Tiger Woods Tees off today to start his 2019 Season- And it Could be A Big One
PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL – FEBRUARY 25: Tiger Woods lines up his putt on the fourth green during the final round of the Honda Classic at PGA National Resort and Spa on February 25, 2018 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Tiger Woods puts a peg in the ground for the first time in 2019 later today at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines- A venue where he has had a ton of success (8 career wins- 1 Major.) He’ll be playing alongside two of the “young guns” who have the firepower to beat the GOAT at his best; Tony Finau and Xander Schauffele. 2019 has the potential to be a huge year for Tiger; he’s very familiar with 3 of the 4 Major Championship venues and his form to close out 2018 was as impressive as anyone on the planet, winning the Tour Championship, and finishing inside the top-6 in 5 of his final 8 tournaments.
The 2019 Major Championship venues give Tiger four legitimate chances at winning major number 15. The Masters in April will always give Tiger a chance to win. I’ve often said that Augusta gives Tiger his best shot at winning another major. He just knows the course better than anyone else (I’ll give Phil a T-1 in this category.) There is the “awkward” stat that Tiger hasn’t slipped on the Green Jacket since Augusta National “Tiger Proofed” the course after the 2006 tournament, but he has had years where he performed good enough to win (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2014 he finished inside the top-5.) Tiger will be in the running for his 5th Green Jacket this April.
The PGA and US Open are both “ball strikers” courses; Bethpage Black in May for the PGA Championship and Pebble Beach in June for the US Open. Tiger ranked 3rd on tour last year in strokes gained on approach shots, and was 8th on tour in stroked gained tee to green. If Tiger can be average off the tee (59.35% in 2018) for the 2nd and 3rd majors of the year, we know the irons and the putter will show up. With that being said, Brooks Koepka should and probably will be the odd on favorite going into both the PGA and US Open, but Tiger should once again be able to be have chance come Sunday and the season’s 2nd and 3rd majors.
The 148th Open Championship is at Royal Portrush in July, and will give golfers their final shot a Major in 2019. Tiger has never played here, but most of field hasn’t played here. The only Open Championship hosted here was in 1951 (Englishman Max Faulkner won at -3.) There will be some players who played the course in 2012 for the Irish Open, but significant changes to the course have been made since then, most notably holes 17 and 18. I’ve said for years that Augusta gives Tiger his best chance at a major… I was wrong. The Open championship is where Tiger can thrive- long irons off the tee, mid to short-irons into greens, and course management- these are all things Tiger can still do. He probably should have won last year, but Molinari was a maestro on the greens.
The 2019 PGA Tour season is going to give Tiger plenty of chances to add to his 80 career tour victories, starting with later today at Torrey, and going through his normal stops in a season; The Players, Arnold Palmer Invitational, The Memorial, Quail Hollow, WGC events, etc... But, what should get all golf fans, nay, all sports fans excited is Tiger Woods looks like he can compete in all majors, and might get us all back to the conversation of Tiger chasing down Jack’s 18 major championships. Consider me PUMPED for the upcoming PGA Tour season!
By: Chris Beasley
