Woods & Matchplay - Not A Good Mix?

[lfc4ever]

Just in time for the Ryder Cup, a reminder of how sh!t Woods is at matchplay!

Woods slumps to Match Play defeat

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/5345362.stm

World number one Tiger Woods suffered a shock first-round exit to fellow American Shaun Micheel at the World Match Play Championship at Wentworth.

Woods, winner of his last five tournaments, was below his best and lost 4&3 to the former USPGA champion.

World number two Jim Furyk is also out, beaten 4&3 by Swede Robert Karlsson, as is six-time winner Ernie Els, beaten 2&1 by Angel Cabrera.

But defending champion Michael Campbell and Colin Montgomerie both progressed.

Campbell turned around an early two-hole deficit to win 3&1 against Englishman Simon Khan.

Montgomerie is also through after taking the honours against Ryder Cup team-mate David Howell by one hole.

"I managed just to hang on," said Montgomerie. "I was never down all day, but he's a tough competitor."

Monty will now play Campbell on Friday.

But world number five Adam Scott is out, losing 3&2 to Canada's Mike Weir, while Els fought back against Cabrera but eventually lost 2&1.

Paul Casey, on his debut in the event, recovered from an early deficit to claim a fine 6&4 victory over South African Retief Goosen.

Luke Donald looked set for an easy win over Tim Clark before the South African fought back to square the match after 33 holes.

But a birdie on the 17th, their 35th hole, put Donald one up going to the last.

A hat-trick of birdies from the third sparked Micheel's lead over world number one Woods, who bogeyed the 6th and 9th - the second of those by missing a putt of under three feet.

Woods' putting was uncharacteristically poor all morning.

[animal magic]

i wonder why he is so poor at matchplay it does not matter europe will still win the ryder cup

[Zambian_Red]

I dont care about the ryder cup or world matchplays at the end of the day its all about MAJORS BABY.................he is on 12 right now and a couple more to follow next year. Anyway he hasnt got a good record in the ryder cup nor world matchplays

[bazza76]

i wonder why he is so poor at matchplay it does not matter europe will still win the ryder cup

motivation i think may have a part to play in it. IT meant so much for that lad to beat him, you could see it in his eyes, but Woods was just going through the motions.

[Shaggy]

It's a weird one. Matchplay is almost a different ****ing sport to strokeplay.

Normally Tiger is playing against the course - his focus is entirely on that, always. It's the way he's been brought up to play the game. Matchplay, of course, requires you to watch what the other fella's doing and you have to change your normal way of playing and react to your opponent's shots.

Matchplay has always been a bit of a leveller and it's not really very important. It's sorta the golfing equivalent of 20/20 cricket.

[G_Man]

Some very moot points on this thread:

Different game to strokeplay

Motivation? Absolutely. Tiger doesn't give a monkey's chuff about the Ryder Cup or the Worldmatchplay or any tournament which isn't individual strokeplay. He's totally focussed on the majors.

He's the greatest golfer ever

[Shaggy]

He's the greatest golfer ever

Tough one.

I agree mainly - I'm sure he will go on to better Jack Nicklaus' record, but it's still a tough debate. Jack was up against loads of other genuine greats, like Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Billy Casper, Lee Trevino and Hale Irwin. Tiger doesn't have the same standard of opposition, but the way he often destroys fields by ten or more shots is quite unbelieveable. It's not Tiger's fault there aren't as many greats in the game as there once was.

[animal magic]

i was the watching the golf on sky and some said when tiger won those 5 events on the bounce he earned $5m jack nicklaus only earned $200,000 more in his entire career

[Taffy]

Was just going to start a thread on the Ryder Cup, but as this is here I'll post it here.

Should be very confident as, on paper, Europe seem a lot stronger and better equiped to win this one this year. However, it doesn't always work out like that, and the Americans will be fired up for it, I have no doubt.

But anyway, I still expect Europe to win it, but it'll be a lot closer than people think, I believe. Woosie being captain makes it even more special, being a fellow Welshman, so I'll be crossing everything possible in the hope it helps us win the event this year!

Europe should have a lot more experience as a team that America, as they have four rookies in there this year, so this should be the difference in the end, in my opinion. And somehow, I don't know why, the Yanks just don't seem to take to the matchplay format as well as us Europeans do.

Will probably have some bets on the event each day in the hope of boosting my, by now pitiful, betting account balance after some torrid football accas of late.

[bazza76]

From whatI am seeing do far, over confidence could be the downfall of the Europeans, they are all saying we are the favourites etc and some seem even a tiny little bit arrogant about it. Personally like as in football, i'd prefer to be a slight underdog.
The Europeans have nearly always been the underdog ifim not mistaken but have won something like 5 of the last 6 ryder cups, or something to that effect.

[hoeyd2]

Is Fred Funk playing? He has the greatest name ever.

[Taffy]

From whatI am seeing do far, over confidence could be the downfall of the Europeans, they are all saying we are the favourites etc and some seem even a tiny little bit arrogant about it. Personally like as in football, i'd prefer to be a slight underdog.
The Europeans have nearly always been the underdog ifim not mistaken but have won something like 5 of the last 6 ryder cups, or something to that effect.

I see where you're coming from mate - I'd rather be the underdog too!

Just have a feeling that this European team will be too strong for them this time around.

[animal magic]

Ryder Cup - Friday's fourballs (All times BST)

0800 Padraig Harrington/Colin Montgomerie (EUR) v Tiger Woods/Jim Furyk (USA)

0815 Paul Casey/Robert Karlsson (EUR) v Stewart Cink/JJ Henry (USA)

0830 Sergio Garcia/Jose Maria Olazabal (EUR) v David Toms/Brett Wetterich (USA)

0845 Darren Clarke/Lee Westwood (EUR) v Phil Mickelson/Chris DiMarco (USA)

[Jayesh87]

what does fourball mean ?

[lfc4ever]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/5334652.stm

Fourballs are the opening matches played on the Friday and Saturday of the Ryder Cup, with four matches on each day.
The teams send pairs of players out against each other. The pairings are carefully chosen by the non-playing captain and he can use whichever combination of players he believes will get the right result for his team.

There is no obligation on the captain to choose every player at some stage in either the fourballs or the foursomes contests.

As the word fourballs suggests, there are four balls in play at any time - one for each player.

The player with the lowest score among the four competitors wins the hole for his team.

Foursomes are the following matches played on the Friday and Saturday afternoon of the Ryder Cup and there are four matches on each day.

Only one ball is used by each pairing in foursomes. For example, if Tiger Woods is paired with Jim Furyk, Woods would tee off on a par four, Furyk would hit the approach to the green and then Woods putts first, before alternating putts with Furyk, until the hole is completed.

On the next hole, Furyk would tee off, irrespective of who had the last putt on the previous hole as one player tees off on the odd holes, the other the evens.

The team with the lowest score wins the hole.

On the final day of the Ryder Cup, 12 singles matches are played, with everyone going head-to-head in solo contests in one match against a player from the opposing side.

In recent years, the singles matches have been compelling encounters.

At the 2002 Ryder Cup, the scores were level at 8-8 going into the final day, but Europe skipper Sam Torrance gambled by stacking his singles order with the strongest players first, and his side claimed a 15½-12½ victory.

If a player is injured and cannot compete in the singles, the captain of the opposing team nominates a corresponding player from his own line-up to stand down and not take part.

The 'match' is considered halved and the point is shared, irrespective of which team has the injured party.