Golf fans were all stunned today when Tiger Woods was defeated by an unknown Y.E. Yang at the PGA championship. The lead was all Tiger's, and to have seen him blow it, well, many weren't expecting it to put it lightly. Yang is the first ever Asian golfer to ever win a major event, and this is the first time Tiger Woods ever lost a major on the last day after having held the lead.
While fans were excited by the turn of events today, this really can't be good for golf. The PGA can't be happy about this, nor could any of Tiger's major endorsers. Without a major in 2009, people are beginning to write off Tiger Woods, thinking that he may very well be past his prime.
Tiger hasn't lost it, he's won 5 tournaments this year, coming from 5 strokes back on Sunday to win one, and coming back from 8 shots down Thursday to win by 3 strokes on Sunday. But, as I said, casual golf fans don't get that. In fact, most sports fans probably don't get that because he hasn't performed in the biggest events, the Majors, the moneymakers, the events that pull in the biggest ratings.
While everyone loves to talk about Yang and what he did today, this was a crippling blow to the PGA in 2009. There were simply no exciting stories that capped off the year of majors. Tom Watson nearly became the oldest golfer (by far) to ever win a major, before losing it on the final day. Woods went the entire year without a major, virtually unheard of during his career.
Yang will probably make few headlines anytime soon, and the once "sure prospect" of Woods beating Jack Nicklaus' record for majors one is suddenly not such a sure thing anymore.
While there are a few more months of golf left, there are no majors, and only serious golf enthusiasts will track these events. Fringe fans will go back to watching other sports, and will be far from enthused about the 2010 golf season.
Tiger must bounce back in 2009. He is the face of the PGA, and any story lines lacking Tiger Woods will do anything but help the sport grow.
We need Tiger to be Tiger and everyone else to watch in amazement as he wins Majors, no offense to them, but fans don't want Y.E. Yang, Angel Cabrera, or Lucas Glover to win. They want Tiger, and Tiger needs to deliver.
While fans were excited by the turn of events today, this really can't be good for golf. The PGA can't be happy about this, nor could any of Tiger's major endorsers. Without a major in 2009, people are beginning to write off Tiger Woods, thinking that he may very well be past his prime.
Tiger hasn't lost it, he's won 5 tournaments this year, coming from 5 strokes back on Sunday to win one, and coming back from 8 shots down Thursday to win by 3 strokes on Sunday. But, as I said, casual golf fans don't get that. In fact, most sports fans probably don't get that because he hasn't performed in the biggest events, the Majors, the moneymakers, the events that pull in the biggest ratings.
While everyone loves to talk about Yang and what he did today, this was a crippling blow to the PGA in 2009. There were simply no exciting stories that capped off the year of majors. Tom Watson nearly became the oldest golfer (by far) to ever win a major, before losing it on the final day. Woods went the entire year without a major, virtually unheard of during his career.
Yang will probably make few headlines anytime soon, and the once "sure prospect" of Woods beating Jack Nicklaus' record for majors one is suddenly not such a sure thing anymore.
While there are a few more months of golf left, there are no majors, and only serious golf enthusiasts will track these events. Fringe fans will go back to watching other sports, and will be far from enthused about the 2010 golf season.
Tiger must bounce back in 2009. He is the face of the PGA, and any story lines lacking Tiger Woods will do anything but help the sport grow.
We need Tiger to be Tiger and everyone else to watch in amazement as he wins Majors, no offense to them, but fans don't want Y.E. Yang, Angel Cabrera, or Lucas Glover to win. They want Tiger, and Tiger needs to deliver.
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