Dear, Dougie, RE: British Open

Xan, you're still not getting my point. Tiger chasing you, as opposed to a lesser known guy, causes you to adjust your game. If you're up three and Tiger's chasing, you're more apt to keep the foot on the gas and go for birdie on holes where you might just play safe and play for par if someone else was chasing, because you know that Tiger at any point is capable of putting together a string of birdies. Hey, maybe the other guy can too, but you don't know. If Tiger's chasing, you don't want to look back on a round if he catches you and say, "man, I left a few strokes out there. I should have attacked the flag on that hole instead of playing it safe."

Sometimes attacking can lead to bad shots. Sometimes you try to hit a shot that you're not capable of hitting. Maybe you're caught between clubs from 110 out and instead of smartly hitting a safe approach, you hit a half a gap wedge trying to make up the distance. I don't know. It's not that players are scared of Tiger, physically. What I'm saying is that Tiger changes the way you mentally approach your own game, and that can open the door to a lot of things.

 

I got your point, and I do appreciate the follow-up. I think I would play the same either way, whether Tiger is chasing me or Billy Bob Artichoke is chasing me. I'd keep my foot on the gas. If that means I make a mistake, so be it, but once you start altering your mindset from "kill, kill, kill" to "don't lose, just hold on, only 3 more holes to go," etc, then you''ll probably lose focus. Just go for it. That's my mindset.

 

Xan,

Keeping your foot on the pedal at all times is also a good way to go careening over a cliff.





Sincerely,

Jean and Phil

 

Did Whitlock call Graham a Cracker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

True that. But I'd hit good shots. ;D

 

A sidebar on McDowell after Day 1 would be appropriate, I agree.

 

Personally, I make Tiger the sidebar and lead with McDowell.

I know hindsight is 20/20, but you're going to write three more stories about Tiger, beginning today.

 

I can't understand why the AP is leading with Tiger Woods this morning ... when, um, Tiger Woods is in the lead.

 

Anybody who thinks "the story" at a golf tournament is always the day-end leader may need to take a step back.

 

Haven't even read the whole thread, but if you think more readers want to know more about Graeme McDowell than Tiger Woods -- with a difference of one stroke, not 10 -- then we're not living in the same universe.

 

Well, it's a whopping three pages, so I could see where you wouldn't have the time.

Never said always. Just thought it was in this instance.

 

Kind of hard to water the place when there's not a sprinkler to be found anywhere.