I didn't get to watch much of the TV broadcasts when he was playing. Was it mainly just following tiger? I agree it would be bad if it was the all tiger show.

The PGA Tour Season Thread is guaranteed at least six posts this week, so that's a nice change

maybe not.

Tiger on the prowl. 5 under thru 7.

-8 thru 12.

Tiger is playing fairly close to 2013 winning levels, but assuming skill is going up about 0.4 shots per round/year he has some work to do to catch up to today's player.

I'm guessing TPC Sawgrass is playing about 0.25 shots easier per round in 2018 compared to 2013. (due to #12 somewhat offset by other minor tweaks)

2013 cut: +1
2018 cut: -1 (projected trend: -1.5)

2013 winning score: -13
2018 winning score: -18 (projected trend: -16)

Tiger 2013: -13
Tiger 2018: -11 (2013 performance projected: -14)

So this week Tiger was only about 0.75 shot worse/round than his winning effort in 2013. But he is actually about 1.25 shots/round behind 2018 skill level winning efforts, and 1.75 shots behind Webb this week.

So transposing his 2013 skill to this year he finishes T2. He actually finished T11. Not bad, but probably needs to improve at least 1.5 shot/round a round to get the win.

you realize how ridiculous this is right? you are saying in 7 years there will be some tour players with an average score of 66

Courses also get progressively longer and more difficult. I don't think that is ridiculous at all.

Equipment also plays a role in improvement.

Trash what I posted above. I meant 0.4 strokes improvement per year PER 72 HOLE TOURNAMENT.

So, this year's projected cut (trend from 2013): -0.5
This year's projected win to par (trend from 2013): -16

Tiger still needs to improve about 1.5 shots per round for the win, or 6 shots for the tournament. A blazing hot putter would do it (he was +1.0 per round this week), or a hot putter plus improvement in SG driving (0.15 avg per round this week).

Up to 80th in the world. Trying hard to get into Firestone

Along those lines, I actually think the WGC event that Tiger has the best chance in is the match play event. Unfortunately, they've already played that event this year.

This weeks event is one that Tiger used to love to play. Generous driving areas and tight approach shots. Pure, tough, fast greens used to be right up his alley. Lets see how he does this week.

OMG - I just turned on the coverage and the first thing I see is all focus on Tigers backside getting into a van.

I've never been so happy to hear that it's just a weather delay.

In other words... when he can start putting like an average PGA tour player he's gonna start winning again.

As soon as that happens, he'll return to driving the ball off the planet, golf is hard

Nah. The ball striking is the hard part, if he is physically healthy and him swing is in good shape he'll get the putter figured out. It wasn't that long ago on the west coast swing where it was his putter that was keeping him in the game.

Pretty sure you just made EnglishLad's point.

Wonder if Tiger would ever consider a Spider putter like Day/DJ etc.? He seems very old school and probably hates the idea of mallet putters but might be worth a try.

All of his putters have been the exact same look and dimensions since he was a teenager.

I can't imagine he has never tried them. That would be foolish.

But can you imagine him reading this thread and just slapping his forehead?

Guy has made several major swing changes but never experimented with different types of putters? Really?

SGP is the most volatile of the advanced stats week to week.

It will only take 2 or 3 decent putting rounds for Tiger to win a tournament. Tee to green IMO he is on par with his 2013 levels. But competition has improved and his putting has gotten worse.

And if he continues to putt this bad it is almost a certainty he will change putters, at least for the short term.

Confirmed putter change, going with a mallet this week.

Didn't get a chance to watch today but he put up a nice 65.