Tiger Woods hits his tee shot on Saturday on the 4th gap on the Ritz-Carlton Golf Membership.
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Saturday noticed spherical one of many 12 months’s fifth main — additionally doing enterprise because the PNC Championship — and it supplied its normal assortment of ‘feels’ that come due to its pro-relative format. We get a little bit of a peek behind the scenes, so to say. There’s Bernhard Langer — and his son! There’s Annika Sorenstam — and her son! There’s Nelly Korda — and her dad! There’s Tiger Woods — and his son! Yeah, they’re at Ritz-Carlton Golf Membership, too, for the fifth-straight 12 months, and seeing the 15-time main winner play for the primary time for the reason that Open Championship in July brings its personal ideas — particularly since Crew Woods is tied for the lead.
So, we’ve convened GOLF staffers Claire Rogers and Nick Piastowski to evaluate the play. Claire is on the grounds in sunny Orlando. Nick is at his dwelling within the wintery Northeast.
Nick Piastowski (@nickpia): Hello, Claire! Appears a bit cooler as we speak, however nonetheless golf climate — so yeah, I’m jealous! What’s the vibe like down there?
Claire Rogers (@kclairerogers): The vibe is GREAT. The climate is ideal, and a LOT of individuals got here out to see Crew Woods. From the vary to the 18th inexperienced, there’s a ton of pleasure on the course from the early morning till the final putt drops. The followers and gamers are all equally comfortable to be right here.
Nick: Yeah, I completely received that really feel from TV. On 1 for Woods and Woods, it appeared like followers had been five- or six-deep — for about 200 yards down the green. The Friday pro-am appeared fairly nice, too — I particularly loved Padraig Harrington attempting so as to add ball velocity for Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis. It was humorous — and surprisingly mesmerizing . OK, let’s get into the golf — and one of many gamers from one of many three co-leading groups: Tiger. What’s your quick takeaway after watching him as we speak?
Claire: That he’s in full-on dad mode out right here this week. He’s transferring properly and hitting some nice photographs, however he’s extra targeted on hanging out together with his children than anything.
Nick: I’m seeing that. I simply appeared — between him and Charlie, they used the phrase “enjoyable” of their post-round press convention six occasions. So possibly they’re! The thought I need to use is Woods appeared in rhythm. The swing, the stroll. Nothing pressured. Balanced. The published analysts stated as a lot, too. That each one being stated, it’s not just like the PNC is the Masters, or the Ritz-Carlton GC is Oakmont. Ought to we then be inspired, discouraged, or simply wait and see with Woods after as we speak?
Claire: Inspired! The course right here is unquestionably flat, nevertheless it’s an extended stroll. I’m simply checking my steps for the day, and I’m at 16,200 — and all I did was comply with Tiger’s group. He’s accomplished that two days in a row and has yet one more forward of him. Final 12 months, he used a cart and relied on Charlie to hit a number of the drives. He hit each shot as we speak.
Nick: I just like the phrase inspired, too. Why not? It’s Christmas, proper? Drives down the center are drives down the center, and putts made are putts made. If something, momentum does humorous issues. Then once more, we’ve been overestimated like this earlier than so … there’s nonetheless some wait and see, too. All proper, let’s speak about his teammate. Charlie appeared dialed with the putter — although he was a bit laborious on himself, it appeared. You hear any of that?
Tiger and Charlie Woods co-lead PNC. Shocked? You shouldn’t have been
Claire: Charlie sunk a LOT of putts as we speak. I didn’t hear an excessive amount of across the greens, however he undoubtedly talked to his golf ball after a number of errant photographs on the course. A couple of occasions, I heard him mumble “How does that go over there?”
Nick: Yeah, I really feel you, Charlie. All of us surprise that. My favourite Tiger-Charlie second was the interplay on the tee on the par-3 seventeenth, the place Charlie dumped his tee shot into the water, then Tiger adopted with a protected iron to the middle of the inexperienced — then walked again and shortly tossed one thing towards his son’s chest. Good things. Let’s go speedy fire-ish now. Neatest thing you’ve seen this week on the course with the golf?
Claire: Luke Leonard’s recreation. He’ll be a freshman at Villanova within the fall, and I don’t assume I noticed him hit a single dangerous shot as we speak. His recreation is so, so constant.
Nick: I’ll go John Daly hitting one vary ball — and declaring himself good to go. Finest/strangest/funniest factor you’ve seen this week, off the course?
Claire: The Woods children and Justin Leonard’s son are in class collectively, and so they had a bunch of classmates and friends come down to observe the motion this weekend. It was superior to see how supportive they had been (a handful of youngsters printed out indicators of Luke Leonard’s face), and I feel it saved the entire gamers and caddies contained in the ropes feeling relaxed as we speak.
Nick: For me, I’ll go together with Daly once more and the second on Friday he had with Woods the place he stated they each get pleasure from three-letter locations — Woods appreciated the g-y-m, and Daly appreciated the b-a-r. Finest ‘awwwww’ household second?
Claire: I noticed Steve Stricker on the vary with each of his daughters as we speak and it was such an awesome second to watch. The Leonard household additionally shared a giant group hug after Justin and Luke completed their spherical as we speak, which was actually candy.
Tiger Woods greets John Daly at PNC — and so they speak ‘3-letter phrases’
Nick: Each interview from Will McGee, Annika Sorenstam’s son, will get to me. We might all use a few of that pep. All proper, who wins this factor?
Claire: I feel it’s going to be between Crew Woods and Crew Langer. If the placing goes properly for Crew Woods tomorrow, I can see them getting it accomplished.
