Tiger Prevents Players Championship Death Knell: A Streelman, Lingmerth, Maggert Playoff
/What almost assuredly would have forced Tim Finchem to end the Players after a wildly successful 40th anniversary--a sudden death playoff between runners-up Kevin Streelman, David Lingmerth and Jeff Maggert--it never materialized thanks to Tiger Woods' PGA Tour victory 78 and his second overall fifth-of fourth major. Or as Tiger called it, the next in line should a major find itself forced to resign.
I think Tiger and Tim are even now after Finchem loaned him the TPC Sawgrass clubhouse for the blue curtain press conference and Tiger prevented the towers in that same clubhouse from becoming suicide perches for execs trying to rationalize a Streelman, Lingmerth, Maggert three-ball playoff in Eastern prime time.
Doug Ferguson's game story includes the heartbreaking story of staggering comedy that was Tiger and Sergio's weekend bickering.
While rallying to win, Tiger botched his least favorite driving hole (14) at TPC Sawgrass. His water ball drop prompted viewer concerns and the tour reviewed the drop in light of recent events.
Bob Harig explains the latest drop escapade.
Brian Wacker talked to instructor Sean Foley after the round.
There was perhaps no better example of that than in the third round when Woods saved an impossible par from behind the fourth green to a short pin with a green that ran away from him in slope and grain.
“Imagine a swing that’s moving 50 mph to create a shot that went 2 1/2 feet,” Foley said. “That’s just so cool.”
It’s also a shot Woods might not have been able to execute when he and Foley began working together late in 2010.
“It was a different type of situation,” said Foley, who added that Woods has learned to adjust to the balance of being a father and not practicing as much because he has more going on in his life than just golf compared to when he was younger.
“It’s wonderful to see for golf and for Tiger because I’ve been fortunate enough to have an inside look at what he’s been through and what he’s pulled himself out of,” Foley said. “It’s a maturity and evolution you can’t teach.”
