PGA Championship 2010: What Tiger Woods Must Do To Stay in the Mix
Tiger Woods and the PGA Championship used to go hand-in-hand once upon a time. Now, it seems time is what's getting away from Tiger.
He's struggled, mightily, since his private life became public and his fans turned on him. He's not the same player he once was and his all too quick return to the PGA Tour has done more harm than good.
Enter the 92nd PGA Tour Championship and enter the white knight. Ok, not so much, but Tiger was at least donning the white polo shirt on day one.
Tiger had his moments, birdying three of his first five holes on the back nine and he started to look like the guy we used to see dominating golf tournaments.
He finished the day at one-under par and faces an uphill battle over the next three days if he's going to stay in contention. Here are 10 ways Tiger can stay in contention, and in striking distance, for the next three days.
No. 10: Putting Still Needs Work
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It's one thing that Tiger has struggled with since his return a few months ago. It's the one thing that will consistently keep him away from the top of the leaderboard.
The less putts, the better the score.
No. 9: Stop Trying To Be What He Once Was
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He's struggled, that much is for sure especially those who saw his 10-over performance at the WGC Bridgestone.
Tiger Woods isn't the golfer we've seen over the years. He's not the same guy that burst onto the scene at the Masters. He needs to stop trying to be something he no longer is.
The quicker he learns that, the quicker he'll be able to focus and get his mind right.
No. 8: Nice and Easy, Not Hard and Out Of Control
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Going back and watching the highlights from today, I noticed something between the holes he birdies and the holes he either parred or bogeyed.
Take for example the par five second hole. Right off the tee, Tiger tried to do something he's done his entire career, kill the ball 400 yards down the fairway. Only one problem, Tiger doesn't hit it as long as his younger self once did.
Then, looking at his swings on the three holes he birdied on the back nine, his swings were almost effortless. That's how it should be.
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No. 7: Play With a Chip on His Shoulder
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Tiger doesn't play golf to be nice to the media, or the fans for that matter. He plays the game to win, as does every other athlete out there.
Maybe it's time that Tiger goes out there with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder and stop giving people what they want.
Come to the golf course on Friday morning with something to prove.
No. 6: Stop Caring About The Leaderboard
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Stop staring at the leaderboard, Tiger. That was always something that made you that much more dangerous in the past, you didn't care where anyone else was.
Stop playing against the board and play against yourself. It's the one person that's beating you the most at the moment.
No. 5: Momentum Is Everything
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When the fans are in Tiger's corner, he's the best in the game. When the fans get fired up, Tiger gets fired up. He got off to a good start today but lost that momentum with a bogey on the par four 15th.
Get the momentum, get the fans behind him, and don't let it go. That's when he's at his absolute best.
No. 4: Play One Shot at a Time
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Instead of thinking two or three shots ahead, planning on what he's going to do then, stay in the moment and keep his focus on where he is at the moment.
When he walks up to a tee, Tiger needs to play the game one shot at a time and stop planning for what might happen.
One shot at a time, one play at a time.
No. 3: It's Ok to Have Fun
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There is something about when Tiger is smiling and having a good time on the golf course. It's almost like he's saying, "you won't beat me today."
Tiger used to have a good time on the golf course. What happened to the fist pump, what happened to the colorful guy that fans used to love watching?
That's the guy that needs to come back. Screw what the media thinks you should do, once he starts smiling again, winning tournaments will once again become easy.
No. 2: Take Advantage Of Every Opportunity
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Part of the reason he struggled at times today was not taking advantage of the opportunities he had. He had chances to score lower than he did but missed putts and missed opportunities cost him a higher spot on the leader board going into day two.
After birdying three of his first four holes on the day, he began to struggle and that's when the wheels fell off on what could have been a bigger day.
No. 1: Keep It On The Fairways
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When he's in the groove and hitting every fairway, he's as dangerous as any golfer on tour. But when he starts missing fairways, no matter how bad, he starts to force shots he knows he can't hit.
He missed the fairway off the tee at 2, missed the green on 7 and missed the fairway off the tee at 15. If he plays those shots correctly, you're looking at at least two if not three birdies or pars on those holes.
Fix that tomorrow, and he'll in the thick of things. On the prowl like the Tiger of old.
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