Sean Foley: Tiger Will Win 22 or 23 Majors
by Ryan Ballengee on Sep 30, 2010 11:34 AM EDT
in Pro Golf
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PrintThis must be Hyperbole Week for Tiger Woods. First, Hank Haney tweeted that he predicts Tiger will sweep all of his Ryder Cup matches this week - something he has never done. Then, his new beau Sean Foley told the NY Times that he expects Tiger to not only get to 19 majors, but tack on a Grand Slam's worth more.
Kevin Maguire at ESPN.com summarizes the comments by the Canadian wunderteacher.
"It's not a function of if he will break Jack's records, it's a matter of when," Foley told the Times. "Tiger is only 34. He's got basically 12 more years, and that's 48 more majors to win four [to tie Nicklaus]. I don't know how many majors he will win, but it's definitely more than 18.
"I'll go with 22 or 23."
Foley made the comments at Michael's Restaurant in NYC where he was introduced - in pure coincidence - as a new contributor to Golf Digest.
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35 in December
Jack won 4 majors after his 35th. Haney is optimistic at best…sweeping all 5 of his matches ? It’s going to rain a bit, he dosen’t like bad weather. Then Foley, his latest coach/ cheerleader even stating he has 48 majors left must have been on the drink.
EZ
Gotta agree with ya mate. I read Ryan’s piece, and my sides are still hurtin’ from laughter ! Sweep all his matches ? Win 23/24 majors ? Ryans just reportin’ here, but if anybody doesn’t see through this blatant self promotion,(not Ryan’s doing) well,….then I gotta a few hundred acres of prime resort real estate just north of Tuba City that I’m nearly giving away at $10,000/acre. Don’t mind the cactus (protected) et all. The desert cleans up real nice. lol Wooo hoooo, Iordy what a load of BS. Woods will be no better than .500 in Wales, and that’s being generous. He he he,….sweep ??? baaa ha ha ha .
you're still away,...choke on it !
Hasn't changed as a person either
Sure, signed some autographs, no eye-contact, shoved signed items back into the crowd whilst walking, irrespective of who had given them. Silly idiots for letting him treat them with such distain, however.
He has proved over many years
he has little regard for the man in the street. Respect his acomplishments, but never him as a person. How he treats the fans says everything about him.
Don't know if you saw the same thing Easing
but total contempt for public – if people hadn’t just grabbed what he had signed & handed them back to the “owners”, I swear he would have just dropped them. Hope they’re just selling them on e-bay. Totally unlike the way the rest of the US team has behaved. Has most definitely not become “a better person”.
I didn't see it Wendy
Sometimes famous people don’t like signing autographs because people do sell them on e bay. But golf fans deserve better. Woods sulks like a child when he loses these days. YE Yang beating him last year produced the same reaction. Even when he gives interviews it seems like a script.
Baby steps – would you like Tiger to drive all those people home and sign autographs at the kitchen table ? TIger had to stop signing autographs after a round because people were getting hurt in the push to get to him. A little girl got pushed to the ground in front of him. He’s not one to let go of a bad round very quickly. He had just gotten his butt handed to him. You guys always say “be who you are” but if someone isn’t all sweetness and cream, he’s a bad person.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
So, because things happened to Nicklaus one way….it will happen the same way for Tiger ?
Someone help me with this “pure coincidence”. Does Golf Digest own the restaurant ?
Hyperbole ? A prediction is hyperbole ? Is it not possible that Tiger could win 8 or 9 majors in 12 years ?
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
No, it dosen't court
but I use Nicklaus as an example of what Woods might face. Possible ? Sure. The only people who used the words WILL is Haney and Foley. The odds on Woods playing every major for the next 12 years as he is aging are very long indeed. Also the new breed of young stars will attack at Tiger more than in the past. It’ll only get tougher for Woods as he gets older, just as it did for Jack. Given their standing in the game, Haney and Foley were just dumb saying it.
Forecast about right
Players are in way better shape than in Jack’s day, so for Foley to say Tiger has 12 years left to win majors is closer to the modest side — Just look at what Watson and Norman recently did.
People continue to doubt Tiger, but they have and will continue to be proved wrong. Remember the Curtis Strange interview from 1996:
Tiger stated that his father always told him that "2nd place sucks and 3rd is even worse." Strange responds, "but on the PGA Tour second isn’t bad." Tiger, "Yes, it isn’t bad…but I want to win." Strange chuckling, "you’ll learn…you’ll learn." Strange was the one who learned.
Whether or not the public likes Tiger or not, nothing short of amputating his arms and legs is going to stop this guy from breaking Jack’s record.
http://thegreenblazer.blogspot.com
I remember the Strange interview well.
