Sergio Garcia Wins The Players!

[golfbulldog]

Well played, Sergio. Coached by his Dad. Quite a swing:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J6jWaRABVM

This guy and Anthony Kim should gang up on Tiger this year and really test him... if Tiger escapes then he truly is a god....if he falls then "The king is dead - long live the king".

The real contest begins when Tiger comes back to the playground and finds a few younger lions trying to mark their territory...or "comfort break" or something like that...

 

[curtisj76]

Is it true that he swung a heavy club when he was a kid and that's how he developed so much lag? Thought I heard that...

 

[thefuture37]

Well played, Sergio. Coached by his Dad. Quite a swing:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J6jWaRABVM

This guy and Anthony Kim should gang up on Tiger this year and really test him... if Tiger escapes then he truly is a god....if he falls then "The king is dead - long live the king".

The real contest begins when Tiger comes back to the playground and finds a few younger lions trying to mark their territory...or "comfort break" or something like that...

You are joking right? Kim has won ONE tournament and almost shot 80 yesterday. Sergio barely won today. He did hit a fantastic shot in the playoff, but it was alot easier knowing that he could dump it in the water and still be in the playoff. Sergio's putting is still not good enough to win a major.

dont bet on a guy with one win and another guy who is the biggest underachiever on tour giving much of challenge to a living legend.

 

[Robbohank]

Is it true that he swung a heavy club when he was a kid and that's how he developed so much lag? Thought I heard that...

I was under the impression that heavy clubs (despite all the hype and the fancy infomercials), actually build up your slow-twitch muscles to allow you to move it "slower", and consequently you actually end up hitting it shorter. Seems like Sergios's numbers are too high to think that the heavy club was the reason for it. Isn't Furyk the Momentus spokesman? Hardly a posterchild for distance.

Robbo

 

[Bigwill]

I was under the impression that heavy clubs (despite all the hype and the fancy infomercials), actually build up your slow-twitch muscles to allow you to move it "slower", and consequently you actually end up hitting it shorter. Seems like Sergios's numbers are too high to think that the heavy club was the reason for it. Isn't Furyk the Momentus spokesman? Hardly a posterchild for distance.

Robbo

I actually did pick up distance swinging the momentus. Theoretically, heavy clubs, especially clubs that are a great deal heavier than that a regular club, will slow you down. It didn't happen to me, though.

 

[smatts]

He may have used oversized clubs when he was small? I don't know for sure.

But, Sergio played well. He was hitting the ball exceptionally considering the conditions. I hope this propels him from here, he is always a thrill to watch.

 

[birdie_man]

Ya....too early to call..........

But with Kim....Immelman........Garcia....all coming through with big wins (1st win...1st major win...1st Players CHAMPIONSHIP win, and 1st win in a while)...............

It is good to see anyway.

Kim for sure wants it...........Sergio seems to sometimes (he seems pretty up and down)............Immelman is hard to pinpoint cause he isn't so upfront. But he has had some injuries/health problems and obviously is talented.

Believe me, I'm all for them giving Tiger a go. We will have to wait and see.

 

[golfbulldog]

You are joking right? Kim has won ONE tournament and almost shot 80 yesterday. Sergio barely won today. He did hit a fantastic shot in the playoff, but it was alot easier knowing that he could dump it in the water and still be in the playoff. Sergio's putting is still not good enough to win a major.

dont bet on a guy with one win and another guy who is the biggest underachiever on tour giving much of challenge to a living legend.

Don't take it too seriously... do I believe with absolute conviction that Kim is the next "big thing"?...no...but the guy that finally has the talent, balls and mind to beat Tiger will look something like Kim or Garcia...

When the alpha-male is deposed...it is not usually because the alpha-male (in his prime) is beaten by a greater male....

The young bucks will wait until the top guy is wounded, weaker...then take up centre stage and see what happens...

