Originally Posted by
limitles
I should have said it's one of the best shots I've ever seen. The reasons are as follows.
This shot was much, much, much harder that the famous chip in on 16 at Augusta. Here's why.
This shot was on a downhill lie, in the rough, facing a treacherously fast downhill green with water awaiting. The only way he could possibly get it on the green would be to take a somewhat normal swing and land it in the rough and hope it came out at all, or with the appropriate speed. That's a crap shoot. His other option is to do what he did and risk the tournament. Take a look at the length of his swing. It's a 3/4 swing. Any error here at it's tournament over. He's one stroke out of first at this time. He turned a likely bogey or worse into a tie for the lead and then rubs it in on 18.
The shot at the Masters was similar only in the pace of the green. It was a chip. This was a pitch from hell. Tiger and all the announcers said this shot was several times more difficult than the chip in at Augusta.
He has made many "miraculous" shots but it's also a shot in the arm for tiger. It's historic and you'll see it played for years to come.
You've made some very valid points & I have said it was a great shot, there is no denying that.
My only point is how overboard the media(Jack Nicklaus is not the media but it's his tournament & would it probably be a good thing for him to bring attention to it)goes with hyperbole surrounding Tiger. Phil Mickelson & many other pros would attempt & pull off shots like this all the time. I'm not saying they
all pull off this shot(within 5 feet)in this situation but many could & would & have(maybe not in the situation because many have never been in that situation).
Full & 3/4 swing sand wedge shots happen all the time from 10 feet off the green in some real fucked up places & lies. He would have been extremely happy to put that within 5 feet of the cup as would every golfer on the pro tour. This one just happened to go in the cup. Granted, even if it had missed the cup it wasn't going to be any more than 6" away.
I actually agree that this shot was tougher than the one at 16 @ Augusta but most casual golf fans would never agree with that & I didn't feel like getting flamed for saying it. You watch TSN in Canada so do you really think that this shot will be placed ahead of the other @ the top of the Tiger's top ten shots list? I think we both agree that it should, but I don't think it will.