Do you want Tiger to pass Jack?

[revkev]

4 hours ago, GregB135 said:

Whether TIger ties or passes Jack the fact that he reached 15 at his current age is as impressive as Jack's 18. In the 'Nicklaus' era, there were 3 or 4 guys who won everything and the rest were just grinding it out to earn a paycheck. Especially over the last 5 years the lists of 'who could win major x' are 15 players deep. Tiger has had to contend against much deeper fields of quality golfers than Jack and Arnie did in their time. To get to 18 or 19, especially with the long gap in between I think would be more significant.

I actually got to watch lots of golf in both eras both live and on TV.  There were not just 4 or 5 players during Nicklaus' era who could win a major - there were lots of very good players.  Guys whose names are now forgotten just as many of these identified 15 players today will be forgotten in 30 years because they won't have won as many as anticipated.

Beyond a doubt the bottom half of fields in Tiger's day have been stronger - certainly of late but one could make the argument that because Nicklaus had to contend with Arnie and Player early in his career, Trevino, Miller, Floyd and Weiskopf as contemporaries and Watson, Ballesteros, Faldo and Norman late that he had the tougher road - maybe they won more because they were better than the guys that Tiger is competing against. 

Early in his career Nicklaus had to deal with needing to work in the off season to make ends meet, something a modern great would find impossible to believe.

The record is 18 - no one now says - well Bobby Jones would have had more had he not stopped playing or been a pro - in fact there is a tendency to poo poo his majors and go to Hagen is third on the list because his were won as a professional but he had one fewer major and  lots of good players never turned pro - what do we make of that?

I'm not buying that Jack's competition was weaker, especially if we are going to say that the top 15 in the field are better (all things being taking into account - equipment - course conditions - travel conditions - etc.) today than in Jack's era.  Tiger does not have other guys who have won the Grad Slam or the numbers of majors that Arnie or Watson did (on the ends of Jack's career) to contend with.  If we want to go the way of another thread yes - the ladies on the lpga are fitter and hit the ball farther than the guys did in Jack's day but hopefully you see my point.

I'd say way to go if Tiger gets there and long live Jack if he doesn't.  There's enough to argue about between the two simply on the merits of their current and/or evolving records without pitting the eras against one another.  Plenty of hall of fame players in both eras.  Each had enough worthy competition to provide a test.   

 

This is a much more interesting thread than I thought it might be at first - thanks for starting it!

[Guest]

I would like to see the greatest golfer of all time.  While I was actually alive.  I've never seen an athlete go through as many injuries and comebacks as tiger has. I'm not rooting for tiger as a person, but he is the most dominant athlete of his/ her time,  maybe besides Michael Phelps. It's fun to watch. 

[geez2323]

Would be awesome to see it happen. He is already the greatest IMO and every pro golfer getting paid the purses they do now owes him a big thank you for how he made the game mainstream throughout the world.


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[revkev]

On ‎4‎/‎17‎/‎2019 at 7:17 PM, Erik-M said:

I would like to see the greatest golfer of all time.  While I was actually alive.  I've never seen an athlete go through as many injuries and comebacks as tiger has. I'm not rooting for tiger as a person, but he is the most dominant athlete of his/ her time,  maybe besides Michael Phelps. It's fun to watch. 

I don't know how old you are but I'm guessing late 20's, early 30's so you don't remember Michael Jordan or Wayne Gretzke.  I love your post!  I saw Jack and he was my man as a kid/young adult so that's why my preference remains with him.  I do wish he would keep his mouth shut about the ball.  He may think golf has become too easy but I certainly don't.  It seems to get harder and harder the older that I get. 

 

Tiger is great, what he has done is incredible.  It will be tough to hammer out those last three or four - think about it - three or four more majors is going to mean 5 to 8 more regular tour events or a Hall of Fame career all by itself all after the age of 42.  If there's anyone who could do that it is him. 

[Shankster]

Here’s my prediction on how Tiger will get it done.

US Open at Pebble #16

Open Championship in 2021 at St. Andrews #17

Masters 2022 #18

Will become the first 50+ to Win twice.

The 2025 Masters #19 and the 2025 Open Championship #20.

I feel he is going to win 90. So we’ll sprinkle in a few smaller events and maybe another WGC.

[revkev]

3 hours ago, Shankster said:

Here’s my prediction on how Tiger will get it done.

US Open at Pebble #16

Open Championship in 2021 at St. Andrews #17

Masters 2022 #18

Will become the first 50+ to Win twice.

The 2025 Masters #19 and the 2025 Open Championship #20.

I feel he is going to win 90. So we’ll sprinkle in a few smaller events and maybe another WGC.

That's a Hall of Fame career right there and it illustrates my point perfectly.  No one has come close to doing this before after the age of 40.  But of course people who are the greatest or close to the greatest do things that no one has ever done before so again if anyone is going to do this it's Tiger.

I believe Jack is the only one to have won three majors after the age of 40 and he had a top 10 in the Masters after the age of 50.  This is a great Major year for Tiger with Bethpage and Pebble up next.  I think he's pretty comfortable at those places.

[silver & black]

I would love to see Tiger beat Jack's record... or even tie it.

I really don't think that will happen given his age and, let's be honest, his still fragile back/health.

I want to see him do it just because I've had to endure/listen to the Tiger haters for so many years. Rubbing that in their face is childish, I know, but I'd take some pleasure in it anyway. 

I love Jack. I'm old enough to have watched him quite a bit. Jack and Tiger are both great.... just in different eras. 

[Shankster]

That's a Hall of Fame career right there and it illustrates my point perfectly.  No one has come close to doing this before after the age of 40.  But of course people who are the greatest or close to the greatest do things that no one has ever done before so again if anyone is going to do this it's Tiger.
I believe Jack is the only one to have won three majors after the age of 40 and he had a top 10 in the Masters after the age of 50.  This is a great Major year for Tiger with Bethpage and Pebble up next.  I think he's pretty comfortable at those places.

Yep. I think he’s good as he once was.

It will be a feat for sure. But if there is anyone that can do it... it’s Tiger.

He’s fragile, 40 something, but man he’s got game.

But I’d wager that he is in as good of physical shape in a long time, and probably could out bench half the tour.

Tiger vs the majority of the guys out there? I’d take Tiger over them all. Anyone in the Top 20 will be challenging and always were. But I’d still pick him even at 43 years old.

[perseveringgolfer]

I suppose if you look at it this way - he has 28 Majors before he's 50 and 'only' needs to win 4 out of 28 to beat Jack! if anyone can, Tiger can.

[fixyurdivot]

That would be a BIG FAT NO.

[chaseclelland]

100% yes. He is the best that ever lived.


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[ED13]

Tiger is probably the overall better golfer but I still say no.

Both Jack and Tiger exuded confidence that some may have seen as cocky similar to the label put on Koepka now.  Tiger was always different than the other two.  Never state an opinion as it could cost his earning potential.  Never stand up for something that could help others.  Disdain and a surly demeanour towards reporters unless it was in his best interests.

Even without the later revelations Tiger was never as good a human being as Jack.  Give him credit for trying more now but he doesn’t hold a candle to Jack.  I’ll root for the better person.

[Brian A]

Sure, Tiger doing things is good for the game. Look at when he's in the mix at a major, thats all you hear about. This weekend, the casual person didnt really bring up the US Open even though it was truly a great event.

IMO Just because he surpasses Jack doesn't mean he's better. He's benefited greatly from the technology, conditioning, nutrition that Jack never had. He was really the first golfer to train like an athlete and I think that helped him win