Now it may not be that this knee operation is THE thing that critically weakens Tiger... but if not , then it will be another injury (related to age or swing) that comes in the not too distant future... then when he tries to go for certain shots under pressure... he fails...then fails again...and then even his incredible mind will doubt....and by then it is all over... he will still win majors but the pinnacle will have been reached when that happens... easy to see once it has happened but difficult to predict even as it is happening....

Kim plays the modern game (long), he likes the combative nature that Tiger provides.... and he is technically far superior to Sabbattini!....who knows...but he certainly does not look like a bloke playing to top up his pension fund.... and that makes him a candidate....and he has a great swing!

That was the point of mentioning him and Sergio... I agree Sergio needs to putt better....unlikely at his age... but he will be there trying to kick Tiger whilst the real pretender to the throne is stealing the crown...

My post in now way dissed Tiger.. be calm 37.... just want to see some "sport" for when he returns....

 

[ThomasTheTank]

Credit to Sergio .. tough loss for him last year at the open and he's done well to bounce back from it

He's also obviously been working very hard with Stan Uttley on his putting which has ALWAYS let him down but was visibly better this week. If he can start to putt well Sergio will be no.2 in the world pretty soon because IMHO he's a much better player right now than Phil tee to green

 

[welshdentist]

I watched him on the charge at the Open @ Hoylake. There was such a buzz and excitement rarely seen today I really hope he can sort the short stick out and win a major.

 

[puttmad]

Segio's lag comes from him using a belt pulley device attached to the wall, which provides resistance to the downswing. Must have built the right muscles then...

As for his putting, he is still not in Tiger's class and Stan Utley's method is pretty well documented (puttingzone) as being unreliable in the long run...

 

[thefuture37]

If he can start to putt well Sergio will be no.2 in the world pretty soon because IMHO he's a much better player right now than Phil tee to green

He might be better tee to green, but mickelson is so much better around and on the greens that he is still A LOT better than sergio is as a total golfer. Sergio had his chance to springboard his career last year at the open championship. Instead he choked away a championship that it seemed like nobody wanted to win at the end. And instead of taking it like a man and using it to at least encourage himself for the remaining major of the year, he had a public pity party and blamed everyone but himself. That is the mind of a loser, not someone who could ever be a winner.

 

[thefuture37]

but the guy that finally has the talent, balls and mind to beat Tiger will look something like Kim or Garcia...

Again, how does winning a big tournament that doesn't include Tiger show you that either guy has the mental strength to beat him down the stretch?

When the alpha-male is deposed...it is not usually because the alpha-male (in his prime) is beaten by a greater male....

The young bucks will wait until the top guy is wounded, weaker...then take up centre stage and see what happens...

This isn't the wild. Its golf. Theres a difference.

Now it may not be that this knee operation is THE thing that critically weakens Tiger... but if not , then it will be another injury (related to age or swing) that comes in the not too distant future... then when he tries to go for certain shots under pressure... he fails...then fails again...and then even his incredible mind will doubt....and by then it is all over... he will still win majors but the pinnacle will have been reached when that happens... easy to see once it has happened but difficult to predict even as it is happening....

This is his third operation on the same knee. It has never stopped him in the past. He has never had any other significant injuries. Kind of a stretch to just assume that someone in as good of shape as Tiger, playing a game that is not really hard on one's body, is going to have a critical injury as a thirty-something. If he did have a career altering injury, what makes you think he wouldn't be able to rebuild his swing around it and still play to his strengths. He would still be better than everyone else, even if not as dominant as before.

Kim plays the modern game (long), he likes the combative nature that Tiger provides.... and he is technically far superior to Sabbattini!....who knows...but he certainly does not look like a bloke playing to top up his pension fund.... and that makes him a candidate....and he has a great swing!

Hitting it long is way overrated. Look at Bubba Watson. All that length doesn't help extra. A great swing doesn't make a great golfer either. We have all seen enough of Sergio to know that.

That was the point of mentioning him and Sergio... I agree Sergio needs to putt better....unlikely at his age... but he will be there trying to kick Tiger whilst the real pretender to the throne is stealing the crown...