He was made to look a fool with Tigers stellar play over the years. As for being in better shape these days, certainly the field are. But is Tiger fitter than Player was ? Or Faldo ? Stronger, yes, but not fitter.And gets hurt more than they did with the way he swings. I don’t think he will last to 48 at the top at all. Breaking Jack’s record, for some fans is an ugly prospect. The odds are it will happen. But as I said above, nothing is certain. And at 35, they are both tied at 14 each. It’s in the balance.
You don't think
twenty is quite within reach? Forget Jack and the record. If he plays ten more years or 40 more majors is 6 a number he could reach? I say yes. But i understand the doubters point of view. Here’s where i differ from the cavalier statement……..‘Someone will break Jack’s record. ’ Not so fast; I believe that if Tiger doesn’t break it, then it will be quite some time before someone breaks the record. Here’s my reasoning. History shows that the truly great players come along ever 35 years or so. Jones……Nicklaus…….Woods. Which leaves us with 20 more years for the next great one to emerge, then 25 years to build a career. That’s 45 years from now. Um…….gentlemen, we may never see Jack’s record broken if Tiger doesn’t break it. We are entering a generation of parity, and rivals. Once Woods leaves it will be mini eras, and more good players. The next great one will be spoken of with terms such as “he plays a game i’m not familiar with” and the likes. Maybe, just maybe; this great one will be someone other than an American. But, probably not……..History……..and what not.
"The game is swell when it's played well."
by Fairways and Grins on Oct 9, 2010 9:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Seriously ? Tiger isn’t just Tiger ? He’s “that American guy, Tiger” ?? Faldo and Norman were both great champions, but there was never good or bad said about them because of where they were from – at least not on any sort of wide spread level. Why is being American a bad thing ?
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
I quite like being called "cavalier"
when stating that “someone will break Jack’s record”. Which records have not ultimately been broken? Innocent question – because I don’t know the answer!
Here's a record which won't be broken
just for examples sake. Three consecutive US Junior Amateurs, followed immediately by three consecutive US Amateurs. That will not be broken. Maybe an (eventually), or (someday) would have softened it a bit for me. I mean 18 Majors is not like EASY. Just sayin. As for the American thing. Ha. It is what it is. Greatest of the great champions over the past 125 years have been American. Not discounting the greats from around the globe, but the greatest Jones…….Nicklaus…….Woods. Are there any arguments as to this statement?
"The game is swell when it's played well."
by Fairways and Grins on Oct 13, 2010 11:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Hey green...firstly,
if you look at all the guys that have played on the tour, and I don’t know how many hundreds there were.or are…If you take Norman and Watson…that cuts the number down even further….Not too many of that old guard out there in that type of shape….Given Tigers life style so far, I don’t really see him in that catagory….That said, I gotta go with OL 3…Sweep? wait until I stop laughing from crying so hard….Looking from Jacks position….that hill gets steeper and steeper…Gawd, ya gotta love these swing doctors like foley….There’s and old saying…..Them that does, does…them that can’t, teach…..jist saying….,STUB
"Given Tiger's lifestyle"?
You mean the lifestyle of working-out consistently, eating only the best foods, taking only the best supplements and having only the best doctors and trainers? The last time I checked, pounding random women apologetically (or fake apologetically) isn’t going to shorten one’s golf career.
http://thegreenblazer.blogspot.com
by TheGreenBlazer on Oct 1, 2010 12:48 AM EDT up reply actions
Damm Easy..why ya agreein with
Wendy….just because ya both live in the UK, ya don’t have ta ya know…..STUB
If there was any doubt of who Foley is working for...
there isn’t now.
The fact that Team Tiger has to engage in ridiculous hyperbole when describing their meal ticket to stay in good graces is one of the least attractive things about Mr. Woods.
With Twoluse..
and Harmon and Haney were part of team Tiger once…and used to engage in cheerleading also…coaches tend to…Leadbetter used to with Faldo when he was No 1
Foley must have been in the Circus !!
Ya gotta love all the fortune telling that goes on especially when it comes to Mr. Woods. The other day I was going through some of our second quarter files and found some articles from all over the map with predictions about Tiger for “THIS” YEAR". Some said, “Tiger will be back with a Vengence and will win 3-4 times”. Some said, 1-2 Majors at a minimum. Others predicted, NO WAY, Elin will divorce tiger. LOL ALL or most of the groveling idiots predictions over at TGC each week missed the boat too. “Tiger owns, Quail Hollow.” lol “Expect a win at the players” and blah blah blah. So for all you prognosticators out there, just wait and see what happens. Nostradamus was not correct about everything he predicted either and I believe he was, “better than most” at making predictions.
