Golf

» Writerbob - Tiger is most intimidating?

I agree that Vijay, Phil et al don't have any ghosts in their machine. I should have more accurately portrayed it as a physiologic event where they try to go for too much in terms of club selection or thinking that they need to make birdies when in reality pars work fine. It's the muscular tension that accompanies these perceptions that dooms their shots and therefore their results.
I remember Ernie was either tied or a shot behind Tiger at Augusta several years ago and on the 13th he clearly should have pitched out of trouble and played it as a normal five, but he went for a big sweeping hook and in the drink.

Ditto Phil last year at the US Open. I know for a fact that I or you, if we didn't faint while trying, could have hit three seven irons and two-putted to at least get into a playoff. That was sans Tiger, but the muscular tension theory holds here too. This sort of rambles off the "intimidation" idea, but ultimately we are our own worst enemy on the golf course, as I think these examples demonstrate.

-- posted by Writerbob