My post in now way dissed Tiger.. be calm 37.... just want to see some "sport" for when he returns....

Don't hold your breath.

 

[bendet3]

Funny thing is, I think that Sergio's first couple of years on tour that he actually was a pretty good putter, then he got too mechanical and it went down hill. Some of you guys that are better at finding things on the net might be able to support/refute this with some of his putting stats from the early 2000's. Some of the things that I've seen him do and say keep me from rooting for the guy, but I am all for Tiger having some competition.

 

[golfspike]

He might be better tee to green, but mickelson is so much better around and on the greens that he is still A LOT better than sergio is as a total golfer. Sergio had his chance to springboard his career last year at the open championship. Instead he choked away a championship that it seemed like nobody wanted to win at the end. And instead of taking it like a man and using it to at least encourage himself for the remaining major of the year, he had a public pity party and blamed everyone but himself. That is the mind of a loser, not someone who could ever be a winner.

Sergio a loser and a choker ... harsh words from a chopper

 

[ThomasTheTank]

He might be better tee to green, but mickelson is so much better around and on the greens that he is still A LOT better than sergio is as a total golfer. Sergio had his chance to springboard his career last year at the open championship. Instead he choked away a championship that it seemed like nobody wanted to win at the end. And instead of taking it like a man and using it to at least encourage himself for the remaining major of the year, he had a public pity party and blamed everyone but himself. That is the mind of a loser, not someone who could ever be a winner.

Did you see Mickelson putt this week?

Take off the U.S.A ryder cup blinkers (I have). Sergio missed a putt by an inch to win the Open and granted he didnt play well the last day but IMHO he's a better player than Phil right now.

I dont remember him blaming anyone after the open? The fact he was so disappointed is a good thing isnt it?

I remember Brians analysis of his swing .. its a thing of beauty for a man who's one of the smaller guys on tour

 

[Brian Manzella]

Great Jobs!

Sergio battled his demons, and Utley did a great job with his no-roll and full-ish roll pitches and his putting stroke.

See folks, I give teachers credit when it is due.

 

[thefuture37]

Sergio a loser and a choker ... harsh words from a chopper

It doesn't take pro golf skill to be able to spot someone with a losing mentality.

 

[thefuture37]

Did you see Mickelson putt this week?

Take off the U.S.A ryder cup blinkers (I have). Sergio missed a putt by an inch to win the Open and granted he didnt play well the last day but IMHO he's a better player than Phil right now.

I dont remember him blaming anyone after the open? The fact he was so disappointed is a good thing isnt it?

I remember Brians analysis of his swing .. its a thing of beauty for a man who's one of the smaller guys on tour

So Phil has a bad week putting and Sergio wins ONE TIME in a years and suddenly he should be number 2 in the world.

As for the british open, here are some quotes from the press conference:

"Having to wait 15 minutes in the fairway doesn't help when you're trying to win the British Open."

"I don't know, I should write a book on how to not miss a shot in the playoff and shoot 1-over. It's the it is way it is. It's guess it's not news in my life."

"It's -- you know what's the saddest thing about it? It's not the first time. It's not the first time, unfortunately. So, I don't know, I'm playing against a lot of guys out there, more than the field."

As for his swing, I think its great too. But a great swing doesn't make a great golfer.

 

[ThomasTheTank]

So Phil has a bad week putting and Sergio wins ONE TIME in a years and suddenly he should be number 2 in the world.

As for the british open, here are some quotes from the press conference:

"Having to wait 15 minutes in the fairway doesn't help when you're trying to win the British Open."

"I don't know, I should write a book on how to not miss a shot in the playoff and shoot 1-over. It's the it is way it is. It's guess it's not news in my life."

"It's -- you know what's the saddest thing about it? It's not the first time. It's not the first time, unfortunately. So, I don't know, I'm playing against a lot of guys out there, more than the field."

As for his swing, I think its great too. But a great swing doesn't make a great golfer.

And Tiger's never had a moan, swore, banged his clubs .. come on