s, and Tiger said he (Tiger) had a very good ball striking day, even for him.

It’s a shock now, but Yang seems like he’ll be around as long as he physically holds up, so we might look back on this as more of a coming out party rather than a one-hit wonder. It’s a huge boost for Asia; hopefully younger players like Ryo Ishikawa (the youngest player ever to make the PGA championship cut) will start getting a little reflection off Yang’s halo.

By: Jim Buzinski

Jim Buzinski — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:16:40 +0000

I meant greatest upset in golf history, not in all of sports. Seems that if an unknown beats a guy who was 14-0 in majors after leading after 3 rounds that this is pretty historic.

Here is how big it was: An Irish bookmaker PAID OFF all Tiger winning bets after ROUND TWO:

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/2009/08/17/bookmaker-loses-1-5m-euros-after-tiger-woods-uspga-collapse-86908-21603186/

By: Dave M

Dave M — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:40:10 +0000

Major upset? Maybe! Maybe it is just shocking that he choked for once. Always glad to see him not do well (#2 is not too shabby) because he truly is one of the most conceited athletes out there. When Yang won, Tiger jsut went on with his business because he was so mad at himself. Thats a child!

Obviously, I do not like Tiger Woods. Ever since he refused to waste a shot at Pebble Beach in 2000 in recognition of Payne Stewart. Everyone else did!

By: ossurworld

ossurworld — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:18:19 +0000

When Yang steals one of Tiger’s product endorsements, that will be an upset.