WGC Bridgestone

Tiger's 70th

Date Written: August 11, 2009


Question: How many times when Tiger's in the final pairing on Sunday has he won and by how much? Answer below.

One would think that if anyone could handle the pressure of playing with Tiger "straight-up" it might be Paddy Harrington, except for the fact that he's been playing like a dog while he works on tweaking his swing. So...Sunday at the WGC/Bridgestone, it was Paddy vs Tiger, face-to-face in the last twosome on a great golf course, Firestone. "Contrasting styles," suggested Nick Faldo. No kidding!

Tiger started three back on day four...definitely his advantage. He's got his putting swerve working and fires 3 birdies and an eagle to jump ahead by two after nine. Then he appears to be human. Viewers around the world start to adjust the focus on their TV sets and wonder about his invinciblity as he bogies twelve and fourteen and Paddy takes the lead by one. Maybe? NOT! Tiger's 8-iron, 3rd shot to the long par 5 sixteenth from 182 yards to a tucked pin over water that spins back to 6 inches will be re-shown a gazillion times from now until we die or stop watching the Golf Channel, whichever is first. Paddy's "snowman" on the same hole gives Tiger a four-shot swing on one hole and his 70th win. End of dialogue. Our Doug B. was last seen diving into the lake on 16, fully clothed. He had Padraig in "The Pool."

Last word on Padraig. He's the defending PGA Champ. Guess who wants the title and his 15th Major? Should he fail to win this week at the nearly 7700 yard venue, Hazeltine...just outside Minneapolis, Tiger would be shut out of majors for the first time since 2004. Unlikely. Five pool players have astutely saved their pick of Woods for the last of the "double money majors."

Answer to the question above: A lot!