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Tiger Woods Misses Cut At PGA Championship
Despite being equipped with the finest golf balls, tees and clubs that Nike has to offer, former #1 overall ranked golfer Tiger Woods hacked his way to a 7-over 77 during the first round of the 2011 PGA Championship in Atlanta, Georgia. The score put him 14 strokes back of the first round leader and in a hole far too big to climb out of. After firing a disappointing 73 in Friday's second round, Woods missed the cut by several strokes. Somewhat surprisingly, he appeased the media and many golf fans by giving post-round interviews, where he admitted that he came to a realization while out on the course regarding how much work he needs to do to bring his game back to championship form.
In Tiger's defense, the Atlanta Athletic Club's 18 holes are a treacherous test of consistency and mental focus, complete with 13 holes that bring water into play and a slew of wormhole sand traps. The four finishing holes make up one of the toughest home stretches in all of the PGA Tour. That having been said, Woods turned in the single worst opening round of his entire professional career on Thursday, rolling his Nike ball all over the greens en route to three double bogeys. Woods found the sand on 13 separate occasions and verbally accosted himself in third-person reprimands all afternoon long.
Friday's round began with an even front nine that featured two bogeys and consecutive birdies on holes 8 and 9. Unfortunately, consecutive double bogeys on 11 and 12 derailed any chance Woods had at a respectable round, sending the fallen hero into a skid and a resulting in a 3-over round.
Few in the golfing world are familiar with the abilities of Byron Bell, who Woods recently hired to replace longtime caddie Steve Williams. Skeptics have questioned Bell's familiarity with top-notch courses around the world as well as his ability to tweak and refine Tiger's swing in mid-round. Some ex-pros have accused Woods of simply hiring a caddie that will essentially stay out of his way and provide little resistance to his opinions. Whatever the case, the partnership has kicked off with two consecutive weeks of sloppy golf. While no one is ready to make the irreversible claim that Woods' best days are behind him, some ominous signs are emerging. A very small percentage of major winners have been over the age of 35, and Tiger will turn 36 this December. Additionally, few golfers have had a multi-year span where time was taken off for personal issues and a bevy of injuries.
All successful professional golfers are able to merge impressive athletic skills with unflappable mental toughness. Tiger's fitness, athleticism and physical endurance are undeniable and clearly a cut above the rest of the sport's players, but his mental game has evidently never recovered from the blow that his ego and personal life took in the wake of his shortcomings and marital infidelity coming into public view.
The 150 strokes Woods accumulated over two rounds will have a far-reaching impact, as he failed to meet the standards required to continue to play for the 2011 FedEx Cup. This means that his professional season is done, which is especially detrimental to a player that is struggling to get back into a groove.
Despite all of this, Woods is likely to be amongst the favorites at Las Vegas sportsbooks in the next tournament he enters, which will probably be in February of next year.
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