Is Tiger Woods The Greatest Golfer Ever?

**Dale King** · 08-12-2007 07:20 PM

I wrote the following piece last August, after Tiger Woods won the Buick Open. Now that he's won the PGA Championship for his thirteenth major title, I figured it would be fun to start the debate all over again.

Is Tiger Woods The Greatest Golfer Ever?

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On Sunday, Tiger Woods shot a final-round 66 to win the Buick Open and became the youngest player in history to amass 50 wins, surpassing the previous youngest, the Golden Bear, Jack Nicklaus by an amazing 3 years.

Woods became just the seventh member of the PGA Tour's exclusive 50-win club after improving to an astonishing 21-for-21 when leading by more than one stroke after three rounds. The 30-year-old Woods beat Jack Nicklaus' record pace to the milestone, which Nicklaus reached in 1973 at the age of 33.

Woods has won nearly a fourth of 210 PGA Tour events he has entered since turning pro in 1996. This year, as if on cue, his four victories have come in eleven events.

Which begs the question...is Tiger Woods the greatest golfer ever? Well, let's take a look at the numbers:

11 Major Championships: He is tied with Walter Hagen for second on the all-time career list and is one step closer to the 18 professional majors won by Jack Nicklaus. Nicklaus didn't win his eleventh major until he was 32.

50 Career Wins: He beat Jack Nicklaus' record pace to the milestone by an amazing 3 years.

Perfection: Tiger is an astonishing 21-for-21 when leading by more than one stroke after three rounds.

Near Perfection: 36 for 39 when leading or sharing the lead heading into the final round of a tournament.

Tiger's Number 1: He spent a record 264 consecutive weeks at number 1.

Destiny's Child: the first golfer in history to win three consecutive U.S. Amateur titles. Folks, the numbers are not only impressive, they're unprecedented.

Not to mention, he's also the smartest, most physically fit and mentally toughest golfer on the planet...and he's only 30 years old. Most golfers don't peak until their 30's. So if history is any indicator, Tiger's best golf is still ahead of him.

What's scary is, nothing seems to be able to slow him down...not knee surgery...not swing changes...not the recent death of his father...nothing. It appears only Tiger Woods can slow down Tiger Woods.

So is Tiger the greatest golfer ever? What do you think?

Dale King

**usakos** · 08-12-2007 07:35 PM

I think he closed with a 1-under 69 for a victory of 2-shot victory over Woody for his 13th major, his 4th PGA championship.

If someone is as good and best at what he does, there're no better words to define his magnificent talent, amazing ability, and unmatched... whatever, i can go on and on, but he's the greatest in golf, no questions about him...

**pacificfame** · 08-12-2007 07:49 PM

He is the Michael Jordan of golf. Even if he statistically isn't the greatest, he is famous and simply known by most as the the best golf player.

**eich41** · 08-14-2007 11:41 PM

A little off topic but....I agree Tiger is the greatest golfer ever, HOWEVER the most DOMINANT person in any sport is Roger Federer. What he has done to the competition (if you can call it that) is absolutely mind boggling.

**Dale King** · 08-15-2007 08:26 AM

eich41 wrote:

HOWEVER the most DOMINANT person in any sport is Roger Federer. What he has done to the competition (if you can call it that) is absolutely mind boggling.

I disagree. Federer is dominant everywhere except on a clay surface. He has never won the French Open.

Tiger on the other hand is dominant everywhere. He has one every major at least twice.

Dale King

**fromantv** · 08-15-2007 08:49 AM

Dale, tiger is the best now and is the best in a while, but he cannot be the greatest of all time untill he wins the most majors....in individual sports, you must own the most individual records...

jordan was the greatest because it was a team sport and there is no "i" in team..you can argue bill russell was the greatest because he owns the most champinionships, but he did not have the stats like jordan had

**pacificfame** · 08-15-2007 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by fromantv

jordan was the greatest because it was a team sport and there is no "i" in team..you can argue bill russell was the greatest because he owns the most champinionships, but he did not have the stats like jordan had

Which brings me to how much respect I have for coach Phil Jackson. You are very lucky to have a team like the bulls, but to coach the Bulls and the Lakers.

It wasn't luck he just knows how to create great teams. Even though I hated the Lakers. But I still have a lot of respect for him as a coach.

**BOG** · 08-15-2007 12:13 PM

Tiger is not the greatest golfer ever. As of now, Jack Nicklaus is, and he did it with inferior equipment. If Tiger had to use the old wooden clubs that Jack used to win 18 majors, he would throw up in his mouth.

Tiger, good.

Jack, better.

**usakos** · 08-15-2007 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by BOG

Tiger is not the greatest golfer ever. As of now, Jack Nicklaus is, and he did it with inferior equipment. If Tiger had to use the old wooden clubs that Jack used to win 18 majors, he would throw up in his mouth.

Tiger, good.

Jack, better.

Well, just as Jack used wooden golf equipment, so was the golf courses back then. Today, most golf courses have been redesigned to meet the challenges of todays' standard.

**fromantv** · 08-17-2007 09:50 PM

tiger is god now, but jack was the mack

**teabenny** · 08-17-2007 10:23 PM

Tiger made golf popular and accessible to the masses. He invaded what was once seen as a stuffy, old white man's sport with all its elitism and made it look cool. When a youth-oriented company like Nike gets into golf, you know that something big has happened.

Didn't Tiger inspire the movie Happy Gilmore?

Anyway, he certainly is good at what he does. The best? We'll let history be the judge.

I believe a study done on him revealed he had good arm strength (something about muscle fibres in his arms) that allows him to drive much further than his competitors.