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
I think Foley and Haney may well believe what they are saying
But for whatever reason, I think the gap between Tiger and the rest of the tour has narrowed considerably. And the intimidation factor is all but gone (although I suppose he could get that back with a burst of sustained high-level play).
Tiger may well still get the record, but I’d be shocked if he got to 22-23 majors.
People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring. ~ Rogers Hornsby
When you say the gap has closed
Do you mean their play has come up, or did his play come down. I ask this question, because if the change variable is Woods, then the others are still dependent on his status. Who played at his previous level this year. Who is the POY? Is the answer obvious, or are there many candidates? Why would anyone be shocked if Woods won 8 or 9 more majors? Surely, it has been shocking how he dominated the game for this generation, but would anything in Golf be shocking if Woods did it. Hasn’t he shocked us enough already. Have we forgotten what this Golfer has done in his 15 Professional seasons? Tell you what. Recap his record, and “shock” yourself again. If you’re not too intimidated to review his-story.
"The game is swell when it's played well."
by Fairways and Grins on Oct 9, 2010 9:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Personally, I’d have to say it’s a bit of both. The combination of Tiger’s problems (physical and personal) that have taken him away from the Tour, which gave some of the veteran players time to get their confidence back after years of being kicked around by Tiger – and this new generation of players who haven’t been beaten down is evening things out. It wasn’t but a couple of years ago that Tiger’s lead over second place was greater than you or I from second place – he was just that dominant.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Ahh, but Court.
Is second place now higher in points, or wins, or anything than it was then. The change variable is Woods. Oh sure some others have won a few more tournaments, but isn’t that because Woods didn’t win them. I hear you, but i think it’s about his decline more than their rise. The Young guns to me: are more likely to advance, because they don’t fear Tiger as much; mostly because he hasn’t handed them their collective hats for 15 years. I mean the guys who have played with tiger for the last 15 seasons have been so used to losing to him, and accepting his position, that they are what they are. The Young guns just saw and heard about Tiger. They haven’t necessarily seen his great play first hand for year after year. They still have that hope of youth. What experienced player would have said what Rory said before the Ryder Cup matches. Noone lest they be taken outside, and 9 & 8ted.
"The game is swell when it's played well."
by Fairways and Grins on Oct 13, 2010 11:36 PM EDT up reply actions
If nothing else...
…Tiger is getting a little extra belief from someone outside the Woods family. Never hurts to have someone say they believe in you.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
His brother, Earl Jnr. doesn't seem to rate him (family)
& Haney has already proved wrong. TW will win his singles match tomorrow against a rookie. I think I actually wish he would return to his former heights of golf performance because I doubt there will be anything else in life which will bring him happiness. Earl Snr. – what have you done?
Too late Wendy..
He may win again, majors too. But he is 35 years old and I give him 5 years before he caves in.His putting has deserted him. If that becomes permanent, his frustration and anger will just get worse.
Seriously??
Nothing else can bring Tiger happiness? His children can’t? His friends can’t? His future love interests can’t? I have to say to me that’s a fairly absurd comment to make considering we know next to nothing about this man. Yea I know, we all think we know him, but do we? Hardly. All we know for sure about Tiger Woods is he is one of the best golfers in history, and he evidently has issues with having sex outside his former marriage. Tiger has MANY blessings in his life (still); perhaps I’m wrong but it’s not hard for me to imagine that he finds plenty of enjoyment and happiness away from the game of golf.
Fight for your opinions, but do not believe that they contain the whole truth, or the only truth.
Charles A. Dana
I don’t know, TH – and I’m not agreeing with Wendy, either.
Look at it this way. This man has lived his entire life with one dream – to be the best golfer that has ever lived. Not many people in this world can actually say that and have people believe that they can actually do it. Sure, he has fun away from the course, but it always has to come back to the golf course. That kind of singularity of focus just doesn’t allow for much success in things away from that goal. Nicklaus was driven, but he wasn’t playing with some former player’s poster on his wall or anything near the public pressure Woods has had to live with just because of the point in history we’re in.
Wendy – this is not Earl’s dream – this is Tiger’s dream. Earl did a heck of a job preparing him for most of what he would have to face – but even he couldn’t foresee the intrusions and near impossibility Tiger would have for a real private life.
TH – Tiger is a philanderer – not a bank robber or rapist or murderer or any sort of a criminal. The same thing went on in Nicklaus’ era, it just wasn’t publicized. Nicklaus didn’t face a hoard of lowlifes who have nothing better to do with themselves than to annoy people and do everything they can to dig up dirt on celebrities. They think it is their duty to bring down anybody who is liked publicly. You don’t hear these same pieces of human waste doing stories about the good things celebrities do without the cameras being around – just anything that might embarrass them.
