Tiger's Comeback Turns Ugly at Augusta

(photo courtesy of supersport.com)

Tiger Woods’ comeback train made an unexpected stop in suck town this weekend, and there’s no telling how long the embattled star will be stuck there. After a huge showing at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Tiger was surprisingly one of the odds on favorites to win this year’s Masters. He had after all played some excellent golf in the months leading up to Augusta. But, instead of thrilling us with another win, inching him closer to the elusive all-time majors record, Tiger tied the worst 4-round score of his entire career. Consistency hasn’t been a trademark of the post-car accident Tiger, and the hype he garnered heading into this weekend should be a reminder of that. Tiger may have some stuff left in the tank, but we can no longer expect him to bring it on a weekly basis.

Is it a Sport? GOLF

(photo courtesy of JayMcKinnon.com)

Sport is defined as an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess, and is often of a competitive nature. Although this generalizes pretty much everything from tag to tennis, it features three key elements: physicality, mentality, and competition.

Golf is very much a sport, despite the fact it’s not in the Olympics (yet). Is it the most entertaining or exciting to watch? Not really. Do most of us watch and say “I could do that.” Probably. Despite viral value and a catalog of amazing movies, golfers need more than just goofy pants and a fat ass.

Golf requires athletic ability; swing mechanics, club control, and stamina. It demands physical prowess: hit the ball specific distances repetitively. Finally, golf is one of the most competitive, as it’s up to only you to perform and you control your own destiny.

Verdict: SPORT

Tiger is Hitting His Stride

(photo courtesy of dailymail.co.uk)

There was a time when other golfers could only aspire to wax Tiger Woods' balls. Unfortunately for them, another age of the Tiger may be looming. Woods won convincingly today at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, beasting the next best player by 6 strokes. The impressive return comes just two weeks after a scary Achilles injury, but Tiger had his swagger on and didn't look bothered by his bum leg. It marked his first Tour win since September 2009, and maintained some important momentum heading into the Masters. He jumped from 18th to 6th in the PGA rankings, so his confidence is up, but we can't expect Tiger to produce at the same level of consistency as he used to. Jack Nicklaus is still within swinging distance though, and that's enough to make for some epic drama if Tiger catches fire.