Yes, a swing change is a long process – especially at the absolute highest level. But that’s not the problem. Tiger has always hit it a long and that was an advantage, but he still hits it long. No, he’s not consistently hitting like Gary Woodland but Tiger’s length is not the problem. And he’s never driven the ball particularly straight – he’s just one of the most skilled and imaginative players when it comes to getting out of trouble. Sure, there were tournaments when he hit fairways with great consistency and didn’t have to spend all his time scrambling – but that just meant he won by 15 strokes instead of 5. The swing isn’t his problem.

Tiger’s problem right now is simple. He can’t putt. Until a few years ago when everything changed for Tiger he simply never missed putts. Okay, the word never is maybe not technically accurate but it’s darn close. He didn’t miss putts. He saved par almost every time and if he needed a putt, he made it – almost no matter where it was from. It was an amazing stretch of amazing putting. Now, for whatever reasons – remember the why is hard to figure – he putts like a human. He misses putts. A lot of them. In the first 3 days of the 2011 Masters he’s missed more putts that 5 years ago he’d make. When (and sadly, maybe it’s more accurate to say if) Tiger gets his putting stroke back we’ll again see Tiger winning, and winning a lot.

UPDATE (after Tiger’s 4th round at the 2011 Masters): I rest my case.
Tiger 5 years ago would have NOT missed the par putt at 12 and would never have missed the Eagle putt at 15. Could have been, should have been in the clubhouse at at least -12.

It does bring up an interesting question about what kind of scores we’ll see this year. The forecast calls for wet weather all weekend long so we may be looking at a Monday finish again this year even without a playoff. On an exceptionally long course, the ball running in the fairway is a big help – that will be gone on a soggy course. US Open rough is brutal when dry, when this wet the common belief that a ball in the rough is equal to a one stroke penalty at the Open becomes “I hope it’s only a one stroke penalty” so it gets even more important to hit the ball straight off the tee – like Tiger did to near perfection 2 weeks ago in his win at The Memorial. So two big elements of the game will be tougher than usual but one will be easier. Golfers will experience unusually soft and receptive greens at Bethpage Black. They may need it when firing from 60-70 yards farther back from wet fairways. Should still be a great weekend of golf – just a little longer and probably a little different than we’re used to for a U.S. Open.

Sorry for the golf detour – I know not many of you come to a sports handicappers blogs for golf talk but hey, it’s the U.S. Open and I just can’t stomach talking about the Lakers winning another championship.

The Masters is one of the great sporting events we witness every year and this weeks with perfect weather all 4 days was another treat – all 74 holes this year.

One of the few bad things was that ultimately the tournament wasn’t really won.  Yes, in the end Cabrera was the Champion but I’m not real sure you can honestly say we went out and won the tournament.  Kenny Perry – who I really feel bad for, just a GREAT guy who I was pulling for – finished bogey-bogey to give two other guys a chance.  On the first playoff hole two guys in perfect spots in the fairway let a guy who was dead behind a tree and hit another tree trying to hack out stick around and then get away with a Par to win.  But often times that’s what tough golf tournaments are…a battle of attrition, especially at The Masters.

Can’t wait for the return to Bethpage – although it won’t be long until I’m tired of hearing how it’s a public muni course – we get it okay.  And just under a year until the next Masters!