As for my golf predictions, let me repost a previous article with an update. As Tiger Woods emerges from his self-imposed nine week hiatus and we head towards the U.S. Open at Winged Foot Golf Club in NY, the Tiger buzz begins anew. There are many things people agree on regarding Tiger Woods; his wife, his excellence at golf, his high "Q" rating for TV and his articulate nature. However, the claim he's "the best golfer ever" always begs the question: Is he that good, or is the competition that weak? This past weekend's Barclays Classic at the Westchester Country Club demonstrated once again the difficulty today's tour players have maintaining their composure down the stretch. In Sunday's final round Adam Scott, an up and coming player, was tied for the lead with Vijay Singh on the 14th hole. He three putted from 4 feet for bogey and then double bogeyed 15, handing the win to Singh. If Tiger is in the mix on Sunday, history tells us a collapse will likely follow. Over the past several months PGA fans have seen golfer after golfer stumbling to gift wrap a victory for Woods. Major winners John Daly and Jose Maria Olazabal, along with journeyman Chris DiMarco, handed titles to Tiger after missing simple shots or putts which would have sealed a victory for them. Besides Woods and Singh, no other big name player on tour averages under 70 in the final round. Golfing legend Jack Nicklaus, always gracious in his comments about Tiger, said "Somebody is going to dust my records. It might as well be Tiger, because he's such a great kid." However, when Jack set the scoring record of 17 under par at the Masters in 1965, he did it with a persimmon (real wood) driver and a balata (marshmallow) ball; prehistoric equipment today. Tiger uses the new titanium (metal) driver and super dimpled, barely legal golf balls that neither slice nor hook and fly forever. It's scary to think what Nicklaus would have done with this new equipment. Stuart Appleby actually hit a drive 426 yards earlier this year at the Mercedes Championship in Hawaii. With this amazing technology, and a visibly different fitness regimen, Tiger broke Jack's Masters record by a single stroke in 1997. Both played on the identical Augusta National course (yardage and pin placements). If Tiger is today's Nicklaus, then who is today's Gary Player (9 majors); Tom Watson (8 Majors); Arnold Palmer (8 Majors); Lee Trevino (6 Majors); Seve Ballesteros (5 Majors)? They all played and won during the Golden Bear era. Consider how many Majors Nicklaus might have if they weren't around then. Two more for sure if you just consider Tom Watson. Tom beat Jack in a classic head-to-head British Open duel at Turnberry in 1977, winning with a birdie on the final hole and again in the 1982 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach when he chipped in for birdie on the 17th hole in the final round. In a four-week span in 1971, Lee Trevino won the U.S., Canadian, and British Open championships and was named that year's Sports Illustrated "Sportsman of the Year". Today the golfer closest to genuine competition for Tiger is Phil Mickelson, who has 3 majors and appears to be starting a competitive run at age 36. Could this be his breakout year? Ernie Els was considered a threat with 3 majors but now has a bad leg, making it difficult for him to get around the course, the ball or a trophy. Maybe it will be Retief Goosen with 2 U.S. Open wins. Vijay Singh had a great run in 2004, which coincidentally was the only year Tiger failed to win a stroke play tournament. Vijay won 9 tournaments that year including the PGA Championship. But with age becoming a factor, he's 43, how much longer does he have? In 2005 he won 4 times, this year the Barclays is his only win on tour. Today the lowest player to qualify for the PGA tour earned over $500,000 without a single tournament victory. Tenacious competition seems to be inversely related to huge purses. Can you blame professional golfers for being content? After all, finishing in 27th place with a $50,000 payday is good work if you can get it. Unfortunately for Tiger Woods, and his legacy, he continues to best players unable to sustain their games from one tournament to the next. This week at Winged Foot if it's not Tiger holding the trophy, odds are it will be a first time winner, who like recent Major winners Rich Beem, Michael Campbell, Shaun Micheel, Todd Hamilton and Ben Curtis, we will rarely hear from again. UPDATE: Tiger missed the cut and Jeff Ogilvie, a first time winner, won the tournament when Mickelson, Furyk and Montgomery all puked on the final hole.

As Tiger Woods tapped in for par this past Sunday on the final hole of the 135th British Open Championship, his emotions finally got the better of him. The man with ice in his veins stood with a quivering chin, which quickly gave way to full sobs as he clung to his caddy, Steve Williams, in the center of the green. With the amassed throng cheering the winner of 11 major tournaments, Woods continued to weep and hug his bearish caddy. After a few moments, Williams encouraged Tiger to exit the green. Many in the television audience, having been reminded every 5 minutes throughout the four day event, quickly thought the emotional outburst resulted from Tiger wining his first major since the passing of his father, Earl Woods, some months ago. It may have played a part, but knowledgeable golfers around the world knew the real reason for his inconsolable wails. With this win it had become painfully clear; Tiger Woods' legacy is diminished with each new major tournament victory. Unlike his idol, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger once again bested a field more worthy of a weekend charity golf outing than the most prestigious tournament in the sport. Unlike Nicklaus, who week after week battled to the final stoke for most of his major wins, Tiger once again sashayed around the course making fun of the pretenders. The Tiger era features Tiger. The Nicklaus era featured Jack, Tom Watson, Gary Player, Lee Trevino and Seve Ballesteros; golfers who combined for 46 major tournament victories during Jack's reign. Tiger has, well, Tiger. Gary Player, a regular Nicklaus nemesis, has more major tournament wins than Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia, Chris Dimarco, Jim Furyk and Davis Love III combined. With these uninspired competitors it's very possible that Tiger will win 30 or 40 major tournaments before he's done. I'd cry too if I spent my entire life preparing for competition at it's highest only to face this week after week. It's a shame really, that Tiger Woods will eventually hold the record for most major tournament victories, but he will have won them against a cast of Lilliputians, unable to compete like the legends of yore.