Quote:
Originally Posted by stinkypete
I agree it's kind of a dumb thing to say but what he really means is (or at least should be) that he's not afraid to take big risks in pursuit of an exceptional score. Of course it's strategically stupid to try to shoot 68 with conservative play when you need 65 to win, so there's nothing to be afraid of if you understand math.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dinopoker
Some people really do experience fear when coming close to doing something exceptional. It's one of the predominant reasons why choking happens, imo.
Others go for it. Or to quote a movie I saw once, "true champions WANT the ball when the game is on the line." Most don't though.
Yes, I get both of these posts. Not sure why announcers don't articulate it that way.
We all know what it is like to go into the mode where we are protecting against bogey instead of planning for a birdie, or playing to avoid a three-putt. There are lots of people who get overly conservative (or overly aggressive) when the pressure is on. And it it also common to see the uber conservative play followed by the ill-timed aggressive decisions. Just like poker...
I think that is what messed up so many people who played with Tiger on the last day. Tiger was not "clutch" (clutch doesn't exist IMO). Others, however, got it into their own head that they had to either be more aggressive or more conservative, and then started falling apart around him. Others choking made Tiger look clutch. Tiger's greatest skill was simply being better than everyone else and not having a drop off on the last day, while others changed their game to try and beat him.