Is it possible Tiger might have had a happier married life if they weren’t stuck behind the walls of their house ? If every time they went out in public, they weren’t swarmed by fans and papparazzi ?
I don’t agree with what he did the last handful of years – but the guy lives a life that was focused around one thing – and that thing just doesn’t allow him to be happy until his goal is reached. His life isn’t ours – and all the money in the world won’t make him happy unless it includes breaking the records he has dreamed about all his life. He could very well be the most lonely, miserable person around – but it’s what he’s chosen and he knows it. Getting married and having kids might have been pressure from Mom and Dad to give them grandkids – that’s a distraction from his focus – and it just didn’t work. Just something else to make him miserable. Then you have the wife who, like just about any woman, no doubt pushed him to be the family man that he couldn’t be because of his goals.
Its not right and it’s not fair to put our daily life and family expectations on him – he’s not us and we’re definitely not hm. And he’s definitely not Phil or Lee or any of these other greats in the game of golf. The biggest thing that he has said since all this mess started is that he needs to find some balance and get back to his Buddhist upbringing. I hope he finds it – and I wouldn’t be surprised if he has to do it pretty much alone until he reaches his goals – and you have to hope that if he doesn’t reach his goals, he’ll be able to say that with just a few exceptions, he gave it his best shot and now it’s time to have that family and friends kind of life away from his goals.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
I hear you court
but in my view you’re still reaching into some presumptions there. Remember when Tiger traveled all the way back from a charity event in Ireland right before the Open to spend time with his kids. I’d guess there are MANY such examples of that type of thing that we never hear about. My point is that we don’t know enough about Tiger to make such assumptions, we only have speculation. Wendy’s implication is golf is the only thing Tiger draws happiness from and I’d assume there is nothing that gives him more joy or is more important to him than his children, which is consistent with pretty much every parent alive. Yes of course he wants the record badly, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only thing he lives for or that he would consider himself a failure if he doesn’t get there. Golf is an important part of his life, but it’s FAR from everything, in my view.
Fight for your opinions, but do not believe that they contain the whole truth, or the only truth.
Charles A. Dana
I didn’t say he didn’t love his kids or want to spend time with them – just proposing that even his kids are a distraction to reaching this goal. Is obsession too strong a word when someone has a goal like this ? Maybe possession ?
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
I think he is very insecure inside.
he puts on this front, almost like a script when he speaks. And TH is right, we don’t know him. But they way he reacts with people says a lot about him. His dad was not the most diplomatic person. He knew Tiger would be famous, so trained him to deal with that fame thus. His so called friends know a bit more about him. But it is a rare person who can count true friends on one hand. Mates on tour are not the same thing. His minders probably knew more what was going on than his mates on tour. The way he is with ordinary people, is how he should be judged. One can argue that Phil Mickleson and Tom Cruise sign autographs all day as a PR stunt. You might even say the same thing about Arnie. But so far Woods has made a hash of it. I still go back to when he lost to YE Yang last year. The first time Woods was hunted down in a major. If he showed grace in defeat even half of what Jack did he would have been fine. But he was like a child who had his toy taken from him. That too, says a lot about him.
Just saying
it’s speculation, we don’t know him. But then again speculation is 90% of what we do here, so I’ll shut up now….lol
Fight for your opinions, but do not believe that they contain the whole truth, or the only truth.
Charles A. Dana
I was being perfectly serious, TH - but not malicious
though in response to your comments I would say that he certainly didn’t put his children’s happiness before his own selfish desires; are his friends true friends, or hangers-on? What good woman would want to take on a man with this record of infidelity throughout his marriage? Sure, there’ll be loads of women who’ll continue to chase him – for money & fame.
This was Earl’s dream, Court, way before it was TW’s, and I do lay some blame at his door for wanting to create the world’s best golfer rather than bring up a well-rounded man. I genuinely believe that golf was and remains the most important thing in TW’s life, so I have to hope he returns to winning ways – for his sake.
you’re probably right. parents do funnel kids towards their talents, and sometimes live vicariously through their kids, but you can’t get out what god hasn’t put in. Tiger had to have the talent for Earl to see the possibility. Earl taught him about Nicklaus – but Tiger had to love it. He’s not a brat or a thugh who goes around thumping his chest and bragging on himself like so many of our NBA or NFL guys, and he doesn’t badmouth or wish bad on other people he competes with.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
7 bridies and an eagle in 15 holes – where has THAT been all summer ?
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Best beating I remember was Couples thrashing of Woosnam at Valderama '97
I’m not sure but I think he was 8 under after 11 holes…Woosie was stunned.
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