It just gets no better than this. A win each in the Fedex Cup and Phil manages to get past Tiger in a head to head battle. The critics and players may moan about various aspects of the new format but you can’t deny that a Phil vs Tiger battle is a dream come true for the PGA.
Undoubtedly this is brilliant for golf as well as Phil Mickelson. I’ve knocked him in the past in my “man boobs” post (still the post with most views believe it or not) but I’ve always qualified it with the view that I think he has the most amazing natural talent since Seve picked a club up all those years ago and started nipping over the wall of his home club. And for a total Seve-obsessed goon like me that’s about as high a praise as it’s possible to give.
“Hmmmmmffff – I wish I hadn’t had that last piece of pie. I’m not sure I can standup…”
But now we have a new slimline (temporarily) Mickelson with a new found confidence, a new swing and hopefully a wrist injury that is fully mended. But still – when you see the two of them together who looks like the athlete? Who looks like he’s really taking it seriously? Who looks like the guy who survived the heat of the PGA to win? A proper battle of the titans in a Nicklaus/Palmer/Player/Watson way or even like Snead and Hogan beckons and would be superb for golf – but will it happen?
On day one of the Tour Championship they’ll stand together ready to go. Arguably equal on talent but Tiger knows he has that little edge in a few key areas. He’ll be the one giving himself that extra chance with his fitness, he’ll know that if it’s a hot day the back nine will be a little easier and if he needs to summon that extra bit of power to get out of the long grass that he has it in reserve. He’ll not be worrying about nagging injuries since he’s in such incredible shape that he simply doesn’t pick them up.
At the end of the day it’s those little factors that matter. It’s so many factors that Tiger has to differentiate himself from the crowd but they all count. And if I was Mickelson standing there on Thursday I’d be feeling it too.
“Okay boys, seconds out… Round Two.”
On the money as usual Scratch! There is not an athlete in golf today that will be able to give Tiger a long term “run for his money”. There is only one athelete in world that is on Tigers level and that is Roger Federer. He is the best conditioned, most emotionally contained player in professional tennis and is on track to do in tennis what Tiger has done in golf. Unfortunately for Roger, tennis is a young man’s game and it seems as if Tiger may be on course to play well into his fourties (and beyond unless he runs for president) when he will smash every record in golf by a long shot.
Thank you Scratch for making such a big deal about conditioning. It is really what seems to be deciding many of the close tournaments that Tiger wins. His psychology really seems to be following his physiology and that puts him in front of every other player on the back 9 and on the final holes.
Thanks for the response.
The fitness thing applies to so many sports and so many have been through this in a similar way.
I often draw the analogy with Grand Prix racing. In years gone past it was the same sort of gentleman’s sport that golf is. It was a real “have a fag a few drinks” type of sport.
At every stage the really big champions who have moved it forwards such as Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Ayrton Senna and most recently Schumacher have all had one thing in common. Coupled with astonishing talent and hard work they have all taken the fitness thing to a new level so they could cope with the pressure.
These days you simply don’t have unfit F1 drivers. Juan Pablo Montoya ate a few too many burgers and singularly failed to live up to his, undoubtedly immense, talent. And right up to his last year racing Michael Schumacher was the fittest driver.
So if you take the three most dominant main stream sporing stars of the last few years you have Woods, Federer and Schumacher. And one of the big links between them is the huge levels of fitness they had.
It’s not everything and it certainly won’t make up for a lack of talent but it’s just taht little bit extra that helps them when the going gets really tough.
Hi John
I’m glad to have found your site, because I started my own 365 day challenge today in fact
Looks like you beat me to it. I’m blogging over at maxmygolf.com
Anyway reason for the message (can’t find your email address) is to ask on the off-chance you’ll be making it to the British Masters next week?? I know it’s a long shot but it would be great to have a chat with you at some point and pick the brains of a guy who has been there and done it.
Hi Max
Sorry matey – I won’t be there but I’ve had a look at your site and I’m excited. Great stuff.
I’ll contact you by email.
John